How do I replicate an old fashioned hamburger.?

Question

A&W, Tom's hamburgers, Foster Freeze, and Timmy"s joint all seem to have one thing in common with their old fashioned hamburgers. And I have tried everything to replicate this. If anybody has worked at any of these burger joints or just knows how to do it, please let me in on the secret!

Answer 1

Try getting a hold of the "Top Secret Recipes" books by Todd Wilbur.

Answer 2

My secret to good burgers is to LIGHTLY form the meat in patties to the size and thickness of your choice. This will help to retain juicyness and flavor. Use about 85% lean hamburger and start with a hot pan to sear in the juices. Watch carefully so as not too hot and they burn, but you want them to brown good on the outside. They can be salt and peppered before or after cooking I usually do it after or let people do their own to taste. About 3-4 minutes per side depending on thickness.

Answer 3

I have worked in restraints sense I was 14 am now 52 and own my own drive in to me fresh ground beef hand patted out to 1 lb. cook on grill for 8 to 10 min. turning over of course place a slit in the centre of the patty this allows the juice to cook the inside with out drying out I believe the bun should be dressed from the bottom Place your mustard lett and onion and tomato pickle catsup's if perfured but always dress bun from the bottom will taste good better then on top of the meat

Answer 4

The sad fact is…you just can't find a good old-fashioned hamburger these days! What you get today at the drive-thru window cannot compare with the burgers of days gone by. So here's my age-old family secret recipe from my childhood days on Tonti Street, when a hamburger was as pure a comfort food and as simple as it could get. Fix some and remember!

Ingredients:
¼ cup Crisco Oil
1 large chopped onion
1 lb. lean ground round or ground sirloin
Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste
4 seeded hamburger buns, toasted
4 Tbsp. softened margarine
4 Tbsp. yellow mustard
4 Tbsp. ketchup
8 Tbsp. real mayonnaise
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, sliced in rings
¼ cup dill pickle slices
Potato chips on the side


Instructions:
First, preheat a seasoned griddle to about 350 degrees and coat it lightly with the oil. Then, take the cup of chopped onions and position them in four equal portions on top of the oiled griddle. Now begin sautéing them, using a spatula to toss them over and over, until they wilt and begin to turn a light honey brown.

In the meantime, separate the ground round, also into four evenly divided portions, and shape them into ovals using your hands. Then, when the onions begin to soften, place the four portions of ground meat directly on each pile of onions and push the meat down into the onions with the spatula. In other words, you’re forming the hamburger as you go.

At this point, take your time and shape the meat into individual patties (two spatulas make this easy to do) and, with the sides of the spatulas, chop the onions into the meat, releasing the onion juices as you cook. Then when each of the hamburgers has cooked on the down side, flip it over and cook the opposite side. Ideally, you want to have them come out crusty brown and finished all the way through.

Finally, in the last few minutes before you’re ready to eat, sprinkle each burger with salt and coarse ground black pepper. All that’s left is to lightly butter and toast the inside sections of each hamburger bun, dress them with mustard, mayo, ketchup, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onion rings, and serve them piping hot right off the griddle.

It’s shades of the good ol’ days….especially when served with chips!

Chef's Notes:
Contrary to popular belief, the best hamburgers are formulated and formed right on the hot griddle. Burgers get tough when they're pre-formed by hand ahead of time. And under no circumstances should you salt ground round or ground sirloin until the last minute before it's served. Pre-salting makes the meat tough, but it also draws out all the juices.

Answer 5

It's pretty.Classic,never old fashioned.At least in most countries. What happens if it's on that page with Martha,Ruth,Beverly etc? Martha and Ruth are just as old as Claire and neither of them is old fashioned + Beverly is quite nice,it surely beats Brooklyn or Mackenzie.Better frumpy than trashy.