well done burgers.. an aquired taste

poster

Im Canadian, but I do visit the states often. Usually on a trip i don't order burgers but recently after a longer stay in Chicago i just had too. I almost forgot that most people don't get burgers well-done in the U.S. until the waitress asked me how id like it done. If you don't already know, its basically law in Canada for restaurants to make burgers well-done. Anyways i found i didn't really notice anything different with a medium, medium well burger than the usual well done here. I even cook them just well myself at home over the last few years. Anyone else not really care so much as to how a burgers cooked? I usually add pork too, which is another reason to cook it a little longer, for me anyways. 

gerhardk

We are in the well done camp as well but then we are also Canadians.

Gerhard

fishlessman

i dont like burgers past medrare
i even eat it raw straight from the package at times but i grew up in an area where lamb kibee was served raw in restaurants

Hotch

@Poster What's up with the milk in a plastic bag?

I was working there back in early 2000's. Went to get a gallon of milk and all I found was a 2 liter bag in a pitcher?

Photo Egg

I find that most places in our area will ask you how you want it cooked but will bring it to you the opposite way you ordered it. lol

cook861

that  way you if you have backwash you are only doing it 2 liter bag not all of the 4 liter .lol 

fishlessman

Hotch said:

@Poster What's up with the milk in a plastic bag?

I was working there back in early 2000's. Went to get a gallon of milk and all I found was a 2 liter bag in a pitcher?

i was camping up there 20 something years ago with one of those bags of milk, try and go camping with a bag of milk. atleast they put the beer in a bottle
)

Skiddymarker

We like ours medium, always have enough added stuff to give it some moisture. I reverse sear burgers which keeps them moist with an IT of 155º-160º.

@hotch and @fishlessman the bags are an eastern thing, When we moved to BC in the '80s we had a couple of the pitchers but could not find any bagged milk to put in them. We loved 'em for camping. you can freeze the milk in the bag and use it as ice, as long as the pitcher will stand up in the cooler or use a one quart plastic bottle. Storing in the fridge is a dream, you can stack them any where. 

Now we buy milk in those big square Kirkland gallon jugs which are a pain compared to a regular gallon jug - always amazed how a country as great as the US could put a man on the moon, but can't make a milk jug that doesn't dribble all over the counter. 

fishlessman

Skiddymarker said:

We like ours medium, always have enough added stuff to give it some moisture. I reverse sear burgers which keeps them moist with an IT of 155º-160º.

@hotch and @fishlessman the bags are an eastern thing, When we moved to BC in the '80s we had a couple of the pitchers but could not find any bagged milk to put in them. We loved 'em for camping. you can freeze the milk in the bag and use it as ice, as long as the pitcher will stand up in the cooler or use a one quart plastic bottle. Storing in the fridge is a dream, you can stack them any where. 

Now we buy milk in those big square Kirkland gallon jugs which are a pain compared to a regular gallon jug - always amazed how a country as great as the US could put a man on the moon, but can't make a milk jug that doesn't dribble all over the counter. 

i was in college at the time, we improvised and used baileys for the coffee
we also tried to ride the moose after drinking the bradors
)

KiterTodd

I eat steak medium rare but always get burgers well done and enjoy them just fine!

It may depend on who is cooking your burger and where the meat came from, but all the harmful bacteria is found on the outside of meat and is easily killed during the cooking process.  BUT, when you grind meat you take the bacteria from the outside, and put it inside.  So if you are worried about that, you need to cook it.

Clearly a lot of folks are not worried about it. 
Which is fine, that's why they are made to order! 

poster

LOL, forgot about the milk thing. I personally hate the bags too. What I don't get is why you don't have/like ketchup chips? and Smarties are chocolate candies not those compressed things, lol. I do wish we had more ranch/southwest flavoured foods here though

And why oh why can you buy 1L bottles of booze on the US side, but here we get 26 OZ-ers?

Hotch

@poster I'm in for ketchup chips. Maybe I will get some in the rub exchange. If not I will have one my Canadian buds send me some.

Is cream or white gravy still illegal up there? Brown gravy just won't work on  chicken fried steak.

