HG truly hates the whole world of mega fast food. Vile hamburgers. Nasty, oily fried chicken. Doesn’t taste good and it’s not good for you. A nice hamburger made at home is a whole other story. HG uses ground chuck with a reasonable fat content. No fat spells a dry and tasteless burger. HG adds a bit of micro-planed garlic to the meat and gently forms the patty. Overworking creates toughness. HG’s trusty, old and seasoned cast iron pan is put on high heat with a thin layer of kosher salt (meanwhile some sliced onions are cooking in another pan). When the cast iron is good and hot the patty goes on (there will be smoke and sizzle). A good crust develops. The burger is flipped so the other side gets crusty. Then the heat is turned to medium (you want a crusty, not burned burger). After a bit of time, HG sticks in a fork to test for doneness (HG likes a pink, but not raw burger…steak tartare it isn’t). HG finishes it with some blue cheese which melts quickly. This delicious piece of meat is slipped on a slice of ciabatta and smothered in the fried onions. A few Bubbie’s sweet pickle slices on the side (HG must have his vegetables). When ripe and in season, some sliced tomato is a good idea or in the dead of winter, you can try Kumato tomatoes which are flavorful and available at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s year round. This is a good, down home meal and all it needs to round it out is some fruity California Zinfandel. A pox on you. Mickey Dee.
Excellent. The real thing, like we used to do when I was a whelk, in the backyard, may mom and dad from Kansas, with a two rows of corn, and tomatoes within reach of the table, cooking burgers over a fire in a cast iron skillet. When the burgers were done they’d pick the hot tomatoes from the vine, backhanded, slice them hot and juicy to go on top of the ketchup, onion, and what you said.
Ah,my man, Judd. A guy who knows food….with a Mom and Dad who knew how to adorn a burger.
So true about the quality of a home cooked burger. And I love Bubbie’s, too! But I do have an occasional weakness for a “number six the old way” at Bert’s Burger Bowl in Santa Fe. Goes well with onion rings.
Tall,talented Sarah knows food (tipped me to Sophia’s) so I’ve got to try Bert’s.
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