Hamburger is generally made from ground beef scraps that the butcher cuts away from better parts of beef. There are various types of ground beef; the most common are 70/30, 80/20 and 90/10. When you see these numbers on hamburger, the second number denotes the amount of fat in the burger mix. The less fat in the mix, the less shrinkage you will have when you cook the burgers. You will have a better tasting burger if you choose a 70/30 mix, especially if you cook the burgers on the grill.

Hamburger has a long history, dating back to the 1200s when Genghis Khan and his men would put shredded meat under their saddles. The meat was eaten raw, and was tenderized between the saddle and the horse’s back. This burger was generally made from mutton or lamb.

When Genghis Khan invaded Moscow, his men brought this unique food with them. The Russians called this Steak Tartar (the Russians called the warriors “Tartars”).

In the 15^th century, ships from the German seaport of Hamburg called on Russian ports. This meat was brought back to Germany and was called “tartar steak.”

The hamburger eventually made its way to New York, where eating stands offered, “steak cooked in the Hamburg style” to attract the German sailors. It was generally ground beef with regional spices.

Today Americans consume millions of hamburgers each year.

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