May 28th is National Hamburger Day

I have always had a problem with the hamburgers name.  Shouldn’t it be made out of ham?  So in honor of Hamburger Day, I’m making my hamburger out of ham loaf.  Ham loaf is readily available in Iowa and you can get it at our local grocery store in the meat market.  If you can't get it, it is 50% ground ham and 50% ground pork. 

My True Hamburger

Ham loaf (50% ground ham and 50% ground pork)

Bib lettuce

Avocados

Mayo

Swiss cheese

Sweet onion

Tomato 

Salt and pepper

Ground ginger

Ground gloves

Mandarin oranges (or pineapple)

Bacon 

Buns (Something crusty like a Kaiser roll or an onion roll goes nicely)

Make patties out of the ham loaf and put a thumb print in the middle to help cook them even.  Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Fry until they are completely done (170 degrees in middle).  Top with Swiss cheese to melt and take off heat.

I like to just use plain ham loaf and use the condiments to flavor the burger.  You can also grate a small onion, add an egg to bind it all together and put a pinch of pepper flakes in the loaf and spice up the burger if you want something more in your patties.  I prefer to sauté my onion and put on top of the burger for the sweetness.

Mayo

½ cup Mayonnaise

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 small pinch ginger

1 small pinch glove

¼ cup well drained and blended mandarin oranges (or crushed pineapple)

In a blender, blend your oranges (or pineapple) after you have drained them very well.  Add your mayo, mustard and spices (you can heat up with a few pepper flakes if you like hot).  

Sauté onions until sweet and golden brown.  Grill a crusty bun with mayo on it.  You can also turn these into sliders and make them small using a small slider bun.

Slice and salt and pepper an avocado.

Assembly

Put mayo on both sides of the bun and grill it until it is nicely grilled.  Put a leaf of lettuce and a slice of tomato on bun and top with the cheese ham patty.  Cover with the slices of avocado and sautéed onion. To make it over the top you can also add crisp bacon.  This is a true hamburger.  Play with it and add the flavors you think go well with ham to make it your own.  I made it a little sweet and spicy like a baked ham with the mayo.  

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day.  Remember to pause and give thanks to those who have fought for all we have.  How blessed we are to live in this country.

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.