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It's Official -- -- National Chain Burger Stores Suck

Posted on 10/09/2010 8:18:48 AM PDT by big black dog

Maybe a couple of years ago, I gave up on ever expecting any quality product from the big 3 pizza stores. Without exaggeration, I could get a much, much better product by simply picking up a frozen Tombstone pizza and baking it. (Pizza Inn is great though. They don't deliver here, but I gladly go and pick it up rather than order the crap the big 3 serves.)

On to burgers. I used to love McDonalds and Burger King hamburgers. However, for some time, when I would eat them, they just didn't taste right. Especially McDonalds -- It's like I was eating a meat substitute or something. I thought maybe I just didn't like hamburgers anymore.

It has been a long, long time since I cooked any hamburgers at home. But just on a whim, I tried it last night. Didn't do anything special. Just took some ground beef, sprinkled in some salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and fried it up on the stove.

Ate a hamburger using 2 pieces of bread with mustard. It was the best hamburger I've had in years! Crunchy outer texture of the fried burger with a juicy interior; I know I'll never eat that crap again at the national joints -- just like with the pizza.


TOPICS: Food
KEYWORDS: chow; fastfood; food; foodie; foodies; grub; lunch; pizza
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To: OneWingedShark
"There’s also a great chain here in New Mexico: Blake’s Lottaburger!"

Bob's Burgers on Central close to Downtown Albq. ruled!!

Sadly I think he retired.

But Blake's is also excellent.

141 posted on 10/09/2010 11:19:49 AM PDT by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: rabidralph
Don't go to Johnny Rockets in North Charleston SC. Was one of the worst I've ever had. Every time I touched the bun, it fell apart. The onion rings are the same as Burger King's but not as good. The shake was average.

Five guys are OK. Haven't been to In and Out in years but everybody used to rave about them back then. Tried several different locations in SoCal and wasn't impressed.

Best I've had in recent years was the sirloin burger at Jack In The Box in Anderson SC. The tacos were also great.

Was waiting for Carl's Jr to come out this way but they bought Hardees. I'm told the menu is the same at both but I'd hate to think CJ’s has went that far downhill.

The best and most consistent I've had is;

http://www.cheeburger.com/home2/index.asp

142 posted on 10/09/2010 11:25:30 AM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult
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To: bmwcyle

Rush's in Columbia, SC. Haven't had one of their burgers in years. It's a 100 mile drive now.

143 posted on 10/09/2010 11:26:17 AM PDT by gitmo ( The democRats drew first blood. It's our turn now.)
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To: raccoonradio

Frank’s used to be my #1 hang. Preacher Jackplayed there every Friday night, too. I think he still gets an occasional gig there, but not steady.


144 posted on 10/09/2010 11:31:22 AM PDT by smalltownslick
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To: OneWingedShark

You could always go to Village Pizza in Corrales and get a pepperoni pizza with green chile, or better yet, a Dust Devil.

We miss that place.


145 posted on 10/09/2010 11:32:07 AM PDT by Disambiguator
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To: smalltownslick

yup Preacher Jack played a North Shore Jazz Project benefit at Chianti’s in Beverly last yr


146 posted on 10/09/2010 11:37:36 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: All
Named one of the Top Ten Sandwiches in the US by Esquire magazine. "A come-to-Jesus sandwich. Chick-fil-A's seasoned, breaded breast served on a toasted buttered bun with dill-pickles. Deceptively simple, yet transcendent. The hook is the breading: spicy, with an intoxicating crunch. The meat is always juicy, never chewy. The first bite changes everything you think you know about chicken."

Breaded boneless breast of chicken pressure cooked in peanut oil and served on a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips. Can order a "chicken club" with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and bacon. Can request CFA Special Sauce packets. Also comes Spicy w/ pepperjack cheese. Available on a Golden Wheat bun.

147 posted on 10/09/2010 11:38:40 AM PDT by Liz
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To: american_ranger

Is there a secret to frying a burger at home? I’ve only grilled burgers outside and even when my folks would fry a burger inside, I was always disappointed with the taste so I stuck to using the grill. Any recommendations, from oil to fry in, to ingredients would be appreciated.


