Hamburger History--What is Hamburger?

Hamburger History

        Chopped or minced beef is certainly not a new innovation. It's been used in savoury meat pies dating back to ancient times. Beef tartare (for which there is no such thing as an original recipe) consisting of finely chopped raw steak or high-quality beef (from which few if anyone ever died or got sick), mixed with various herbs and spices, dates back to the Mongols(whose fore-fathers were also the fore-fathers of the North American Indian ) and Russian medieval times.

           The Tartars were known to shred their meat and ate it raw. These days the raw experience is enhanced by the addition of a raw egg placed in an indentation on top of the mound of seasoned raw beef.

          Genghis Khan (Chinggis Khan -1167-1227) and his army of fierce Mongol horseman conquered two thirds of then known world. The Mongols were a fast moving, cavalry- based army. They stayed in their saddles for long periods of time, sometimes days without ever dismounting. They had little opportunity to stop and build a fire for their meal. The entire village would follow behind the army in carts they called "yurts", leading huge herds of, sheep, goats, oxen, and horses. As the army needed food that could be carried on their mounts and eaten easily with one hand while they rode, ground meat was the perfect choice. They would use "scrapings" of lamb, or mutton, which was formed into patties. The meats were then placed under the saddles of their horses while riding into battle. When it was time to eat, the meat would be eaten raw, having been tenderized by the saddle and back of the horse. Bread of course, being readily available was a very convenient way of keeping the whole mess together until that time.

          1238- When Kengis Khans's grand son Khublus Khan invaded Moscow, they naturally brought their unique meat with them. The Russians adopted it into their own cuisine with the name "Steak Tartare" (tartars being their name for the Mongols).

1600s- Ships from the German port of Hamburg began calling on the Russian port. During this period the Russian steak tartare was brought back to Germany.

          Take the idea of tartare to the fire, and voila Hamburgers. So, arguably, hamburgers are a Russian invention. Could it be that hamburgers are a hideous, insidious, and far more deadly terrorist weapon of mass construction than the weapons of mass destruction .George W.(Wanna be [Push]) Bush has spent two years killing thousands of people, including Americans, in the name of “freedom?”, searching for in Iraq. The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein for allegedly ordering the death of 148 insurgents against his legitimate government.

Oh, Bush has succeeded to some extent for many of these people are now free-- free of their country, their homes, their health, their wealth, and especially, their lives. A little over a half century ago, there was another very popular and charismatic politician--an Austrian-- who had similar goals and exactly the same philosophy as Bush, "if you’re not with us you’re against us". In order to succeed, maybe all Bush needed to do was check out McDonalds restaurants, or his own Texas ranch. Maybe we should inform Bush and American intelligence.      

          Although the term hamburger is derived from the city in Germany, the original hamburger was a piece of meat which was pounded until tender, not chopped or ground. Like cutlets and Weiner Schnitzel it was often breaded or eaten sandwiched between two pieces of bread.

         

Steak "American" and Steak Tartare

 Have you ever noticed that all the older cook books and recipes guarded against the over cooking of ground beef.


Dishes such as the previously mentioned Steak Tartare or Steak American consist of raw, shaved or shredded beef. (Shaved beef is very seldom seen today. It requires a very sharp knife and considerable skill--shaved beef is literally shaved off a larger cut that is kept; just at the freezing point; but not allowed to freeze). Nobody ever got sick. 


Today all cook books and recipes claim that ground beef must be treated like pork and very well cooked. The difference is in the handling. Canadians used to buy their meat freshly cut or ground, often "to order" this happy circumstance no longer exists.While "fresh" meat always was a misconception or myth-that most civilized people would eat or purchase (what was considered top quality meat was always aged, for flavour and tenderness); since  greedy marketers/producers started adding-and disregarding all health  concerns, governments and health boards have allowed pink slime shit-a frozen product that can be a year or more old-to be added to meat products "FRESH" no longer exists. One cut of meat is now virtually the same as another-non of it fresh and containing scraps from where ever/when ever.

