Cheeseburger in Paradise

[jenni belle]

"I like mine with lettuce & tomato, Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes!" (<- That's just me singing!)

I was just listening to this song the other day, thinking how good a juicy burger from the grill sounded.

So, how do you like your burger? Describe to us your perfect burger....from the type of ground to the toppings and condiments, leave no detail out! Make us all hungry for a burger!!!

[Nicholas]

Toasted sesame bun
Crisped Bacon
Mozzerella Cheese
Sauteed Mushroom
Cheddar Cheese
Medium Well burger patty with sauteed onions in it and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Bun

French Fried potatoes and ColeSlaw on a bed of lettuce on the side.

No ketchup please!

[Andy M.]

A half pound of ground chuck (85% lean), formed into a thick patty with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill it over the hottest grill you can find to a rare-medium rare level.

Place it onto a fresh bulkie roll thickly layered with Hellman's mayo on both sides. Add sliced fresh garden tomatoes, green leafy lettuce and a slice of Vidalia onion.

Home-made french fries, half-sour pickles and a cold Samuel Adams Winter Lager on the side.

'scuse me, gotta go get something to eat...

[Headless Chicken]

Originally Posted by Nicholas

Toasted sesame bun
Crisped Bacon
Mozzerella Cheese
Sauteed Mushroom
Cheddar Cheese
Medium Well burger patty with sauteed onions in it and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Bun

French Fried potatoes and ColeSlaw on a bed of lettuce on the side.

No ketchup please!

Same, with 85% lean beef with a little dash of worstishire sauce. But ketchup please with mustard and well done!

Sometimes, I add a little hoisin sauce on the paddy while its on the burner and use the dried chinese shitaki's, reconstituted and finely sliced then sauted like regualr button mushrooms.

[gonefishin]

My favorite burger is still the Stilton Burger from the Goose Island Brewery in Chicago. This would usually be served with a basket of homemade potato chips and a nice IPA.

their description is

The Legendary Stilton Burger
Our brewer's favorite — half pound of black pepper crusted burger, grilled and topped with roasted garlic cloves, Stilton cheese and Düsseldorf mustard on a pumpernickel roll

[KeeperOfTheGood]

From:

http://www.doh.wa.gov/Topics/ecoli.htm

E. coli

What is E. coli?

E. coli are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of humans and animals. Although most strains are harmless, several are known to produce toxins that can cause diarrhea. One particular E. coli strain called O157:H7 can cause severe diarrhea and kidney damage.

Who gets E. coli O157:H7 infection?

Anyone of any age can become infected with E. coli O157:H7, but the very young and the elderly are more likely to develop serious complications.

How is it spread?

E. coli O157:H7 can be acquired by eating contaminated food. The bacteria live in the intestines of some healthy cattle and contamination of the meat may occur in the slaughtering process. Deer meat (venison) may also be infected with the organism. Eating meat that is rare or inadequately cooked is the most common way of getting the infection. Fresh vegetables, unpasteurized fruit juices and raw milk have also caused outbreaks. With careless food handling any food product eaten raw can be contaminated by raw meat juices. Person-to-person transmission, especially in child care settings, can occur if infected people do not wash their hands after using the toilet or diapering children. Drinking contaminated water and swimming in contaminated shallow lakes may also cause infection. Exposures have also occurred from farm animals, particularly calves and cows, and deer jerky which is uncooked dried meat.

What are the symptoms?

Some infected people have mild diarrhea or no symptoms at all. Most identified cases develop severe diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Blood is often seen in the stool. Usually little or no fever is present. Symptoms generally appear three to four days after exposure, but can take as long as nine days to appear. Persons experiencing these symptoms should contact their physician.

How is E. coli O157:H7 infection diagnosed?

Infection with E. coli O157:H7 can only be diagnosed by a special stool culture that is not performed in all laboratories. Public health authorities advise doctors and laboratories to consider performing a special stool culture test for E. coli O157:H7, particularly in people with bloody or severe diarrhea. Laboratory tests can identify toxic-producing E.coli, but a culture should also be done.

What is the treatment?

