Let me begin by saying de gustibus non disputandum est —in matters of taste there can be no dispute. However, I am puzzled by the way the Irish make their burgers.
The beef in this country is the freshest, most delicious I have ever tasted in my life. [apologies vegetarians] When I cook it at home I always marvel at the difference between this beef and the offering in the States. It is light years better. Despite this superior quality meat, I have been regularly surprised by the Irish burger. Every restaurant, with the exception of fast food establishments, makes their burgers with fillings. As in, bread crumbs, egg, seasonings and possibly other ingredients like chopped onion or chilies. To me this is meatloaf or a meatball like you would make to go with spaghetti, not a burger!
I was confused when a friend asked me what I put in my burgers. “What do you mean?” I said. “Nothing! A little salt and freshly ground pepper on the outside and then throw it on the grill!“ I have even seen my friends post social media pics of their ‘burger recipes’. Photos of a bunch of stuff going into the food processor that will be added to the ground beef [beef mince as its called here] and then fried or grilled on the barbecue. And it looks like a huge production for what should be the simplest and most tasty of sandwiches. Pinterest, I discovered, is loaded with ‘burger recipes’. This is astonishing! What’s my burger recipe? Meat. End of story.
Maybe I am the oddball… maybe its just a regional Pennsylvania thing? I doubt it though. I can’t remember ever having a meatloaf style burger in a restaurant outside Ireland. However, as I said in the beginning, tastes are personal. So if that’s how you like your burgers Ireland, who am I to complain? I’ll just have to remember when I go a restaurant, that what I get on the bun is not going to be what I am accustomed to. Or, you know, just order the fish and chips!
Meg Sorick, Author/Artist 