Burger
From Free net encyclopedia
- The word burger originally referred to the people of the burghs, boroughs or towns, as opposed to the people of the countryside. See also Burgher.
A burger or "burger sandwich" is a type of sandwich which consists of a hamburger bun or similar type of round bread, and a primary filling of a meat or vegetarian patty. The word "burger" is an abbreviation of the word "hamburger" (see the hamburger entry for an explanation of the hamburger's origins and history).
Burgers made with beef are traditionally known as hamburgers, though, due to the profusion of burger types over the last few decades, are also often referred to these days as beef burgers. Other meats such as chicken or fish can be used, and the sandwich may contain a portion of meat that is not formed into a patty. For example, a turkey burger uses ground turkey meat, a chicken burger uses either ground chicken meat or chicken fillets, a buffalo burger uses ground meat from a bison, and a veggie burger (alternately called a tofu burger. vegiburger or garden burger) uses a meat substitute (for example, tofu, TVP, seitan (wheat gluten), or an assortment of vegetables, nuts or soy protein, which are ground up and mashed into patties). A Jersey burger is a hamburger and fish (filet or burger) in one bun.
Some alternatives to hamburgers are marketed as being heathier than their beef based competitors, and a niche market exists for exotic burgers such as buffalo burgers.
There are usually other accompaniments or condiments piled onto the meat portion. These might include any combination of cheese (a cheeseburger is not a burger made primarily from cheese, but rather a hamburger with a slice of cheese in it), vegetables (lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper, pickles) and sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, etc.)
There are two independent definitions of what differentiates a burger from a sandwich:
- Burgers use processed meat (or imitation meat), regardless of the type of bread.
- Burgers use a "burger" bun, regardless of the filling (see: "burgerless burger").
Burgers are usually made from ground meat or meat substitute, then re-shaped to form patties, cooked (if applicable) and eaten.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom the word burger often refers to the filling of a burger sandwich (i.e what in the USA would be termed a patty). A burger may be served on a plate to be eaten without bread, using a knife and fork, often accompianied by chips and baked beans. A burger of this type need not be made of minced beef; frozen turkey and chicken burgers (which are coated in breadcrumbs) are popular foods for eating in this style, particularly amongst children and students.