A DanO burger at the Park!

Forsyth MO. - One of the great joys of camping, for me at least, involves food. Everything (well just about everything) cooked outdoors seems to taste a lot better to me! Weather: Low 70's, south winds 10-20 mph. Sunny skies.

It was still early spring in southwest Missouri and while it was still a bit chilly to go tent camping, I wanted to go down to one of the area parks to try out my cooking skills on a Coleman propane stove. Armed with a plastic spatula, a fry pan and a few condiments, I planned to grill myself up a hamburger DanO style!

For this very modest outdoor culinary effort, I had visited a local grocery store to pick up a package of 'pre-formed' hamburger patties (yes, I'm that lazy) along with a package of buns. In the back of my Jeep was the aforementioned propane stove, 2 propane canisters, a very old fry pan, two hot pads, a spatula, paper towels, salt and pepper shakers, a slice of red onion, some potato salad, romaine lettuce, my special hamburger sauce and a couple of cherry tomatoes! Wow! That was certainly a lot of junk to haul around just to prepare one measly little hamburger! (But, I gotta tell ya, it was so worth it)!

Shadowrock Park

Setup of the Coleman stove on a picnic bench was a snap, even for me. And before I could say 'I'm really starving', I was up and running with a meat patty sizzling in the pan. I was making myself a 'patent pending' DanO Burger! And, while this burger has endured many transformations over the years, I still always find myself going back to the burger basics; good buns, great ground meat along with a few select condiments.

As my burger cooked, I looked around and noticed that there were very few people in the park. One couple that were standing nearby did look at me rather intently. (I'm sure they were wondering what that crazy looking old man was really up to. Actually, the crazy old man was wondering the same thing). As the day was on the coolish side for me (~71°), I was wearing a hoodie, dark glasses and a rather strange looking hat while standing over a fry pan that looked like it was on fire! That couple quickly turned and fled the area. Fine! OK, so sue me. I'm an acquired taste, don't ya know. Well, suffice it to say that the hamburger was all it could be and that I enjoyed myself thoroughly...

Calories in cooked versus uncooked ground beef!

The infamous DanO burger!

Whenever I eat anything, these days, I try and get some idea of the number of calories I'm putting in my mouth! For many foods, that's easy to do as you can read the number right off the package. However, some other foods are not so easy to figure out! Hamburger patties and spaghetti come to mind. Well, here's a tip. When looking at the published calories, nutritionists are most often referring to either the uncooked or dry weight of the product. That said, there can be other mitigating factors to consider. In the case of hamburger patties, there is also the fat to lean ratio to consider. Read on...  
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So, which is healthier for us humans to consume? A hamburger made from 75% lean ground beef or one made from 95% extra-lean ground beef?

Here are the numbers. Let’s start with two uncooked hamburger patties, each weighing 4 ounces (a quarter pound or 113 grams). The uncooked 75% lean patty has about 330 calories, (28 grams of fat and 18 grams of protein). The uncooked 95% lean patty has only about 155 calories, (6 grams of fat and 24 grams of protein). As you can see, the leaner beef has more protein, and therefore far fewer calories than an equal weight of the less lean beef. (The leaner patty is also higher in water and a little lower in cholesterol).

Cooking results in a loss of weight (and nutrients) in both patties, as the drippings fall away. The 75 percent lean patty, which drops from 4 ounces to about 2.5 ounces after cooking, will now contain 195 calories, 13 grams of fat and 18 grams of protein. After cooking, the 95 percent lean patty, which drops to about 3 ounces in weight, has about 140 calories, 5 grams of fat and 22 grams of protein.

The above information was excerpted from an article by Edward R. Blonz, Ph.D. Written in August of 2013!

The infamous DanO Burger revisited!

Making a great tasting hamburger is both a science and an art! The quintessential ingredients are just two; a good hamburger bun and awesome ground beef. But, it is the add-ons and the condiments that can make or break the entire eating experience! That in mind, let's break down this bad boy...

Buns

Buying a cheap bun will put the kabash on the whole burger deal early on. The ideal soft burger bun should be pillowy, squishy, and tender, with a tight but soft crumb and a distinct sweetness. It should hold up nicely to the burger's juices, but also should never be tough or cottony in texture. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you don't want a burger that disintegrates half way through your meal. I personally prefer the offerings from folks like Pepperidge Farm! I had to settle for Ball Park buns which are all I could find at the Country Mart store where I live.. (Good enough for the masses, but I can guarantee these are never found in Hilliary's pantry). Add a bit of butter and quickly grill on a hot plate just before serving!

Ground Beef

For heavens sake, don't buy low fat burger meats – a good juicy hamburger uses a beef blend of at least an 80/20 lean to fat ratio. In my case, I like to order the best meat I can afford. I personally like the Angus burgers offered at Schwan's. They are fully cooked, fire-grilled burgers with select seasonings and a fresh grilled taste that you can nuke in the microwave! Awesome.

Add-ons

OK, here is an area where I sometimes like to go a little wild especially after drinking beer! – But, a true DanO burger keeps it simple and stupid. I only add a generous slice of white or red onion, romaine lettuce, thinly sliced dill pickles for added crunch and a fresh tomato! (Note that I said fresh, not hothouse). While I like cheese, I don't use it on this creation.

Condiments

The real coup d'etat for any hamburger creation centers around what types of condiments you decide to slather on your bun just before eating. In my case, that would be four; ketchup, mayo, mustard and just a bit of horseradish. This combination provides a mouthwatering mix that is tangy with just the hint of a bite. 

Nutrition and cost

A DanO Burger comes in at about 500 plus calories, so it's a meal unto itself.  In this prep, I was forced to do with out the tomato and used pickle relish instead of the sliced dills I really prefer. Still in a war, you dive for the nearest foxhole...
 

The Infamous DanO Burger!

God knows, there's already a plethora of burgers out there for folks to eat! Fast food joints, standing cheek to jowl, took the original McDonald's 15¢ plain Jane burger and transformed it into a gazillion variations. So, why does someone, like myself, dare to present a 'new burger' here? I'll plead the fifth other than to state that this particular creation is not of the fast food gender – it's strictly homemade, simple and therefore by definition, delicious!

Ingredients and Notes:

A hamburger bun – go for the best you can afford!

¼ lb ground beef patty – just get the cheap beef! Those that have a lot of fat!

Onion slice – preferably white or red, but whatever!

Leaf lettuce – I prefer a leaf or two of romaine for added crunch!

A slice of tomato – make it thick and make it fresh - as in vine grown!

½ tsp ketchup

½ tsp mayo

½ tsp mustard

½ tsp horseradish – What! Yes, this little addition kicks everything up a tad!

That's all, and the the fat lady has sung! – This particular song, though, is a real winner! Grill the patty (yes grill it - pan fried don't work here) to medium rare, sear your buns for a moment or two and then add the condiments and devour like there is no tomorrow! Now sit back and smile! Serves 1.

A note about making and cooking the patty: When forming the patty, keep the meat as loosely held as possible and for goodness sake, don't mash the stuffing out of it while it's cooking on the grill! You want as much juiciness as possible to be retained in the burger! Oh, and a word of warning. If you substituted a hot house tomato for the real thing, I will find you!

This culinary creation was maybe endorsed by noted model
Cassandra Hierholzer! Which is no longer available. And who, upon seeing this post unfriended me on FB like her pants were on fire! :P