It’s National Hamburger Day again. Yep, that’s right, it’s May 28 already. Boy time flies. It seems like just yesterday and we were celebrating National Hamburger Day and here it is again. I’ll never forget last year, there was loud music, dancing in the street, wild revelers everywhere. Wait a minute. I think I might be getting my holidays mixed up. That may have been National Hot Dog Day. Anyhow Wednesday is National Hamburger Day and before you all start to dig out your party hats and confetti guns left over from last year let me just remind you that National Hamburger Day is more than just an opportunity to let your hair down and act the fool. Yes, that’s right, National Hamburger Day is the one day each year that we, as a nation, have set aside to honor our favorite cut of meat.
Well I don’t know if we can really call hamburger a cut of meat. After all it is just ground up scraps of trim left over from a day’s cutting down at the local meat department of your favorite super market. Unless you buy the stuff that comes in those little tubes that are processed down at the large meat packing plants, then you don’t really know what you’re getting. But we do love it and Wednesday the 28th of May we get our chance to show our reverence and celebrate.
Before I get all carried away with holiday spirit I wanted to share something with you that I’ve been experimenting with. It has nothing to do with National Hamburger Day and I hope you forgive me with my lack of focus. But if the truth be known I’m a bit of a Scrooge when it comes to Hamburger Day. Don’t get me wrong. I love hamburger but I just don’t like the commercial glamorization of the holiday. I think that Hamburger day should be more than just what’s in it for me. Sure I like to sit down to a nice big juicy cheeseburger and eat until I can’t move and then turn on the tube and watch the game but there just has to be more.
There is more. I’ve been experimenting with lime juice. I have been adding it to my beef marinade. Lime, being a citrus juice, will break down the chewy fibers in the meat if left to soak in it long enough and as I have found out enhances the flavor of the beef without overpowering like some of the store bought tenderizers which I despise.
Last week I thawed out a prime rib, that was purchased at Christmas time, to take advantage of the great prices, and I cut it into several nice thick boneless rib eyes. I dumped a bottle of cheap soy sauce into a bowl added a half cup of olive oil, a half cup of balsamic vinegar a generous amount of onion powder, garlic powder, pepper and juice from six small limes. After mixing it all up I sloshed the steaks in it real good, covered the whole mess up and put it all in the fridge for 2 days.
The wife and kids were in the house making potato salad from my favorite golden potatoes, that our farmer buddy Herb Steinman brings over to us all the time, baked beans, and biscuits while I slapped those delectable marinated steaks down on the hot grill out in the yard. After a few minutes on each side they were just right. I always cut my steak thicker than the rest of the family otherwise it gets overcooked. They like there steaks about medium and I like my with a little kick still in it. Anyhow they turned out great. The flavor was fantastic and they were very tender. You might want to try the lime on your beef steak with just a little fresh garlic and salt and pepper for a very nice and not nearly as intense experience if you don’t like overly zippy food.
Now in honor of National Hamburger Day I’m going to fire up the grill and prepare some nice big old cheeseburgers with nice fresh homemade buns for the family. For me I’ll take a flatiron, which is my favorite cut of beef, trim it up real nice and run it through the tenderizer at work a couple of times and then cook that baby up on the grill for a chopped steak sandwich. I know what you are thinking. Where’s your holiday spirit? I have just two words for you, bah humbug!