Happy National Hamburger Day! As American as baseball and apple pie, very few foods hold as special a space in American culture as this simple ground meat sandwich. And as is the case with many of our favorite foods, we have immigrants to thank for bringing this iconic sandwich to our shores.
As we trace the hamburger’s journey. It begins not in Hamburg, Germany like you may think, but in the hearts, minds and recipe books of its migrant citizens and sailors who had visited its ports. Whether touching down for the first time, or returning to New York, fans of the original dish brought with them the term “Hamburg Steak” to describe beef, simply spiced and minced with onions, then quickly griddled. The hamburger we know and love today was born thanks to the ingenuity of one traveling vendor. The steaks weren’t particularly portable, and he had the genius idea of putting them between two slices of bread so that the steaks could be enjoyed on the go. Viola! Enter the hamburger.
Ever since then, hamburgers have boomed in popularity. Here at Grubhub, our hamburger lovers ordered 17,703,623 in the past year alone, and nationwide, Americans enjoy hamburgers to the tune of 2.4 burgers per day on average. That’s about 50 billion burgers per year! If those stats made your mouth water for a burger, or any of the hundreds of burger varieties out there, you’re in luck! Check out these burger varieties that’ll help satisfy your cravings on National Hamburger Day.
Bacon cheeseburger
Calling all bacon lovers? Thick-cut bacon is a smokey, sizzling, decadent add-on that most restaurants offer because, well, bacon. Turns out burgers are a great vehicle for when you’re craving bacon, but it would be inappropriate to consume it by the fistful in public.
Cheeseburger
The most obvious iteration, it’s hard to deny that the addition of cheese improved the hamburger exponentially! American cheese is the most common, but a good cheddar, smoked gouda, provolone or even dairy-free cheese will take a burger from good to great.
Turkey burger
Keeping it light-er? Turkey burgers are a great twist on America’s favorite sandwich when you’re craving a burger, but trying to avoid red meat. Go crazy with the toppings! We love turkey burgers with fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes, crisp red onion, pickles and a good aioli plus some added pepper jack cheese for a kick.
Bet you’re craving a juicy burger right about now.
