Being American, I grew up eating hamburgers. I still enjoy a good burger, now and again. Over the years, both as a professional and at home, I experimented with making different kinds of burgers, keeping those recipes which I, my family and friends, and resturant customers, thought good.

I will eat burgers all year 'round, but summer time is when I eat them the most--they are quick, simple to make and you can cook them outdoors as easily as in your kitchen.

For those of you outside the states, "Ground beef" can also be referred to as "ground chuck" and "ground round." This refers to what part of the carcass the beef was cut from. Ground chuck is fattier that ground round. Also, in America these days, ground beef is sold by fat percentage, ranging from 70 percent to 95 percent lean.

Though many people prefer lean, the reality is that when it comes to beef, the flavour really is all in the fat, and the less fat you have, the less flavour you will have--which is why I took to adding things to the beef, to make it tastier.

One thing also, the more you handle ground beef, the less tender it will be. Always handle ground beef gently!

American Burger

2 lbs lean ground beef

salt and pepper, to taste

2 TBLS ice water

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup diced onions

catsup

mustard

hamburger buns

sliced dill pickles (optional)

Combine meat with salt, pepper and ice water. Form into 6 individual patties. Set aside. In a skillet, melt butter. Add onions and saute onions until soft. Set aside. Grill hamburger buns in remaining melted butter, until edges are browned. Set aside. Remove any remaining butter from skillet. Grill hamburgers, over medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until cooked to desired doneness. Add catsup, mustard and onions to bottom half of grilled buns. Top with burger, and if desired, season burger with additional black papper, add top half of bun, and serve. You can add pickle slices to the burger, if desired. Serves 6.

Nancy’s Adirondack Burger

1 lb ground chuck

2 TBLS A-1 or HP brand, steak sauce

2 TBLS tomato catsup

A few drops bottled hot sauce (optional)

2 cups onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup butter or margarine

salt and pepper, to taste

4 crusty or hard rolls, split

In a bowl, combine meat with steak sauce and catsup (and hot sauce, if desired). Set aside. In a skillet, melt butter. Add onions and saute until very soft and transparent, seasoning with salt and pepper, to your taste. Form meat in to six individual 1/4lb meat patties. Cook to desired doneness, approx 5 min. per side, or longer for well-done. Top with sauteed onions, and serve on crusty rolls, if desired, top each burger with extra steak sauce. Serves 4.

Nancy’s Tri-City Burger

1 lb lean ground beef

¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 clove garlic, minced

2 TBLS grated onion

1 TBLS steak sauce

1/4 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

4 slices yellow American cheese

4 slices cored ripe tomato

4 to 8 green leafy lettuce leaves

4 hamburger buns, toasted

2 TBLS ketchup

2 TBLS yellow mustard

8 sweet pickle slices (if desired)

In a large bowl, gently combine meat with bread crumbs, egg, garlic, onion, salt and pepper, until well-blended. Divide into 4 equal portions, roll into a ball and gently press into a patty with the heel of your hand. Grill for 12 to 14 minutes, turning once. While meat is cooking, toast buns. Place one tablespoon each of ketchup and mustard on bottom of each bun. If desired, add two pickles. Add lettuce and tomato and top with cooked burger. Place top bun on burger and serve. Serves 4.

Country Diner Burger

4 store-made hamburger patties

4 slices cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese

2 cups thinly sliced sweet or yellow onion

1 TBLS butter or margarine

8 slices crisp cooked bacon

1 to 1 1/2 cups Heinz 57 sauce, or any bottled steak sauce, or ketchup (optional)

4 toasted hamburger buns or soft sandwich rolls.

In a medium skillet, fry onions in butter until browned. Drain off butter and set onions aside. Heat skillet or grill over medium-high heat. Grill burgers approximately 7 to 10 minutes, or until edges are browned and juice forms in the middle. Flip over and continue grilling for 3 minutes. Top the burgers with cheese and equal portions of onions. Continue cooking for about 5 to 7 minutes. Before removing from grill or skillet, place two slices of the cooked bacon on each burger. Before serving, if desired, spoon equal amounts of sauce on bottom of each toasted bun. Goes great with coleslaw and fries. Serves 4.

