usaTheSpiceOdysseyOctober 21, 2020as american as tom brady

All-American Cheeseburger

usaTheSpiceOdysseyOctober 21, 2020as american as tom brady

There’s no denying that the burger occupies a unique place in the American mind. What other food conjures so many themes and stands for so many global forces as this iconic sandwich? Convenience, mass-production, globalization, capitalism, cultural imperialism, American exceptionalism—not to mention meat, lots of juicy, perfectly grilled meat!

Cheeseburger is a natural evolution of the hamburger, the only difference between the two being that the cheeseburger has a slice of cheese added on top of each meat patty. The cheese is usually added to the hot hamburger patty as it’s cooking which allows it to melt shortly before serving. Cheeseburgers can include variations in structure, ingredients and composition. As with other hamburgers, a typical American cheeseburger usually includes toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. It really is that simple yet the cheeseburger is one of the world's greatest culinary inventions.

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The Origin Story

As with most dishes that are extremely popular, the history of the cheeseburger is somewhat complicated. During the late 19th century the vast grasslands of the Great Plains had been opened up for cattle ranching. This made it possible for many Americans to consume beef almost daily. Till this day, hamburger remains as one of the cheapest sources of beef in America. Adding cheese to hamburgers became popular in the late-1920s to mid-1930s and there are numerous claims as to who invented the first cheeseburger. In fact, three different states claim to be the birthplace of the cheeseburger—California, Kentucky and Colorado.

1925 | Pasadena, California — “The Cheese Hamburger”

Many food historians credit 16-year-old Lionel Sternberger, who in 1925 decided to slap a slice of American cheese (what else?) onto a cooking hamburger at his father's Pasadena, California, sandwich shop, the Rite Spot. He liked it, and so did his dad, and thus the cheeseburger was born. They called it a "cheese hamburger".

1934 | Louisville, Kentucky — “A New Tang”

The first sandwich to be actually called a “cheeseburger” was at Kaelin’s restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. Charles Kaelin claims to have invented the cheese-topped burger in 1934 because he wanted, reports Louisville writer Robin Garr, to "add a new tang to the hamburger." This is the earliest example of a menu claiming to be "the birthplace of the cheeseburger.”

1935 | Denver, Colorado — “Cheeseburger™”

Then there is also Louis Ballast from Denver, Colorado who submitted a trademark for “The Cheeseburger” for his now defunct Humpty Dumpty Drive-In, though historians query whether he was indeed awarded the trademark or not.

The Modern Variations

While Americans share a huge love of cheeseburgers, they also are passionate about the different ways they like them cooked and what kind of toppings they prefer. There are a lot of different variations to the much loved cheeseburger but I am going to narrow it down to three main types.

The Smashed Cheeseburger - This type of cheeseburger is common in hamburger joints and diners that originated in the 1930s. This is most likely the earliest version of the cheeseburger The patties are fried and smashed which are always cooked well-done. The cheese must always be American and includes simple toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, raw onions, mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise. So simple and so delicious.
The Bar Burger - These began to show up on menus several decades later in the 20th century and are thick, juicy and grilled. You get your choice of doneness. You get your choice of cheese: American, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, and even Gruyere, Gouda or Blue if you are in an upscale restaurant. You can even have more than one type of cheese on a custom order. Alongside the classic toppings, you can add bacon, avocado, guacamole, sautéed onions, mushrooms or chilies. Instead of the classic condiments, in this case you can be more adventurous — barbecue sauce, chipotle mayo or Dijon mustard. The options are endless.
The Gourmet Burger - The trendy gourmet burgers are really just dolled-up bar burgers with upscale buns and unusual toppings of a wide variety depending on the restaurant. These are usually chef’s creation. But if you have the cravings for a cheeseburger, this usually won’t satisfy. Lol not even close!

