Is It National Burger Day?

While the entire rest of the world celebrates National Burger Day on May 28; one lone site claims that National Burger Day is actually August 27. Everyone else heralds in Summer with a National Burger Day, and that makes sense. So too does a National Burger Day at the end of summer – a swan song to the season if you will.

As far as I’m concerned, both should be celebrated. Begin and end the grilling season with amazing burgers. Then throw in a few burgers throughout the summer season. Everyone’s happy – or at least those of us who still eat ground meat burgers.

While some insist we could make our burgers vegetarian – no offense to the meatless folks, but burgers are meat. Anything else is burger adjacent, and not really a burger. As for the plant-based burgers, the verdict is still out. To get that real burger flavor sometimes means using artificial ingredients to mimic meat.

That said, real burgers can be made from a variety of different ground meats – from beef to salmon and everything in between. If you are a pure red meat eater, yet you want to eat healthier, you can’t go wrong with Bison Meat. Buffalo Burgers are amazing. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Fun Burger Trivia
The oldest fast-food restaurant chain on the planet is White Castle, which opened in 1921.

Americans eat more burgers in restaurant, especially on the go, then they do at home. (This is a fact that escapes me since burgers at home are so much better).

A restaurant in Detroit is willing to cook up the largest burger offered to customers. It starts with 2,000 pounds of ground beef that cooks down to a lean 1,774 pounds. Add to that 300 pounds of onions, pickles, lettuce and cheese wedged between a 250-pound bun. Oh my! Now you do need to give Mallie’s Restaurant a minimum of 3-days notice if you want to order this bad boy.

And before you wonder – yes, Steve Mallie had to custom-make an oven large enough to handle this massive burger. So, naturally, he fashioned one out of a shipping container with the dimensions to fit the five foot by three foot supreme slider.

Our burger is much more manageable and will get you to question America’s obsession with eating burgers out rather than at home. I promise.

Papa’s Buffalo Burger
1/4 cup Flour
1/3 cup Red Onion, finely chopped
1 slice White Bread, broken into small pieces
1-1/3 lb Ground Bison
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Hamburger Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
4 leaves Boston Lettuce
4 slices Red Onion
1 large Heirloom Tomato, sliced
4 Onion Hamburger buns, split
1/3 cup Thousand Island Salad Dressing
4 slices American Cheese

Place flour in a small plate, set aside.

Finely chop red onion, place in a large mixing bowl. Tear bread into small pieces, add to the red onion. Add Ground Bison, wine vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire Sauce, hamburger seasoning, garlic and white pepper. Mix gently. Do not overwork the meat.

Shape into four 3/4-in.-thick patties. Press patties into flour to lightly coat both sides.

Heat a a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat to start. Once skillet is hot, place burgers in and immediately reduce heat to medium. Cook burgers until cooked through, about 4 or 5 minutes per side.

While the burgers cook, break some lettuce leaves from the head, rinse and set aside. Slice 4 rounds from the onion, break apart the rings and set aside Slice tomato into 4 nice slices, set aside..

Split buns, place on a serving platter. Spread bun bottoms with salad dressing, top with lettuce.

When burgers are cooked, top with cheese. Cover skillet and let cheese melt over burgers.

Place cheese burgers on top of the lettuce. Top burgers with some onions and a slice of tomato. Finish with the top of the bun.. Serve and enjoy.