In 1885, at a country fair on Seymour, Wisconsin, Charles Nagreen served beef burger steaks between prices of bread for ease or carrying.
In 1892, at another county fair in Akron, Ohio, Frank Mensches was said to run out of sausage and decided to mince fresh meat for sandwiches instead.
Burgers are usually fried or grilled and are a patty of ground beef served in a bun with salad. A size of cheese is often placed on a burger to make it a cheese burger.
Sometimes salt and ‘extenders’ such as soya protein are added to improve the cohesiveness of the burgers after cooking.
Beef burgers have also been commonly referred to as a hamburger which is the one and the same and is not normally made from pork.
Beef burgers spread in popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, proliferating in chain restaurants throughout Southern California and have long since become a symbol of the American diet.
Burgers are incredibly easy to prepare, and the only really important step, beyond not overcooking them, is forming the patty. The main thing to avoid is overworking the meat which can result in tough, rather than tender and juicy, burgers.
The best burgers are made from meat with small connective tissue content. Too much connective tissue produces an undesirable texture.
Beef burger