Symptoms generally go away without antibiotics or other specific treatment in five to ten days. Studies suggest antibiotics are harmful in the treatment of E. coli O157:H7 infection. It is recommended that antibiotics and diarrhea medicines not be given.

What serious complications can result from E. coli O157:H7 infection?

In some people, particularly children under five years of age, the infection can cause a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This is a serious disease in which red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. Transfusions of blood or blood clotting factors, as well as kidney dialysis, may be necessary. A prolonged hospital stay is often required. Fortunately, most people with HUS recover completely, but it can be fatal.

What can I do to prevent infection?

Do not eat undercooked hamburger or other ground beef products. Cook roasts to at least 130 degrees F and other ground beef to 155 degrees F. Venison should be cooked to 165 degrees F. Make sure cooked ground beef is brown throughout (not pink) and the juices run clear. Drink only pasteurized milk, milk products and fruit juices. Carefully wash all produce, kitchen utensils and countertops. Wash hands carefully with soap after using the toilet, changing a child’s diaper, or touching farm animals to reduce the risk of spreading disease. Wash hands with hot, soapy water, rubbing hands together for 20 seconds. Persons ill with diarrhea or children in diapers should not swim in pools or lakes.

Outbreaks

The largest Washington State E. coli O157:H7 outbreak was in 1993, when 477 people were infected from contaminated, undercooked hamburger. In 1994, 11 people were infected from contaminated ground beef and also in 1994, 15 people were infected from contaminated salami. Additional outbreaks have occurred in the United States from non-beef sources including lettuce and salad bars where foods were contaminated by improperly cleaned utensils, working surfaces and infected food handlers. In addition, outbreaks have occurred in people who have consumed garden vegetables fertilized with animal manure, unpasteurized apple cider, and home made venison jerky. Recently there have been cases due to contaminated swimming water and petting farms.

Cases

Most E. coli O157:H7 infections are single cases and not associated with outbreaks. The numbers of reported cases in Washington of E. coli O157:H7 peaked in 1993 at 741 due to a large outbreak. Annually there are 150-300 cases in Washington.

How can I get more information?

Contact the Food Protection Program at (360) 236-3330 or Communicable Disease Epidemiology at (206) 418-5500 or toll-free 877-539-4344.

Documents posted in .pdf version on the Department of Health Web site will be made available in an alternative format on request to users who are unable to download or view .pdf files on the Web. To request an alternative format, contact: Webmaster.

So, ONLY well done ground meat in this neck of the woods is allowed.

Otherwise, I add onions and garlic and celery and and and and .... eggs and bread crumbs to my meat patty. Otherwise its just a hockey puck on a bun.

[gonefishin]

Hi Keeper,


Your right, that we should be a bit more cautious to what temperature we cook ground beef...as opposed to beef in the whole form. The fda recently raised their recommendation for ground beef from 140f to 155f. Beef roasts remain 130f or higher (not too shabby).

A careful consideration to give is that as the temperature goes higher the meat can start to become extremely dry. But, if cooked to 155f you should still end up with a nice medium well, juicy hamburger.

You certainly bring up a good word of caution...but I'd also add to pull the burger off at 150f or so and let it sit for a bit. This should get you out of the problem are for e. coli and other harmful organisms While still giving you juicy burger to bite into.

interestingly enough..."How often does ground beef, purchased at retail and cooked at home, turn brown before reaching 160° F

Pork is also the same that it can reach a safe internal temperature of 160f and remain pink inside (and juicy)


I'm just trying to save the juices of our burgers and chops...one at a time


dan

[KeeperOfTheGood]

Hey oh

Thank you

Yes, it is a seiouse problem, and not all casses are reported. I was married soon after the Jack in the Box e-coli outbreak happened. I honeymooned in the boarder are of Ohio and West Virginia. Actually stayed at a Knights Inn near the Ohio Vally Mall, and spent a LOT of time at.... well it was a good honeymoon

The most stunning thing that occured to us, though, was eating at a fat boy or big boy or john boy ... whatever... restaurant. My new wife and I ordered hamburgers and were asked how we wanted them. Well! I had to ask what she ment by that, because here in Canada the only way you get ground meat is fully cooked. Well, she says, "I mean, do you want it rare or extra rare?"!!! OMG!!!

