5 Burgers a Week - Probably Not a good idea

Just stumbled across this article from the UK. Click HERE for the link. As it turns out, eating too much red meat can increase your risk of bowel cancer. So, if you have been living under a rock for the last 15 years and haven't heard about the dangers of too much red meat - here is your notice: Don't eat too much red meat.

The recommendation that they ultimately give is that you should eat no more than 90 g of red meat (~1/5 lb) per day. They also would only actively recommend cutting back to people eating over 140 g (~1/3 lb) per day.

Now before you go into a blind fury of despair because you are worried that your favorite Burger Officinato is dying of bowel cancer you should know about my diet. I actually eat vegetarian probably 3 times a week and my intake of red meat is limited to about once a week plus whatever burgers you see me blog here. Soooooo, don't worry. I will most likely get hit by a car on my bike or get some other type of cancer from my work in lab before I get colon cancer.

Liquid Nitrogen Dipped Burger?!

Just read this blurb about a guy who is cooking hamburgers that are dipped in liquid nitrogen. Click HERE for the article.

I am still trying to wrap my head around procedure of a liquid nitrogen dipped burger. Is he doing it before or after cooking? And is the burger served cold? Does that explain the crunchiness? Is that your lips cracking from freezing?

Give me your thoughts and opinions. I am stumped on this one.

Super Duper Bacon Burger - Tony's Restaurant, Birch Run, MI

On I-75, about 90 minutes north of The Motorcity, is Birch Run, MI. Birch Run may be most well known in the region for it large outlet mall, but it also boasts a plethora of roadside amenities. One of the many food establishments on offer at Birch Run is the locally owned and operated Tony's Restaurant. An American diner of some notoriety, Tony's has made a name for itself by serving stereotypical american diner cuisine with a twist: bacon. Bacon can be ordered on pretty much everything. And when you order bacon, you get a FULL pound of bacon on your item. Crazy: yes. A cardiologist's dream: yes. Does is taste good: .....let me pontificate.

So, naturally, at Tony's I wanted to experience an item with bacon. Therefore, when I saw the Super Duper Bacon Burger, I knew I had met my meal. True to form, the Super Duper Bacon Burger was loaded with at full pound of bacon. However, I must admit that I was somewhat disappointed with the bacon. It is obvious that Tony's is banking of quantity, not quality, in making it's name in porcine products. The bacon was SUPER greasy and very chewy. But what do you expect when everything on the menu can be ordered with bacon? The chances of getting 'thick, peppered bacon from heaven' are probably pretty slim with that sort of business plan. Besides the bacon not much else about the burger had many redeeming qualities. The burger itself was VERY overdone and honestly pretty tasteless. It wasn't very salty like corn-fed beef, but it didn't really have that hearty meaty taste of grass-fed beef. Honestly it seemed as though it was just a dry, warm, brown platter for holding up the bacon. The tomato and lettuce with the burger were nothing to write home about, and the bun was your typical kaiser roll bought at most food service companies. Now, I have to say that I am not necessarily sad that I ate at Tony's. It was definitely something that I had on my 'list of things to experience before I leave Michigan'. However, Tony's has also NOT earned a repeat customer. The experience was enough, and pretty much the only thing.

Super Duper Bacon Burger - *** 3/10

Other Perks of Tony's: Breakfast might actually be kind of good there and the service was pretty good. The perk is the experience.

iPads and Burgers finally MEET!

This is a cool idea. At the up-and-coming chain Stack'd: Food Well Built every table has an iPad and you build your burger on the iPad. The order is then recieved in the kitchen and promptly brought you.

Cool gimmick. Hopefully they spent some money on the burgers, too.

Here is the article about it: CLICK HERE

Buffalo Burger - Maddox Ranch House Drive-In, Brigham City, UT

On the northern reached of Utah's Wasatch Front lies the small town of Brigham City. Named after the 2nd President of the LDS Church (Mormons), this lazy little town honestly does not offer a broad selection of culture or excitment. However, it is home to a marvelous establishment by the name of Maddox Ranch House. Maddox is a family owned operation since World War II (~1949) that has been serving generations of Utahn's, myself included. While most of the items, both in the restaurant and drive-in, are your typical American affair, Maddox has gained local fame for with the help of the American Bison. Maddox serves what they call a Buffalo Burger, made from "all-natural bison". For those who are interested and nerdy: We are assuming that Maddox is talking about the species Bison Bison, also known as the American Buffalo AND the American Bison. In popular culture this same species has been referred to as both a buffalo and a bison. There IS one other species of 'bison', the European Bison (Bison Bonasus). Both of these species are distinct from "TRUE" buffalo, which are the animals popularly known as the Water Buffalo (genus: Bubalus) and the Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer).

