Pan Hamburgers

Let's talk burgers. Why am I being so specific with the Pan Hamburgers title? Well, grillin' and oven bakin' and cookin' in a pan are all rather different, my darlings. They all have their place and time, with grilled being one of the most popular options, naturally. Grilled burgers are the staples of summer BBQs. Dudes in those dad white sneakers and aprons, burgers, and a nice cold bottle of beer.

But what about the pan kind? Sometimes, you need a burger and going outside to grill just isn't happening. What if I want to stay inside, dangit?

[Inserts ADD moment] Does anyone remember Burgertime? That weird little Donkey Kong-esque game where you zipped around, trying to eccape dancing hot dogs and eggs. I swear, this was not a trippy dream I had. And you can even still play it.

Now, back on track. As I've gotten into the habit of doing, let's talk a little history. Hamburgers in America really started with the Germans. In the mid-1800's, as German immigrants began opening beer gardens (aka paradise), they also served a Hamburg-style cooked beef. This was, of course, because Hamburg, Germany was known for their beef products.

Interestingly enough, salisbury steak became a thing when Dr. James Salisbury reported that cooked beef may be as healthy as raw beef (yes, raw beef was being consumed), and suddenly, ground beef rose in popularity. There were some setbacks along the way, including reports of uncleanliness in the meat industry, but in 1921, a little place named White Castle brought hamburgers back in a whole new way. No longer associated with unclean situations, hamburgers took over as an American dish. 

Wow, history is wild - that is a rather succinct summary of 150 years in hamburgers. And while these aren't the tiny hamburgers of my stoner dreams (thank you, Harold and Kumar), they are an easy way to have your favorite hot sandwich on a weeknight.

Back to the recipe. Simple is good. A medium-low fat ground beef is ideal for a good hamburger. Too lean and it will be dry. Too much fat, and you'll lose half the volume as it cooks out. 85/15 is about right for me.

I have always put some egg and breadcrumbs in the mix to bring some cohesiveness into the equation. I do the same for meatballs. You mix it all to combine, then form them into patties. One trick I have learned is to go wider, not taller. They tend to shrink a bit as some fat cooks off, and you don't want a meatball on a bun. 

When cooking, I set them into a hot cast iron skillet (no additional oil or grease required), and let them start to cook. I did about about 4-5 minutes one side, then flipped them (this will vary - the burgers were fairly thick). I'm a medium kind of gal when it comes to burgers. The advice I was given was to go by softness of the burger more than color, especially since you can't see inside. This skill is developed over time, but basically, mushy = not cooked. A little bounce back/firmness = more cooked. And remove them early - they keep cooking when removed from heat.

The last step? Grab yourself a bun and toppings of choice. Hamburgers were made to be eaten.

Simple. Satisfying. Ideal post!

This is not a complex recipe by a long shot, but it did give me the chance to (a) make burgers for dinner and (b) play with burger photography. Have you seen a better model? Strike a pose, darling.

These were flavorful and juicy, but not the dribble down an soak the bun kind (which is my preference). I topped them with arugula, tomato, cheddar cheese (of course), and some of these spicy pickles. And of course, ketchup and mustard. Mayonnaise can go to hell.

What's your favorite burger recipe? I sense a slider post in my future.

Pan Hamburgers Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

2 teaspoons garlic and herb seasoning (or 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic salt)

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, combine hamburger, egg, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning. Use a spoon or your hands to mix until well combined. Form into patties (I did 4 for 1 pound). Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high, then add patties. Cook for 5-6 minutes (longer if a thicker patty), then flip and repeat.