Personal Tidbits

I know I am going to get judged right now but here goes! Personally, I was never a burger gal. Back in Canada, I think I would have burger like once a year and that too due to peer pressure because all my friends just happened to go to a burger joint. That being said, I did like The Burger’s Priest in Toronto when it opened up way back when, like 10 years ago? I am sure there are lots of good joints now. Anyway, all of that changed when I got married and moved to California. No, it wasn’t just the In-N-Out, I had married a burger connoisseur. Trust me, I have seen the glimmers in his eyes when he is served a big and juicy cheeseburger. If I told my husband he has to give up every type of food and have burgers for the rest of his life, he would happily oblige. Even right now as I am writing this, he is telling me “it’s the holy trinity — meat, cheese and bread”. Oh boy, he really does take his burgers very, very seriously.

And so you may be wondering, does she actually know what a good cheeseburger tastes like? Well, after spending the last 5 years of my life with this burger fiend and having countless burgers, I think I have a pretty solid understanding of what a great cheeseburger should entail. If that still doesn’t convince you, I am going to quote my husband “Honey, this is the best burger you have made! It’s even better than In-N-Out ”.

I could not believe my ears so I made him repeat it several times. Because if you know, to an Angeleno nothing is better than their sacred In-N-Out, which also happened to be Anthony Bourdain’s (rest in power </3) favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. You know a burger is good when Anthony Bourdain compares it to a ballistic missile. Anyway, the husband has declared these as the best burgers ever, and I am happy to share my recipe with you guys.

Recipe: All-American Smashed Double Cheeseburger

Serves: 2

Think of a cross between the In-N-Out Double-Double and the Shake Shack ShackBurger and thus maketh the All-American Classic Cheeseburger by @TheSpiceOdyssey. This is a smashed cheeseburger, one of the earliest types of cheeseburgers as I have mentioned above. Classic smashed burgers are all about maximizing the meaty flavor and the dark crispy brown crust. The reason this particular recipe works so great is because of it’s unique cooking technique. I use a Cast Iron Press on the ground beef to smash it down firmly and as thin as possible on to an ungreased pan. The smashing technique increases contact points, delivering maximum crust and maximum flavor. With a double patty, you get double the amount of crust while the melted slices of cheese on top of each patty keeps things moist. Yeah, yeah I did use that word. MOIST!

The Special Sauce

Mayo - ½ cup
Kewpie Mayo - ¼ cup
Ketchup - 1 tbsp
Sriracha - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tbsp
Pickle Juice - 1 tbsp
Dill Pickle - 1, chopped
Cayenne Pepper - 1 dash

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. This sauce can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Note: If you have never had Kewpie Mayo, be prepared to have your mind blown. It’s an umami bomb. It’s mayo on crack. It’s the best mayonnaise in the world and you will not want regular American mayo ever again.

The Grilled Onions

Butter - ½ tbsp
Oil - ½ tbsp
Onion - 1, diced
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Water - as needed

Melt the butter with the oil in a large cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and sprinkle with salt and sugar. Cook the onions for 5 minutes or until they start to soften, stirring so they don't crisp or brown in spots.

Reduce the heat to medium low, cover with a lid, and continue to cook, stirring the onions every 10-15 minutes or so. The onions will reduce and become more golden and jammy as they cook, giving off a rich nutty aroma. If the onions look like they're beginning to burn or crisp, stir in a splash of water and scrape the caramelized fond from the bottom of the pan for the onions to absorb. Continue to cook up to 1 hour or so for a deep, rich caramelized flavor

Note: You want the onions to cook slowly to release their sugars and caramelize, stirring just every so often so the onions become golden and jammy. Sure, this process takes time—at least one hour over medium-low heat—but this isn’t a dish you have to sit and babysit the entire time. In fact allowing the onions to gel together without stirring deepens their flavor.

The Bacon

Classic Cut Bacon - 4 strips, 2 per burger

This is optional but…also not optional? I mean, your burger will be amplified 10 times better with a piece (or two) of crispy, smokey, fatty bacon. You are having a burger, so go big or go home.

I have recently discovered the perfect way to fry up a bacon without the house smelling like it all day long. I know some of you may like the aroma but I am obsessive about making sure my house doesn’t smell like food. So if you are like me, a good air fryer is the answer to your problems! Place the bacon strips in the air fryer and crank it up to a 320 for 15-20 minutes and you will get the perfectly crisp bacons without any funk going around your house.

If you are looking for a good air fryer, these are the top three I recommend.

