Edible Expert - The Divine Hamburger
Written by David Machado
For Summer 2007
PORTLAND NATIVE JAMES BEARD published the above ode to the noble hamburger in 1972, which was my junior year in high school and the same year that a much-anticipated burger chain from California, called McDonald’s, opened its first location in my hometown of Fall River, Massachusetts. My first taste came years earlier courtesy of my Uncle Tom and his cast iron skillet. A transplanted Southerner and Iwo Jima veteran, Tom would cook me up a thin and gristly after-school version that he served between two slices of fluffy white Bunny bread. I loved it!
Several years later, I would step up in quality when I began to frequent Almacs Diner with Father McCarrick and a carload of altar boys fresh from a Friday night Novena. These burgers were professionally flipped and garnished with hot cheese and griddled onions by tattooed, paperhat-wearing war veterans. They were a divine revelation.
WHAT MAKES A TRULY GREAT HAMBURGER?
It’s a popular and well-worn cliché that Foodie Nation members must seek out and use only the best quality ingredients in their pursuit of producing remarkable food. So let’s start with the beef itself. Chuck is the correct choice in either the ground or whole muscle form. The chuck muscle has a natural fat content of 15-20%. This is the perfect ratio of protein to fat and makes for a flavorful and juicy burger, if handled correctly.
TO GRIND OR NOT TO GRIND?
If you decide to grind your own chuck in a hand grinder or Kitchen Aid attachment, make sure of two things: The equipment should be clean and sanitized before you begin, and the equipment as well as the meat should be extremely well chilled. The meat should be placed in a freezer for about 20 minutes and then cut in one inch wide strips before being placed in the grinder. Grind it twice by starting with a large-diameter plate and finishing with a medium-diameter plate. The resulting mix should be liberally seasoned with salt and black pepper and then gently formed into six-ounce patties.
To help form a consistent patty, use some sort of mold or template. At my restaurant, Lauro Kitchen, we use a small Spanish terra-cotta cazuela that does the job perfectly. Be careful not to overknead the beef. Try to form the patty with just enough force to shape it into a secure form. This step is essential—it promotes even cooking and results in a tender and juicy finished product.
WHAT IS THE PREFERRED COOKING METHOD?
Most people enjoy the romance and drama associated with cooking over an open flame and the smoky char that it imparts. But I am in agreement with James Beard, the American patron saint of cooking, when he writes that the perfect hamburger should be “served pan-broiled or sautéed in a little fat.” What James means is that the beef should be cooked in a heavy-bottomed iron skillet or stove-top griddle with a ribbed surface. This method of cooking ensures uniform cooking while locking in the flavor and juice by searing it on a hot metal surface in (your choice of) cooking fat.
AT WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD IT BE COOKED?
First, let’s bypass the hysteria associated with beef contamination by agreeing to purchase only high-quality, naturally-raised beef. This should be procured from a reputable butcher in whole muscle form, if possible. Hand grinding should be performed in super-clean, super-cold conditions. I am going to recommend cooking hamburgers to what we call in the food business “mid rare.” I know that this can be a fiercely personal preference for some, but on-the-job experience has taught me that less than medium-rare cooking can result in a mushy and unpleasant texture. Anything more than that will produce a hamburger that is grainy, tight, and dry. A six-ounce patty should take about six to eight minutes per side at medium heat to reach this desired state of doneness.
WHAT ABOUT GARNISH AND BUN ETIQUETTE?
In his classic of American cuisine, The Treasury of Outdoor Cooking, Beard again sets the guidelines. First, any bread or bun that you choose should always be served warm, preferably toasted and well buttered. As for condiments and garnishes, he points with affection to the simplicity and intelligence of the White Spot in Los Angeles. Along with mustard and mayonnaise, the White Spot always included a thin slice of pickle, tomato, and onion, as well as relish and a lettuce leaf. Acceptable cheese choices are cheddar, Roquefort, or Jack, which can be sliced or shredded before being melted on the burger.
It is now virtually impossible to consider modern American cuisine without recognizing the preeminent place that the hamburger has at the table. The hamburger’s basic ingredients, ease of cooking, and convenience in serving has made it a culinary and cultural force that will not be denied. As we chow down a startling 15 billion hamburgers per year in the United States, it is easy to see why this humble dish has few real competitors in the never-ending race for the title of America’s most beloved food.
David Machado is a Portland chef and restaurateur. He is currently at work on his third restaurant, American Chow, which will prominently feature a rendition of the perfect hamburger. Here is David's recipe for the Lauro Kitchen Cheeseburger. Haven't had your fill of burger knowledge? Click here.
