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Hamburger

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A hamburger, often called a burger, is a versatile food consisting of fillings inside a sliced bun or bread roll.

Flickr - cyclonebill - Burger
Flickr - cyclonebill - Burger

Most commonly, the center is a patty made of ground beef. However, the term "burger" has undergone linguistic rebracketing. This means it has become a standalone word for many different types of sandwiches. People now use the term for various meats, such as buffalo, venison, kangaroo, chicken, turkey, elk, or lamb.

Bulgogi burger 2
Bulgogi burger 2

It can even refer to fish, like a salmon burger, or meatless options like a veggie burger.

Impossible Burger - Gott's Roadside- 2018 - Stierch
Impossible Burger - Gott's Roadside- 2018 - Stierch

Because the term "hamburger" usually implies beef, people often add a prefix for clarity. They might call them beef burgers, turkey burgers, or even portobello burgers. Under certain definitions, a hamburger is even classified as a sandwich.

Building a hamburger involves several specific layers and components.

Flickr XP-ert 489502412--Cheeseburgers on grill
Flickr XP-ert 489502412--Cheeseburgers on grill

The foundation is the patty, which is a portion of ground meat shaped into a disk. This patty is placed inside a bun, which may be a standard sliced bun or a sesame seed bun. To add texture and flavor, many people add toppings like lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, or chilis.

NYC-Diner-Bacon-Cheeseburger
NYC-Diner-Bacon-Cheeseburger

Condiments are then applied to provide moisture and tang. Common choices include ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, or a "special sauce." This special sauce is often a variation of Thousand Island dressing. If a person places a slice of cheese on top of the meat patty, the item is specifically called a cheeseburger.

There are many distinct regional and international variations of this food.

Taiwan McDonald's chicken rice burger 20050218
Taiwan McDonald's chicken rice burger 20050218

In some places, the bun might even be made of rice. In other cultures, the flavors reflect local tastes, such as the Korean-style bulgogi burger.

Bulgogi burger 2
Bulgogi burger 2

The variety of the burger allows it to fit into many different dining settings. You can find burgers in quick fast-food restaurants or in high-end, expensive establishments. Some people prefer small, bite-sized versions known as sliders.

A party tray of sliders at a restaurant
A party tray of sliders at a restaurant

These small burgers were famously sold by the White Castle chain. Because of these many forms, the burger has become a global food icon.

The history of the hamburger is complex and remains a subject of much debate.

Hamburg steak
Hamburg steak

The name likely derives from the city of Hamburg, Germany. However, the exact connection is not fully proven. One early reference is a 1758 recipe for "Hamburgh sausage" in a book by Hannah Glasse. This recipe suggested serving the meat roasted with toasted bread underneath. Another possibility involves the "Hamburger Rundstück," or "bread roll warm," which was popular in 1869. It is believed that German emigrants may have eaten these on their way to America. Some even suggest the name came from the Hamburg America Line, a shipping company that operated starting in 1847.

Many different people have claimed to be the true inventor of the hamburger sandwich.

Cheeseburger at Louis' Lunch, New Haven
Cheeseburger at Louis' Lunch, New Haven

Louis Lassen of New Haven, Connecticut, claimed to have created it around 1900. He reportedly used ground beef trimmings between two slices of toast for a customer. Charlie Nagreen, known as "Hamburger Charlie," claimed to have sold meat sandwiches at a fair in 1885. He was only 15 years old at the time. The Menches brothers also claimed an 1885 invention at a fair in Hamburg, New York. They reportedly substituted beef for pork sausage when they ran out of the latter. Other names associated with the invention include Oscar Weber Bilby, Fletcher Davis, and Otto Krause.

Large multinational chains have played a massive role in spreading burger culture worldwide.

McD Big Mac
McD Big Mac

McDonald's and Burger King have turned specific burgers into global icons. The McDonald's Big Mac and the Burger King Whopper are famous examples. In 1921, White Castle helped change how people viewed ground beef. Before this, some people were worried about the cleanliness of meat. White Castle used scientific studies and prepared food in full view of customers to build trust. They even created small square patties with five holes to help them cook evenly. This helped establish the hamburger as a reliable and popular meal for families.

Today, the hamburger connects different culinary systems and social habits.

Hamburger in New Zealand
Hamburger in New Zealand

It serves as a bridge between simple street food and complex gourmet cuisine. The evolution of the burger shows how food can change through migration and industry. From the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair to modern convenience stores, the burger has constantly adapted. It reflects changes in how we cook, how we travel, and how we eat on the go. Whether it is a simple beef patty or a complex veggie burger, it remains a central part of global dining.

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🖼️ Images & Media (19)
File:Hamburg steak.jpg
Hamburg steak.jpg
File:Oberhafenkantine (Hamburger Rundstück).jpg
Oberhafenkantine (Hamburger Rundstück).jpg
File:Cheeseburger at Louis' Lunch, New Haven.jpg
Cheeseburger at Louis' Lunch, New Haven.jpg
File:NYC-Diner-Bacon-Cheeseburger.jpg
NYC-Diner-Bacon-Cheeseburger.jpg
File:McD_Big_Mac.png
McD_Big_Mac.png
File:McD-McChicken (transparent).png
McD-McChicken (transparent).png
File:Impossible Burger - Gott's Roadside- 2018 - Stierch.jpg
Impossible Burger - Gott's Roadside- 2018...
File:Hamburger in New Zealand.jpg
Hamburger in New Zealand.jpg
File:Roujiamo, La Taverne de Zhao, Paris 17 September 2016.jpg
Roujiamo, La Taverne de Zhao, Paris 17...
File:Danish Beef Sandwich.JPG
Danish Beef Sandwich.JPG
File:Bulgogi burger 2.jpg
Bulgogi burger 2.jpg
File:Taiwan McDonald's chicken rice burger 20050218.jpg
Taiwan McDonald's chicken rice burger 20050218.jpg

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