Let’s Talk Burgers
Growing up, I loved hamburger night at my house. Mama made thick, juicy burgers in a skillet and served them with big ol’ french fries and enough ketchup to drown the whole shabang in. Alright, so I was the one adding the flood of ketchup but it set the whole meal off perfectly in my mind. On nights when we didn’t have buns, she’d just serve the patties topped with sauteed onion slices (which she cooked in the skillet along with the burgers) and call it hamburger steak. Either way Mama went with this, it was a win-win.
I sure do miss having Mama make my hamburger,
but since I’m the Mama these days, I reckon she’s done gone and passed the torch.
So, as the head hamburger-cooker, this is how I turn out juicy and taste filled burgers. I look forward to hearing how you make your burgers. Do you have a secret ingredient or method that people just rave about? What toppings do you like? Are there any unusual sides that you just have to have? As a fellow burger enthusiast, I’d love to hear how they’re served at your house – or your favorite restaurant. Feel free to reply to other comments as well if you want to chat about it a bit. No sense in being shy, this is your home, too!
I use ground beef (whatever is cheapest), egg, and dry french onion soup mix.
I LOVE onions with my burgers but my family doesn’t (at least they think they don’t ~ hehe!) so this way I can have my onions and they are clueless.
Add all of your ingredients together. I am using about two and a half pounds of ground beef here.
I mush it all up. The best way to do this is just with your hands.
Shape patties into doughnuts.
The hole in the middle keeps the hamburger from puffing up into one big ball and also helps it get done evenly.
As it cooks the hole fills in.
After you brown the patties really well on both sides, add a cup or so of water to the pan so that they can continue to cook without burning and get done all of the way.
Right before you take them up, top a few with slices of cheese for those who like cheeseburgers.
Can you believe I don’t care for cheese on my burger? I’m an odd bird, I know.
My perfect burger includes a side of big old steak fries and some Comeback sauce to dip ’em in!
This picture shows hamburgers served with Comeback sauce and a a side of abomination – otherwise known as “green bean fries”. That was a new fangled recipe I figured I’d try so I could bring it to you if it was good.
Well folks, I can honestly say that they “look” good, but I can’t go beyond that. After making these, from now on if I want green beans, I’m gonna eat green beans. If I want fries, I’m gonna eat fries. Trying to turn green beans into fries worked out about as well as trying to turn broccoli into mashed potatoes:). Just my opinion!
Now this is where you come in! I know y’all make some awesome burgers and there are limitless variations (just about all of which I’d personally like to try!).
How do you make your burgers? I’d love for you to share your favorite burger recipes with me in the comments below. Tell me how you like to make ’em, how you like to eat ’em, how you like to serve ’em, and what you serve ’em with. If you’d like to include any actual recipes in your comments, go right ahead! (Yipee!!)
Feel free to respond to other folks comments as well if you’d like, We’re all friends here. 🙂
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Click here for Comeback Sauce recipe!
Got Leftovers?
Hamburger patties are SO EASY to recycle into future dishes! I allow my patties to cool and them crumble them up before placing them in a freezer bag. Next time you make chili, taco soup, beef casserole, or the like, just pull out your crumbles and toss them in. You’ll have the convenience of using pre cooked beef, the added zip of the onion soup mix flavor, and the pride in not wasting your leftovers!
“If something intolerable simply cannot be changed, driven away, or shot – Southerners will not only tolerate it but take pride in it as well.” – Florence King
Submitted by Aunt Kathy. To submit your quote, click here.
Yay – thank you so much for the tips! I love french onion soup mix and think it’s a fabulous idea to use in burgers. Will definitely use the dougnut technique as well.
I just want to tell about our fried green bean experience. My husband heard about fried green beans from a fellow teacher who had it at a restaurant the next town over. When I saw him breaking out a pint of our home canned green beans, I was very skeptical and a little irritated that he was going to waste our green beans like that. So he battered and fried those babies up, and my goodness, they were awesome! The two of us ate the whole pint before our chicken halves were done on the grill. I completely agree that they’re no substitute for fries, but they reminded me alot of fried okra except you don’t get all itchy when you go pick it!
Oooh, now you got me wanting fried okra! lol
I’ve heard a lot of folks say the fried green beans were good and I believe ya!
I guess it’s just not one of those things for me. I think my mind has it’s head wrapped around hamburger and fries as the traditional pairing! lol I bet I’d like them on their own though, when I’m not looking for the perfect accompaniment to my burger!
For the most part my husband leaves me alone in the kitchen, but burgers are his domain. I’m thinking I’d need to look for a lawyer if I tried to get skillet burgers by him. He’s so good at the grilling I’m happy to let him take the reins that night. (same goes for steaks, fish and chops are a toss up)
oooh, you lucky woman! lol
We just got a grill a month or so ago. Ricky is learning how to grill but I need a bigger grocery budget to have good things to practice with!
Honey, you don’t need a bigger budget.(for grilling) Hot dogs are great. When we grill, we do enough for several nights. Hamburgers(with only worchestershire), pork chops, chicken and hot dogs. Ocassionally fish, and vegetables.
I add a tablespoon of Heniz 57 sauce and a bit of black pepper to mine or a seasoning blend from our favorite restaurant Anglers (at the pier on Okaloosa Island), my family LOVES them, they are so moist and juicy.
I never thought of adding Heinz 57 into the meat. I bet that gives it a flavor *pop*!
I put either onion soup mix or finely diced onion and Lea&Perrins steak sauce in my meat when fixing burgers…Yummmm..I butter the buns..toast in a clean skillet, we use tarter sauce on our burgers too. And alwayssss gotta have that cold, crips kosher dill pickle wedges!
I always add a little water to the beef as I mix it up-makes the burgers so juicy! Also add a little Country Bob’s sauce which Christy has gotten me addicted too!!!!!
HELLO YUM!!!
Onion burgers are one of my standby burgers too! Love ’em!!
Wish I had one right now!!! lol
Isn’t it amazing how simple such good things are?
Hi Christy. I’ve always made an indentation in the top of the burger. This hole looks like an improvement to me. Does the hole go all the way through (like a doughnut)?
Hey Mary! Yes, I make it all the way through but it seals up completely when they cook. It’s really kinda cool! lol
First, I always buy cheap hamburger meat with a high fat content. The fat makes them so juicy! I also season my meat with a seasoning mix from one of our favorite restaurants in Panama City Beach-it’s just garlic, salt, and black pepper. Finally, right before the burgers are finished, I brush them with a little melted butter. I know that is soooo bad, but people always love them! Needless to say, burger night at my house is not for the weak hearted!! LOL!!
@,@ Okay, you gotta tell me what your favorite restaurant in Panama City Beach is! Mine is Angelo’s and I always get the bbq chicken and practically drown it in their sauce, sooo good!
your version of the burger is going on my list as well! I’m gonna be makin’ a lot of hamburgers but I know we’ll sure enjoy them!