Steak Tartare-

 The original hamburger.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tatar-1.jpg

        For each serving allow six ounces freshly HAND SHAVED extra lean beef (usually fillet, sirloin, or round). Handle as little as possible, but arrange each serving in a mound. Make a shallow depression in the top of each mound and place in the depression a very, very,  soft (just barely starting to turn white) coddled egg. Garnish with capers or anchovy fillets. Have available: Worcestershire, mustard, salt, a peppermill, bottled thick meat sauce, ketchup, and separate dishes of capers, caraway seeds, and finely minced onion. Let each guest season his beef to taste. Serve plenty of buttered, thinly sliced rye bread or crisp toast.

Steak American

BROUGHT OUT BY THE U.S.A.; "Steak American" like "Salisbury Steak"is just another one of the"famous" copy-cat products and or recipes that country has built a reputation on; and is so well known for. Notice that the photo images shows a product that  uses GROUND BEEF--NOT SHAVED. Of course, the appearance, taste, and texture will all much different than the classic dish as served in the top EUROPEAN restaurants.

• Prepare Steak Tartare in the normal way and then place a raw egg yolk (yolk only- otherwise you go back to steak tartare) on top.

Braised Meat Loaf with Vegetables

Braised Meat Loaf with Vegetables

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs ground chuck    

        Salt and pepper                

1 onion, grated                       

1 tsp. poultry seasoning   

1/4  cup fine

dry bread crumbs            

1/2 cup water                   

1 egg

2 Tbsp. fat

4 small white onions

1/2 lb green beans

4 small new potatoes

1 turnip, 1/2 in. dice

Instructions

        Lightly but thoroughly mix meat with 1-1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, onion, poultry seasoning, crumbs soaked in water, and egg. Shape into loaf. Brown in fat in Dutch oven. Add a few Tbsps. water, cover braise slowly about 3/4 hour. Add vegetables, season; cook 1/2 hour longer, or until vegetables are tender. Remove meat and vegetables, and make a little gravy with pan drippings, if desired. Serves 4.

 Individual BBQ Meat loaves

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs meat, mix of ground chuck, pork and veal

1 cup finely minced sweet onion

1/2 cup firm fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. dry mustard

3/4 tsp. salt

 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

        Pinch of ground cloves

1 egg

1 cup, one of my barbeque sauces.

Instructions

          Prepare a medium hot fire in a covered grill or preheat a gas grill. In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to gently but thoroughly combine the meat, onion, bread crumbs, parsley, Worcestershire, milk, mustard, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cloves and egg. Form the mixture into 6 oval loaves each about 3/4-inch thick. Grill the meatloaves turning two or three times and brushing with the sauce halfway through the cooking, until the loaves are well browned about 15 minutes 

Basic, Everyday Meat Loaf

Everyday Meat Loaf

Ingredients

2 beaten eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup fine dry bread  crumbs

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground sage

1/8 tsp pepper

11/2 lbs ground chuck

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

Instructions

Combine eggs and milk; stir in crumbs, onion parsley salt, sage, and pepper. Add ground beef; mix well. Pat into a 5 1/2 cup ring mold; unmold in shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 50 minutes. Or, paat mixture into 81/2x41/2-inch loaf pan; bake for 1/1/4 hours. Spoon off excess fat. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, and dry mustard; spread over meat loaf. Return to oven for 10 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Stroganoff Meat Loaves.

Stroganoff Meat Loaves.

Ingredients

2 beaten eggs

11/3 cups milk

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

3/4 cup diced onion

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 12/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 pounds ground chuck

3 4-oz cans diced mushrooms, drained

1 cup dairy sour cream

1/2 tsp salt 4 large whole fresh mushrooms, quartered

Instructions

In  a large bowl beat together the eggs and milk; stir in oats, onion,Worcestershire, and 21/4 tsp salt, and pepper. Add ground chuck and mix well. Pat about one-fourth of the meat mixture into each of two 81/2x 41/2-inch loaf pans, making a shallow depression through the centres.