One thing that you must know about buffalo is that is it much leaner than your typical beef (2 g of fat per serving as compared to 8-10 g in beef according to one source LINK). With this in mind it is important to make sure that you don't lose the juiciness that everybody loves in a burger. Unfortunately for Maddox, they apparently did not account for this factor. The burger from Maddox, beside being a 'desert burger' with no garnishment and a bun I won't even comment on, was quite dry. This could be from overcooking, which was true. But it could also be from a lack of anything besides pure buffalo meat, which could be a pro in most circumstances, but with buffalo a little egg white or worcestershire sauce can make a big difference in the burger without significantly altering the taste. Fortunately I love the taste of buffalo. It is a much sweeter meat that resembles the taste of real grass-fed beef, but with just a hint of 'gaminess' which is actually refreshing and good rather than off-putting. All-in-all the Buffalo Burger from Maddox was kind of a FAIL. But to experience Buffalo meat is something that everybody should enjoy. Come to my house and I will make you one (my dad gave me a bunch this fall!).

Buffalo Burger - *** 3/10

Other Perks of Maddox: Cool atmosphere, they serve a lot of other buffalo meals in the restaurant, they have good tots!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hello Burger Lovers!

Sorry for the hiatus. I needed a break. But now I am back and hopefully I have committed myself to a more realistic pace of burger blogging. When I got back into the game I was trying to shoot for something to post every week. Not only did I fail at that, but I burned myself out a bit. So I am setting the bar low and if I feel like I can do more I will. You can expect from now on about 1 review a month, maybe 2 if I am feeling saucy. I will try to post other burger related items from time to time as well.

There. I have set out my meat-ifesto of sorts.

A review of something I ate in Utah quite a while ago is in the works for this week and should be out on Wednesday.

Happy New Year and may the beef be with you!


Doc

Niman Ranch All Natural Burger - Wasatch Brew Pub, Park City, UT

High above sea level in the cradling arms of the wasatch mountains is Park City. Famous for being one of the greatest ski areas in the world and the home of the internationally renowned Sundance Film Festival. Park City is something of a microcosm of rustic-feeling worldly pleasure in a state largely ruled by the Latter-Day Saints. When Greg Schirf first came to Utah in 1986 from Milwaukee I can imagine his shock and awe to find there were no brewpubs in the state. So, he took it upon himself to create Utah's first brewpub, Wasatch Brewing Company. Wasatch Brewing Company started in Park City, and it's headquarters remain there to this day. When the wife and I were in the 'homeland' on a visit we ventured to Park City to partake of the glory known as the Acoustic All Stars and in particular to see one of my very, very best friends, Greg Downs, play in the festival. Needless to say, I wanted a burger and we found ourselves sitting in the Wasatch Brewing Company drinking Polygamy Porter and my wife checking out the 'hot' waiter.

When I tell you that I ate the Niman Ranch All Natural Burger, you know about as much as I do regarding food lineage/pedigree. The menu gives no information as to what is Niman Ranch, or why they call it All Natural. Overcooked and dry, the burger left a bit to be desired. Having had extensive experience with both corn-fed and natural (grass fed) beef, I have to say that natural burgers have the edge on taste. This burger, though, did not. It didn't really taste like anything besides cooked protein. It wasn't even very savory or salty, owing to it's 'natural' origins. The cheese was good. Real cheddar, but you can't overcome a blah burger with average cheese. The bun was also good, but again you cannot overcome the defect that was the burger. I don't really even have more to say about it. I hope that it was an off night at Wasatch, because the atmosphere was cool and the rest of our service was great. Better luck next time, Wasatch.

Niman Ranch All Natural Burger - 3/10 ***

Other perks of Wasatch Brewing Company: The Polygamy Porter was GREAT (Very complex flavor with a definite essence of earthy coffee-ness at the end. Super Good.), the John Daly was also GREAT (Sweet Tea Vodka and Lemonade. Arnold Palmer for the serious drinker! YEAH!). The appetizer, Coconut Shrimp was out of this world, the service was great, and the atmosphere was really cool.