In-N-Out Double-Double

This is a recipe for making what I believe is the best hamburger in the world. The secret to duplicating this and other fast-food burgers is getting the beef patties real thin...about 1/4 inch-thick. If you like, you can press the beef thin onto wax paper and freeze the patties ahead of time. This makes them easier to work with on the hot pan.

Recipe Ingredient
1 plain hamburger bun
1/3 pound ground beef
Dash salt
1 tablespoon Kraft Thousand Island dressing
1 large tomato slice (or 2 small slices)
1 large lettuce leaf
4 slices American cheese (Singles)-or-
2 slices real American cheese1 whole onion slice (sliced thin)

1. Preheat a frying pan over medium heat.

2. Lightly toast the both halves of the hamburger bun, face down in the pan. Set aside.

3. Separate the beef into two even portions, and form each half into a thin patty slightly larger than the bun.

4. Lightly salt each patty and cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side.

5. Flip the patties over and immediately place two slices of cheese on each one. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

6. Assemble the burger in the following stacking order from the bottom up:

bottom bun
dressing
tomato
lettuce
beef patty with cheese
onion slice
beef patty with cheesetop bun.
Makes one hamburger.

Fatburger

Southern California - the birthplace of famous hamburgers from McDonald's, Carl's Jr., and In-n-Out Burger - is home to another thriving burger chain that opened its first outlet in 1952. Lovie Yancey thought of the perfect name for the 1/3-pound burgers she sold at her Los Angeles burger joint: Fatburger. Now with over 41 units in California, Nevada, and moving into Washington and Arizona, Fatburger has become the food critics' favorite, winning "best burger in town" honors with regularity. The secret is the seasoned salt used on a big 'ol lean beef patty. And there's no ketchup on the stock version, just mayo, mustard, and relish. Replace the ground beef with ground turkey and you've got Fatburger's Turkeyburger all up and cloned.

Recipe's Ingredients:
1/3 pound lean ground beef

seasoned salt

ground black pepper

1 plain hamburger bun

1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped iceberg lettuce

1 tomato slice

1/2 tablespoon mustard

1/2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon chopped onion

3 dill pickle slices (hamburger slices)

Optional

1 slice American cheese

Grill the unsuspecting beef patty in a hot frying pan.
Slap the hot side and the cold side together.
1. Form the ground beef into a patty that is about 1 inch wider than the circumference of the hamburger bun.

2. Preheat a non-stick frying pan to medium/high heat. Fry the patty in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until done. Season both sides of the beef with seasoned salt and ground black pepper.

3. As the meat cooks prepare the bun by spreading approximately 1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise on the face of the top bun.

4. Place the lettuce on the mayonnaise, followed by the tomato slice.

5. When the beef is done place the patty on the bottom bun.

6. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of mustard over the top of the beef patty.

7. Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of relish over the mustard.

8. Sprinkle the chopped onion onto the relish.

9. Arrange the pickles on the chopped onion.

10. Bring the two halves of the burger together and serve with gumption.

Makes 1 burger.

Tidbits

If you want cheese on your burger, put a slice of American cheese on the face of the bottom bun before adding the beef patty. The heat from the meat will melt the cheese.