A Burger Scholar's Quest to Recreate a 121-Year-Old Burger | Burger Scholar Sessions

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is lower in fat, while ground pork is often less expensive.

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds a cheesy flavor, while processed cheese is usually cheaper.

bacon

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: pork belly

Turkey bacon is lower in calories, while pork belly can be more budget-friendly.

hamburger buns

🥗Healthier: whole grain buns

💰Cheaper: white bread

Whole grain buns offer more fiber, while white bread is often less expensive.

Introduce the historical context of Louie's Lunch and the significance of the hamburger.

Show the custom-built vertical broiler designed for recreating the original burger.

Form a patty using lean ground beef and place a piece of onion inside the patty.

Put the patty into the vertical broiler for cooking.

Toast bread using a small cap toaster to replicate the original method.

Check on the burger as it cooks, adjusting the heat as necessary.

Discuss the historical claim of the hamburger's invention and debunk it with evidence.

Open the broiler to check the burger and add processed cheese spread on top.

Assemble the burger with one slice of tomato on a piece of toast, then close it with another piece of toast.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens