In Praise Of Hamburger

I was raised on hamburger.  My parents were on a tight budget and hamburger allowed them to feed four hungry kids while at the same time helping them stay within their means.

In fact, you might say that my Frugal Empire was built on a big mound of ground beef.

We had hamburger served up in every form imaginable, but mostly made into meatloaf,  (actual) hamburgers and casseroles.  Ground beef really is a versatile, economical foodstuff.  Perfect for all tightwad chefs of the world.

Back then my parents took a lot of heat for being major Cheapies, but to this day my mom carries a big chip on her shoulder for the mockery generated by one of her most treasured possessions, a cookbook entitled 365 Ways to Cook Hamburger.  It seems that some of my more profligate aunts regarded this cookbook as a source of endless amusement.

Well, I have to say, it is kind of funny. But I think it’s time to get over it, Mom.  After all, your faithful adherence to hamburger has helped you become financially independent, while those poor aunts of mine will be working at their dreary jobs until about six minutes before their respective funerals.  Were all those forgotten restaurant meals really worth it, then?  Nah.  Bring on the Mama-burgers!

A few years ago I was absolutely delighted and thrilled to come across this much-maligned tome in a thrift store.  I snapped it right up, of course.  At the very least it’s an important part of my own personal history.  Not to mention it has some GREAT hamburger recipes.

Let me just say right here, though, that nowadays I don’t eat hamburger.  I prefer ground turkey as a reasonable substitute.  It’s a little bit healthier, and can be had for about the same price as ground beef.  Ground turkey can be used in any recipe that calls for ground beef.  Even in recipes from cookbooks other than 365 Ways to Cook Hamburger. If you REALLY want to get cheap, and I know you do, consider substituting re-constituted TVP for part or all of the hamburger/ground turkey in these recipes. And then cook it up in your solar cooker.  Bam!

Allow me to tease your tightwad tastebuds with some of the recipes offered in that culinary curiosity known as 365 Ways to Cook Hamburger:

Hamburger Corn Chip Casserole (pg. 137)

Burger Balls and Green Noodle Dinner (pg. 143)

Maine Meat Ball Stew (pg. 114)

Hamburger Patties in Lemon Sauce (pg. 72)

Oh, boy, my mouth is watering.

365 Ways to Cook Hamburger by Doyne Nickerson was originally published in 1958, and I have a feeling that it may no longer be in print. But hey, Big-Time Book Publishers, I think now would be a GREAT time to re-release it, in keeping with the new Frugal ethos.  But in the meantime, you may be able to find it in thrift stores,  or library booksales, or libraries, or maybe even somewhere online like Amazon Marketplace (I haven’t checked that myself because I don’t want the FTC to come after me.  So go check yourself).

A curious feature of these old-timey recipes (and I’ve noticed it in other older cookbooks, too) is that many of them call for monosodium glutamate (MSG).  Yikes! But don’t worry about that.  Just leave that out, and as far as I can tell it makes no difference to the finished product at all.

I’ve actually seen MSG for sale at BigLots in the spice section.  So if you REALLY are dying to try it, I guess it’s still out there to purchase.  But I think I’d pass if I were you.