Yes, and cross contamination is also an important thing to keep in mind too.

Oh, and I also like to do a burger I call a cajun burger It is essentially the meat (and I use a three part mix of beef veal and pork) with cooked red beans cooked diced onion cooked diced celery and diced roasted red pepper with cajun spice mix added Yum! With my son not able to eat buns at all, there is enough punch in this burger to not need a bun!

[FoodieNews]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

A half pound of ground chuck (85% lean), formed into a thick patty with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill it over the hottest grill you can find to a rare-medium rare level.

Place it onto a fresh bulkie roll thickly layered with Hellman's mayo on both sides. Add sliced fresh garden tomatoes, green leafy lettuce and a slice of Vidalia onion.

Home-made french fries, half-sour pickles and a cold Samuel Adams Winter Lager on the side.

'scuse me, gotta go get something to eat...

Sounds real good. Might sound like a PIG, but I love putting the fries in between the buns with the rest of the burger. If you want to pig out

[redace1960]

kaiser roll, lightly steamed
crumbled blue cheese
mushrooms browned in butter
burger on the lean side, done medium, 1/2 in thick with tons of diced, carmelized onions pressed into one side, the way they did it in 'Grapes of Wrath" (the book)
thick slabs of ice cold beefsteak tomato
shredded red leaf lettuce,l with ribby ends, for crunch!
...and a chocolate milkshake, to go please.
or, substitute a roasted and peeled anaheim pepper and melted jack cheese for the mushrooms and blue cheese.
thanks, y'all, now i'm drooling and i just had dinner.

[kuan]

1/2# fresh ground chuck, formed into a patty, S+P, Worschestershire, grilled on real hardwood charcoal, medium rare, slice of gorgonzola blue cheese barely melted.

Lettuce, tomato, thin sliced red onion, coarse ground mustard (the type that comes in the crock) smear of mayo, served on a sesame bun,toasted on the grill of course with butter.

Thick cut fries with popcorn salt.

Chocolate malt.

[chrose]

Well it depends on my mood somewhat, though I am a pretty strqaightforward kind on this. They all are made with 1/2# fresh ground chuck, salt, pepper & garlic, and all are served on meaty, but not Kaiser rolls then either:

• Mayo and grilled onions with ketchup of course (Hellmans & Heinz only!)
• Crispy bacon and cheddar cheese with a hint of Mayo
• the Roy Rogers RR Bar Burger, with cheese, smoky ham and yellow mustard and ketchup
• or lastly Garlic toasted bun with Crab meat, and little red wine and a dab of homemade ketchup

[dano1]

ground chuck here too-i see a trend . M.rare, slice of cheddar, red onion, ripe slice tom, lettuce, not picky about condiments, except i gotta have dill pickles.

[redace1960]

thanks, dano-knew i forgot something-
please add to my order two gigantic, ice cold Mr. Neushins' kosher dill pickles with garlic. 'course ya gotta fire up the wayback machine to get those beauties....the best, and i mean BEST pickle ever made, alas; no longer to be found. anyone ever hear of 'em?

[Pete]

Yes, I know all about E. coli, but I still love my burgers MR. And what's with this 85-15 ratio!? I find that I prefer an 80-20 blend or even 75-25 blend, especially if cooking my burger beyond MR. Of course, my favorite burger is grilled over charcoal with a nice soft bun, topped with ketcup, yellow mustard (sorry guys), thick slices of raw onion and slices of sour dills. May be kind of traditional, but hey, sometimes things are traditional for a reason!! A few other favorites are Blue cheese stuffed burgers with caramelized onions; or rosemary infused and topped with balsamic glazed onions and panchetta; or seasoned with jerk spices and topped with a caribbean slaw of cabbage, onions, and peppers dressed in ginger oil and habanero vinegar; and finally one more, topped with a mix of sauerkraut, sauteed onions and chopped sour dills, with the bun spread with horseradish mayo. And yes, I love burgers. They rank right up there with pizza as one of the greatest foods ever concieved!!!