All Hail the Hamburger
Volume 2 Issue 1 Spring-Summer 2015
By Tam McClure, Staff Writer
merica loves a good hamburger. According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Americans eat about 14 billion burgers every year.
The history of the hamburger is a bit hazy. Legend has it that the original ground beef patty on a bun traveled with the Mongolians through Russia. Then sailors took the idea to the port city of Hamburg, Germany. Some in the U.S. say that American burgers originated in Connecticut with Louis Lassan at Louis’ Lunch shop. Others say a man called Fletcher “Old Dave” Davis from Texas sold the first burgers in the country.
Whatever the tale, the ending seems to be the same: Americans love burgers. On average, American consumers eat hamburgers at least three times a week. Make one of your burgers this week our recipe for Spicy Whiskey Hamburgers. These burgers might be just the thing for your next summer barbecue. The recipe is listed below. It makes 6 servings so if you are having a big get together make sure to make enough. 
Spicy Whiskey Hamburgers – Perfect for Summer Grilling!
(Makes 6 servings)
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons whiskey
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
Burgers
- 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
- 6 slices Swiss cheese (or your choice)
- 6 strips cooked bacon
- 6 hamburger buns (Other choices include onion rolls or potato or brioche buns.)
- Lettuce, tomato, Vidalia onions, pickles and jalapeño slices
Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Add three tablespoons of the whiskey sauce to the ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Blend well with your hands and shape into six patties. Sear the patties directly over high heat for about two or three minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium or move to a cooler area of the grill. Baste both sides with the remaining sauce and grill until the burgers are cooked through. During the last minutes of cooking, top with cheese and bacon and lightly toast the buns over medium heat.
Note: For additional flavor, sauté onions in 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to caramelize, and then add to the whiskey sauce.
Let us know what you think of our Spicy Whiskey Hamburgers in the comments! We’d love to know how they turned out or if you made any modifications to the recipe. Always fun to see what other cooks do! 
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Sources: Technomic Information Services, The Burger Consumer Trend Report.)
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