Diner Burgers

A midwestern staple.  Originating in diners? Popularized by Steak 'n' Shake. Now taking America by storm with Smash Burger and Shake Shack going public.  Who knows how many others I missed.  Meatheads?  Well, you dont need to shell out $20 to eat a good burger and you dont need to get a butter burger either.  DIY diner burgers!

So check out the foodlab article already sent you.  Okay great, well I have a little bit to add of my own.

Tips, the key to the "midwestern style diner burger" (MSD Burger), is the crust.  You want to squish it flat on a nonoiled pan (or flat top grill if your a one percenter) hard.  Squish the bejeesus out of it.  Then the bottom will just burn or crust up or whatever.  Then, slap it over to the right on a brand new smoking hot section of the pan.  This will let you brown both sides (something, something, maillard reaction... who cares, everyone likes MSD burgers).  Here have a photo:

Check it.  Slap your MSD burger on the left side of a huge pan on a huge burner turned up to high or medium high.  Then, the trick is to get a really sharp really robust spatula and make sure to scrape the burger off the pan and keep all that crust.  You need to really scrape man, otherwise you just lose that crust and your burger sucks because its not true MSD.  The first couple burgers I just used the center of the pan, but this doesnt allow for the second side to get as crusty, since there are oils down and the pan isnt quite as hot.

Here is a decent crust shot:

Thats the crust you want on both sides.  Thats MSD burger capital T tender.

How do you edit photos in this horrible blog editor?

Here it is plated with home baked french fries (see prior posts), homemade boston baked beans, and of course an MSD Burger topped with onion, tomato, spinach, mushrooms that marinated in a balsamic vineger, on a brioche bun.

Cost Breakdown:  I like to keep things frugal, so lets talk cost.

We got the burger meat on sale $3/lbs. We bought 1.2 pounds and made 7 patties.  Thats about $0.50 per patty.  So, I think MSD Burgers are a good way to stretch your dollar.

The brioche buns were $3.30 for an 8 pack. so thats $0.40 per burger.  

The fries are made from potatoes and are basically free since they are abundant resources.  The beans were made from dry beans, molasses, mustard, onion, and smoked ham hocks, but thats another story.  That might be $0.50 worth of beans, but really probably like $0.40, I dont know, a different story for a different day.

All said, this meal is probably like $4.50, so its cheaper than fast food.  So go make some MSD Burgers ya' turkeys!