Nancy’s Yellowstone Burger

4 fresh store-made 80-85% lean ground beef patties.

4 slices yellow cheddar or American cheese

1 cup (minimum) Open Pit or your favorite bottled BBQ sauce

8 frozen onion rings, baked according to package directions (optional)

4 toasted hamburger buns

Pre-heat skillet or grill to medium-high heat. If patties or too thick for your liking, place them on a clean flat surface and press down with the palm of your hand, to desired thickness. Place patties in skillet. Cook approximately 5 to 7 minutes, or until edges brown and juice forms in the middle. Flip over and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes. (Less time for rare/medium rare burgers) Place cheese over patties, and continue cooking 3 to 4 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. Place on buns and top each patty with two onion rings (if desired). Smother top of burger with 1/4 cup (or more, if you like it) of the BBQ sauce. Add top bun and serve. Excellent served with steak fries and cola. Serves 4.

Bayou Burger

1 lb 85 to 90% lean ground beef

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp bottled Louisiana hot sauce

3 small sweet or yellow onions, halved and sliced

1 large green pepper, cored and seeded, sliced into 1/4 inch strips

3 TBLS butter, margarine, or vegetable oil

4-6 hard rolls or hamburger buns, toasted or un-toasted

Place meat in a large bowl. With a fork, gently mix in tomato sauce, pepper, salt and hot sauce, until well blended. Form into 4 to 6 uniform patties. Heat butter or oil in a sauté pan. Add onions and peppers and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft. Drain well on paper towels. Meanwhile, pre-heat grill or skillet to medium high heat. Grill patties 5 to 7 minutes. Flip over and continue grilling for 4 to 5 minutes longer. Place patties on the bottom half of each bun. Top with onions and peppers and serve. Serves 4-6.

Bleu Cheese and Onion Burger

1 lb ground beef

1 packet dry onion soup mix

1/4 cup of very cold water

black pepper (to taste)

1 small bottle bleu cheese salad dressing

4 hard rolls, split in half

In a bowl, mix ground beef with dry onion soup mix. Divide into fourths and form into four quarter beef patties. Grill approx. 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until desired doneness. 2 minutes before serving, pour a small amount of bleu cheese dressing over each burger. Place on buns, and sprinkle with desired amount of black pepper. Serves 4.

Mountain Man Burger

1 lb ground beef

1 egg

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

2 TBLS black coffee*(can substitute milk, if desired)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 slices onion or Swiss cheese

8 slices toasted rye or pumpernickel bread

4 garlic dill pickle, sandwich sliced. (optional)

Place meat in a large bowl. With a fork, gently combine egg, bread crumbs, coffee, black pepper, garlic powder and salt, until well blended. Form meat into 4 one-inch thick patties. Pre-heat a grill or skillet to medium. Grill for about 8 minutes. Flip over and continue grilling for 1 minute. Place cheese slices on top of patties and continue grilling for approximately 5 to 7 minutes longer. If desired, place one dill slice on four slices of the bread. Add patties and remaining bread, and serve. Serves 4.

Thai Burger

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup finely minced onion

1/4 cup chunky style peanut butter

1/4 TBLS soy sauce

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

4-6 hamburger buns or soft whole wheat sandwich rolls

Place meat in a large bowl. With a fork, gently combine onion, peanut butter, soy sauce, cayenne and garlic powder with meat, until well blended. Pre-heat a grill or skillet to medium. Form meat into 4 to 6 uniform patties. Grill for around 8 minutes. Flip over and continue grilling for 5 to 7 minutes longer. Serves 4-6.

Though I hate mushrooms, I’m including this, because other people love them.

New York Burger

4 pre-made fresh or frozen hamburger patties

1 small can B&B mushrooms (can substitute other brand)

1 cup onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup butter or margarine

4 slices Swiss cheese

black pepper to taste

4 hamburger buns, toasted or grilled

In a small skillet, saute onions and mushrooms in butter, until onions are softened. Drain off fat, and set aside. Grill hamburgers, approx. 5 to 7 min. per side. Add cheese approx. 2 minutes before serving. Place meat on bottom half of bun. Spoon onion and mushroom mixture over cheeseburgers, and sprinkle with desired amount of black pepper. Serves 4.