)

poster

yup, still illegal especially for breakfast. I do still indulge when I'm south of the border though.

I am getting completely off original topic now, but have any of you had a caeser before? Even 5 minutes south of the border I always get a confused look, or a bloody mary with a side of beer, when I ask for one? Here it is vodka and tomato and clam juice, or vodka and clamato. I see you have clamato in your stores, is it just not liked? Its one of my favs, and believe it or not clamato purchased on your side is wayyy better than here

fishlessman

north of boston, clam juice, no other way to make it, ill use tomato or v8

Hotch

So to steer this wagon back on the trail.

As far as burgers, I am in the well done camp, if cook correctly.

Phatchris

poster said:

LOL, forgot about the milk thing. I personally hate the bags too. What I don't get is why you don't have/like ketchup chips? and Smarties are chocolate candies not those compressed things, lol. I do wish we had more ranch/southwest flavoured foods here though

And why oh why can you buy 1L bottles of booze on the US side, but here we get 26 OZ-ers?

Humpty Dumpty makes a bad ass Ketchup chip!

As for burgers, if it's a nice thick burg medium rare for me.., if it's a thin griddled phatburger well works...

Hotch

Wow I just saw loads of different chip flavors you Canadians have. Goggled "Canadian chip flavors" then hit images. Look at all of them.

KennyLee

Hotch said:

@poster I'm in for ketchup chips. Maybe I will get some in the rub exchange. If not I will have one my Canadian buds send me some.

Is cream or white gravy still illegal up there? Brown gravy just won't work on  chicken fried steak.

)

Illegal?  Really? 

Eggcelsior

I like well done for store bought beef. I add some Worcestershire sauce to aid in moisture retention.

Terrebandit

I cook them well done unless I supervise or witness the grinding process. I think there might be less risk of getting a food born illness in the States (just guessing).

ChokeOnSmoke

Im a medium/rare, medium burger guy.   I don't like anything well done.

tarheelmatt

I like my burgers about medium/medium well.  

blind99

A medium rare burger dripping with juice is delicious. I cook everyone else's all the way through though.

Clamato? I thought my grandfather was the only one who drank it and they stopped making it when he passed away

Hibby

Can't stand burgers any other way than well. Steak is the opposite. Usually medium rare for me.

paqman

poster said:

yup, still illegal especially for breakfast. I do still indulge when I'm south of the border though.

I am getting completely off original topic now, but have any of you had a caeser before? Even 5 minutes south of the border I always get a confused look, or a bloody mary with a side of beer, when I ask for one? Here it is vodka and tomato and clam juice, or vodka and clamato. I see you have clamato in your stores, is it just not liked? Its one of my favs, and believe it or not clamato purchased on your side is wayyy better than here

@poster‌ - I am addicted to Clamato. I have never seen it sold on the other side of the border.

ads75

I like my steaks medium rare, but my burgers medium/medium well. I'd rather have a well done burger than a medium rare one. I don't like the taste/texture of the "undercooked" ground beef.

SGH

We all have different tastes if you will. That being said I have found a fool proof way of determining if a burger is cooked properly. I will now share it here. To pass the test, the following is required with no exceptions. When you bite a properly prepared burger, blood should immediately run down your arm and drip from your elbow to the floor before you can complete a clean bite thru. Cooked beyond this point they make good paper weights or chew toys for the dogs. Just my thoughts my friend. I hope this helps to clarify.

tjosborne

SGH said:

We all have different tastes if you will. That being said I have found a fool proof way of determining if a burger is cooked properly. I will now share it here. To pass the test, the following is required with no exceptions. When you bite a properly prepared burger, blood should immediately run down your arm and drip from your elbow to the floor before you can complete a clean bite thru. Cooked beyond this point they make good paper weights or chew toys for the dogs. Just my thoughts my friend. I hope this helps to clarify.

Agreed, as long as it's self ground.

Austin Egghead

If it is my beef that i grind or tenderloin tips, then walking around the plate is fine.  If i don't know where the grind originated then is cooked to well done.