The Bun

Brioche or Potato Buns - 4, buttered and toasted
Iceberg Lettuce - shredded (optional)
Tomato - 1-2 thin slices (optional)

Prepare burger bun by spreading the sauce on bottom half of bun. You may also add toppings such as shredded lettuce and tomato slices on top of the spread.

Note: I decided to omit lettuce and tomato from this burger because I did not like what I found at the supermarket. We also kinda sorta detest tomatoes in our house unless its in season. But by all means, I do recommend adding lettuce and tomato to your burger which does offer additional texture and flavors. When it comes to classic cheeseburgers, I always recommend Iceberg lettuce and Beefsteak tomatoes, especially when they are in season.

Assemble the bottom half of your burger bun along with all the toppings…err bottomings. Have it nearby and ready for when your burger patties are cooked.

The Burger Patties

Ground Beef - 12-16 oz, divided into 4 balls (3-4 oz)

Note: You can grind your own meat. I recommend a 1:1:1 ratio of brisket, sirloin and chuck. If you prefer to buy then look for 70/30 or 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio in ground beef. Fat means juiciness and flavor, so if you want a good burger, a higher fat content is the way to go.

Preheat a large cast iron griddle over high heat for 2 minutes. Once you see it smoking, place one ball of beef on the pan, place a small square sheet of parchment paper over the meatball and smash it down with the Cast Iron Press. If you are looking for a good cast iron griddle, this is the one I recommend

Note: If you find yourself struggling, get your husband to come and help you. You gotta smash it real hard and add as much pressure to thin out the patties. The thinner the patties are the more flavor and crispy brown crust it will develop. The smashed patties should also be slightly wider than the burger bun.

American Cheese - 4 slices
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Salt

Remove the parchment paper and the cast iron press. Season generously with salt and pepper and allow to cook until patties are well browned and tops are beginning to turn pale pink/gray in spots, about 45 seconds to a minute. Using a stiff metal spatula, carefully scrape patties from pan, making sure to get all of the browned bits. Flip patties and wait 30 seconds for this side to cook. Place a slice of cheese over the patty and immediately remove from pan and transfer to the waiting bottom burger bun we assembled earlier.

Note: These burgers cook very fast, so it's best to make them one at a time. If making multiple burgers, keep them warm under a tent of foil while preparing subsequent burgers.

Follow the above steps for the second meat patty. Once you are done cooking the second patty with a melted cheese, stack it on top of the first patty. Now add the grilled onions, bacon pieces followed by more sauce spread on the top bun. Aaaand your burger is ready to serve!

One Last Note - The Burger Assembly

This is the order of toppings/bottomings and condiments I like to follow when putting together the burgers.

Bottom Bun
Sauce
Lettuce
Tomato
Meat Patty
Cheese
Meat Patty
Cheese
Grilled Onions
Bacon
Sauce
Top Bun

Last But Not Least - Sides!

Okay so apparently I am not done! We can’t forget the sides. Yes, the cheeseburger is the main event. But like eggs need bacon, cheeseburgers need sides. The choices are traditional but endless: French fries, onion rings, tatertots, potato salad, coleslaw and so on. Now I am going to be honest with you, I have had a busy week and I did not get a chance to make those tatertots or onion rings from scratch. They are store-bought.

You can get store bought french fries too or make your own. Here are two of my recipes — regular fries or classic chips. And of course, I do have a specific technique to get the perfect golden color and the “crispety crunch” — the double fry method which which can be implemented in any deep frying recipe, including onion rings and tatertots. This time I used the air-fryer. First, deep fry them medium-high heat in a wok or deep skillet, let it get to a pale yellow-gold color, remove and let it cool down for a minimum of half an hour to four hours in the fridge. Then, throw them back in the air-fryer in 400°for 5-8 minutes or more depending on how golden you like your tatertots and onion rings to be. What I like about the air-fryer is that it loses all the excess oil and comes out very crispy and crunchy. Lol or should I say CRISPETY CRUNCH!

Actually you know what? I think you should go on and include a side of giant milkshake as well! I am an enabler. I am that friend that will support all your bad decisions. TREAT YO SELF!