Goshwhynotif Theyare

Something has been on my mind since I last visited England. <BR> <BR>It has been mentioned on another thread that there are fast food places all over Europe and that the locals fill them and obviously must enjoy the food, which is primarily hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries, etc. <BR> <BR>Well, I was talking with a couple of English women and they told me that they absolutely do NOT make hamburgers at home. (they seemed appalled at the idea) I asked them if they eat them at the fast food places and they both smiled and said yes, that, in fact, they loved the hamburgers. I asked them if they make meatloaf at home. They said that yes, they do use 'minced' meat in a lot of recipes, including types of meatloaf. So, I asked them if they do like minced beef so much, how come they don't make hamburgers at home. They would only shake their heads and say, "Oh, no, we wouldn't do that, don't you see." <BR> <BR>So, why not? Why don't the British make hamburgers at home?

kav

What a strange question... and an incredible generalisation from a meeting with two people. <BR> <BR>I do make burgers at home and so did my husband's family before I met him... <BR> <BR>And many more people will get fresh or froen burgers from the supermarket, get the buns and condiments and make the burger up at home... <BR> <BR>Weird question. Not entirely sure why I am wasting time answering it.

Goshwynotif Theyare

to Kav--These two women were only the first people I talked to about that. I have talked to several since and always got the same response. The others I have spoken to were on cruises. The first two women were very obviously well-to-do, and the ones on the ships seemed well-off, too. I did wonder if that was a class thing because I felt as though they were looking down their noses at the idea of hamburgers in THEIR homes. <BR> <BR>But I have also looked for hamburger buns in stores all over England and have only found them in London.

Emma

I can't imagine cooking 'hamburgers' at home. That is something you get at fast food places and not a proper thing to cook for your family.

Laura

Goshwhynotif....I have a distant relative who lives in the Costwolds and she would never cook hamburgers in her home. But she eats them at the restaurants.

Spider

Not all Americans cook hamburgers at home, either. I'd rather have chicken, steak, sausage, pasta, fish, etc. To me, burgers are for outdoor barbeques and fast food restaurants. If I'm going to the trouble of turning on the burners, I want something worthwhile.

Tony Hughes

Kav my friend, sometimes you make me laugh out loud. I wish I had written what you did - a brilliant answer. <BR> <BR>Gosh - while we're at it, dont assume what goes on in cornwall also happens in Scapa Flow.

Kav

Hey Tony <BR> <BR <BR> <BR>Maybe it is a class thing? <BR> <BR>Or could be down to effort. <BR> <BR>E.g. If I can get such a nice burger (BK not McD) for xyz price from fast food, why bother making it at home? Whereas with some dishes they are either nicer or cheaper at home or both. <BR> <BR>I cant think of ANYWHERE in britain you couldnt find suitable bread rolls. Someplaces they are called buns, others call them baps, rolls, barns, and I am sure there are other names too. <BR> <BR>Maybe you only meet a certain subset of Brits on your hols?

Curious Too

Kav, are you British? Don't know what made me think you did not have British citizenship. <BR> <BR>I am curious about the original poster's question, too, as I have heard the same thing, and I think (I could be wrong) that it was from the Two Fat Ladies cookery show.

hmmmm

I'm pretty sure Burger King is now owned by a London based company.

Nita

You can get Burger Buns at most supermarkets, But I think that many people can't be bothered to cook Burgers at home as you can buy them frozen (yuck). However the best recipe for burgers is by our brilliant English chef, Jamie Oliver. They are called Botham Burgers after the cricketer Ian 'beefy' Botham. They are fantastic.. <BR>Most people associate Burgers with Bar-b-ques or fast food outlets.

Laura

Hey, Nita......any way we could get the recipe for those fantastic Bothham Burgers that Jamie Oliver makes?

Sam

The Two Fat Ladies are no way typical of your English (or British) person. <BR> <BR>I can't think of anyone I know who would have a negative reaction to the thought of making burgers at home. I frequently do and the amount of burger buns available everywhere would suggest I am not alone.

John

Yes, Hmmm, BK is now a unit of Diageo PLC, the combination of Guinness and Grand Met, HQ in London. Love the name, it says so much about the company. <BR> <BR>I've probably eaten as many home-cooked burgers in Britain as I have in the US (well, that's an exaggeration) so I believe Gosh is offbase. That said, I haven't had too many HCB's in Britain that were anywhere near as good as the US norm.

Laura

Hey Nita, look what I found at foodtv.com <BR> <BR>The Botham Burger <BR> <BR>Recipe courtesy Jamie Oliver <BR> <BR>2 pounds minced beef, preferably organic <BR>2 medium red onions, finely chopped <BR>2 eggs <BR>1 to 2 handfuls fresh bread crumbs <BR>1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed <BR>1 small pinch cumin seeds, crushed <BR>1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard <BR>Salt and freshly ground black pepper <BR> <BR>Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix and scrunch all the ingredients together. Use the bread crumbs as required to bind and lighten the mixture. Divide into 4, then gently and lightly mold and pack each burger together into smallish cricket-ball-sized shapes. Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, which should leave the middle slightly pink and the outside nice and crispy. Serve with a griddled bun, a little salad, some gherkins, tomato salsa, a pint of Guinness and a bottle of Ketchup. Howzat! <BR> <BR>The good thing about burgers is you can make them thin and big, fat and big, or even turn them into meatballs. In the early days of Cricketers, the pub where I grew up, I remember my dad used to serve a whopping great burger the size of a cricket-ball topped with a huge amount of Cheddar cheese and homemade tomato relish. He very classily called it the Botham burger. <BR> <BR>That's what I love about Essex boys' sheer taste. Feel free to add extra spices if that's what takes your fancy, but here's a really solid basic beefburger recipe. I never thought when I became a chef that I would come back round to respecting the famous beefburger. Unfortunately it hasn't been on the pub's menu for about 10 years, what a shame. This might change Dad's mind. <BR> <BR>Yield: 4 servings <BR>Prep Time: 20 minutes <BR>Cook Time: 35 minutes <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

ohoh

How much more appealing that sounds than the supposed "home" recipe my first (Northern Irish) hubby used to make: Boiled hamburger and onions, drained and served liberally dressed with A1 Sauce.

Mike

Having vowed this weekend NEVER to eat another burger - again - I think I'm going to stick up for Gosh. What proportion of burgers cooked in British homes are made by the domestic cook taking a handful of ground beef, seasoning (watch us Brits load up with salt!), shaping it manually and then grilling it (and who roasts their burgers, apart from Jamie Oliver)? If it's more than 1% of domestic consumption, I'd be gobsmacked. That's "making a burger", surely - not sticking a patty in a bun! <BR> <BR>As far as I am concerned, the Botham Burger is this monstrous culinary abortion's last chance.

Tom

Mike, <BR> <BR>"Seasoning" and Britain....those words are mutually exclusive aren't they ? <BR> <BR>'

rand

Does 'Little Chef' still exist? Ordered a burger in one in 1993. Sniffed it, tasted it, went elsewhere for supper.

Ruth

I'm English and yes, I do make hamburgers (occasionally) at home - certainly more often than I eat them at fast-food outlets. At least I know what quality of ingredients is in them! My mother made them too, and she is English.