History of the Burger

The burger is a staple in the American diet, but burgers are popular all over the world. Whether you want to fire up the grill, heat up the frying pan, or let someone else do the work, you love burgers! It seems like everyone has their own recipes or choice for the best hamburger or cheeseburger. And the options are quite literally endless. But what is the history of the burger?

What Makes a Burger a Burger?

While there is extensive debate on the actual requirements of a burger to be called a burger, a majority of people consider a hamburger to be a beef patty between a sliced bun or roll. Of course there are loads of variations including the classic cheese burger, and specialty burgers like lamb burgers, turkey burgers, pork burgers, veggie burgers, and more. Some burger experts are looser on the bread requirements, extending it to bread slices and even toast.

When Were Burgers Invented and Where?

Burgers as we know them today were invented in the United States. So, who invented the burger? The first official burger with a bun was invented by Oscar Weber Bilby in 1891 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hamburger patties on bread came earlier however.

Where Did Hamburger Originally Come From?

The term hamburger stems from Hamburg, Germany’s Hamburg steaks. Hamburg steaks are patties formed from chopped beef with garlic, onions, salt, and pepper. Hamburg steaks were brought to America by German immigrants. During the industrial revolution, bread was added for convenience and portability by an unknown food cart vendor.

What Came First: the Burger or the Hot Dog?

Most historians believe the roots of the hot dog are deeper worldwide and in America as well versus the burger.

There are many origin stories for both the burger and the hot dog. Vienna (Wien), Austria claims to be the birthplace of the hotdog in 1487. This is where the term “weiner” stems. Dachshund sausages came from Germany and were brought to the United States by immigrants who added bread for convenience of customers passing by their food cart in the 1860s.

In America, Burgers most likely came along a short time later between 1870 and 1890. Fletcher Davis sold “burgers” (ground beef patty with onion and mustard between sliced bread) at his lunch counter in Athens, Texas in the 1880’s. In 1885 Charlie Nagreen sold a meatball between sliced bread. Oscar Weber Bilby claimed the first true hamburger on a bun in 1891. White Castle claims Otto Kuase invented the hamburger in 1891. The Library of Congress gave the honor of the inventor of the burger to Louis Lassen in 1900.

Why Is a Burger Called a Patty?

The word patty is derived from the French, pâté. According to wikipedia, “pate is a paste, pie, or loaf filled” with ground meat.