In a small bowl combine diced mushrooms, sour cream, and the 12 tsp salt. Divide between the meatloaves, spreading half in the depression in each loaf. Cover with remaining meat mixture, pressing firmly to seal edges. 

Bake at 350F till done, 1 to 11/4 hours. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pans. Trim top of loaves with quartered (or, if you prefer, whole fluted) mushrooms Makes 2 meat loaves, 6 or 7 servings each.

Berry-Glazed Meat Loaves

Berry-Glazed Meat Loaves

Ingredients

1 beaten egg

 1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

 2 Tbsp  finely diced onion

1 tsp salt

Dash pepper 

1  pound ground chuck

1/4 pound bulk pork sausage

1 8-oz can whole cranberry sauce

 3 Tbsp brown sugar

 2 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

In bowl beat together egg and milk; stir in oats, onion, salt, and pepper. Add ground beef and sausage; ;mix well. Shape into five 4 x 2 inch loaves. Place in 13x9x2-inch baking pan so loaves do not touch each other.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes; drain off excess fat. Combine cranberry sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice; spoon over loaves. Bake 15 minutes more. Makes 5 servings.

How Might we Eliminate This Problem of Contaminated Beef, in Supermarkets

How Might we Eliminate This 


Problem of Contaminated 


Beef, in Supermarkets

REMEMBER WHAT IS TRUE FOR HAMBURGER IS TRUE OF ALL GROUND BEEF AND ALL OTHER MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS.

The answer is very simple: go back to Canadian and locally owned retailers who actually care about the consumer.    Canadians need to realise, the source of the problem is not the meat, but the processing and handling methods, which are in use today. A butcher once said to a home economics teacher: "Do teach cooks that there are some good cuts of meat other than porterhouse” The customers of this meat dealer made it difficult for him to sell all parts of the animal. When he bought porterhouse or loin, he had to buy the whole hind quarter. For some cuts he had little demand.

          Now days, in the United States, and to supermarkets, most large hotels and restaurants in Canada, only loins or other whole sale cuts are sold. This means the institution has to buy only the cuts which sell. Special cuts are usually shipped to local stores. Because of this policy, beef is no longer freshly ground in store, but rather in the harder to control food processing plants.

          .The Federal labelling laws on fat content still apply. So at least a customer has some idea of where the meat is coming from and exactly when it was ground. Canada must also tighten laws as to re-cutting, re-fluffing, and re- packaging meat, and require that all imported meats or ground products containing previously frozen  or meats of foreign origin be labelled as such. Research has more than proven that the boxes and containers used for all frozen food products greatly contribute to contamination.

          There must also be strict government inspection, not only as to meat quality, but also to bacterial and other chemical content, of all imported meats and especially any thing coming up into this country from the United States.

          Clear-wrap packages, give you more of a visual choice, but as previously explained, are still no indication of freshness or quality. The meat should be red, with fat uniformly mixed. Fresh ground beef can be stored only in the coldest part of your refrigerator and should be used or frozen within two days.

          To freeze ground beef, remove from market packaging and divide into specific recipe portions Wrap in plastic freezer wrap, waxed paper, or foil and then place in airtight, sealed, plastic, freezer bags. Freeze up to three months only.

          When buying packaged ground beef, be sure there are no tears in the packaging and always check the expiration date. Bulk ground beef is now often sold in round, sausage like, chub rolls, vacuum-packed in a wrapper you cannot see through. Don't buy it. With this type of packaging you’re completely at the mercy of the market, since you cannot see the meat to make any visual judgements, and you know it can not be fresh. But since it is usually lower priced, if you do decide to buy some, pay attention to the expiration date(if there is one on the original packaging) and cross your fingers.

          Since E coli 0157:H7 is found in the intestines of animals(ie. in the feces): if all animals were thoroughly washed, just before slaughter, and immediately after evisceration and skinning, there would be little or no chance of this contamination.