148 posted on 10/09/2010 11:47:38 AM PDT by rabidralph
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To: peggybac

I used a low carb, reduced calorie diet and moderate exercise. A normal day for me is under 1200 calories and 30 to 50 grams of carbohydrates. A 1 1/4 mile walk at lunch, and maybe 3 miles of bike riding in the evening. I also lift some 10 and 25 lb weights a few times each week to help the upper body muscles.

The biggest thing was making the commitment to lose weight. With the commitment, there is some flexibility after you develop an eating plan that works for you. The commitment was to change to a healthier lifestyle - it is OK too have an occasional meal out and eat whatever I want, but then back to the routine.


149 posted on 10/09/2010 12:30:00 PM PDT by Ivan
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To: Liz
Something I started doing was to go to my local store and buy their cheese bread buns. I then get chicken strips at Chick-fil-A and make my own sandwich.
150 posted on 10/09/2010 12:32:15 PM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult
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To: rabidralph

Just do a search for “Burger of the Gods”, an Alton Brown recipe.

In essence, you buy about a half pound of chuck and a half pound of sirlion. Cut the meat into 1-1/2” cubes, and if you don’t have a meatgrinder, run the cubed meat in seperate batches in a food processor for ten pulses of one second each. Combine the now ground meat with a half teaspoon kosher salt, then form four patties about 3/4” thick. Don’t overwork the meat, just handle it enough to mix and form the patties. I put a little indent in the center because that keeps ‘em uniform as they cook.

Heat up a cast iron skillet for three minutes on medium high, cook burgers for four minutes a side, don’t press them and flip only once. Give the patties room, about two inches all around, so if you want all four to be done at once you may need two skillets. If you want medium instead of medium rare, go five minutes a side. Expect some smoke while they cook.

Let rest for two minutes before serving.

No oil needed. These burgers are amazingly good.


151 posted on 10/09/2010 12:37:10 PM PDT by M1911A1
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To: Hillarys Gate Cult

Mmmmm....sounds good. So what’s in the cheese bread?


152 posted on 10/09/2010 12:39:05 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz

My local Piggly Wiggly deli makes them. It looks like just shredded cheddar baked into buns.


153 posted on 10/09/2010 12:46:00 PM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult
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To: M1911A1
Thanks for the info! FReepers are the best!!

I was watching Kitchen Nightmares and Gordon Ramsay once gave out a tasty-sounding burger recipe but I couldn't get to the DVR fast enough.

154 posted on 10/09/2010 12:46:17 PM PDT by rabidralph
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To: american_ranger

Try this recipe...

http://www.food.com/recipe/juicy-hamburgers-98993

I like to through in about a tablespoon of bacon grease to the meat mixture.

Amazingly moist!


155 posted on 10/09/2010 12:47:21 PM PDT by Randy Larsen ( BTW, If I offend you! Please let me know, I may want to offend you again!(FR #1690))
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To: big black dog

I quit eating that crap a few years ago, I won’t even eat in the average restaurant or chain dinner house. I know for a fact I can make better food at home, and cheaper.

Get a freezer, find a small meat processing plant and ask to buy a whole cow/goat/lamb/pig, or portions there of, that has been raised by real people on a real farm. They will hook you up. Or find a meat CSA. It is a bit of an investment, but it is cheaper in long run.


156 posted on 10/09/2010 12:52:23 PM PDT by TeachableMoment
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To: OneWingedShark; CedarDave; Tijeras_Slim

A very funny story I heard YEARS ago was about a time when a tourist entered a Lotaburger in the little town of Pojoaque (po-wok-ee), New Mexico.

The tourist, unfamiliar with some of the uniquely pronounced towns in our state asked the clerk at the register, “How do you pronounce this place anyway?”

She answered, “LOT-AH-BUR-GER”


157 posted on 10/09/2010 12:53:00 PM PDT by CougarGA7 (It take a village to raise an idiot.)
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To: Netizen

Back in the early ‘90s, when I was just a kid, my family used to order Little Caesar for our “pizza night”. However, my parents stopped ordering from them when they changed their pizza formula around that time.


158 posted on 10/09/2010 12:54:26 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: big black dog

The best food is grass fed beef cooked at home. It’s healthy, has omega-3s, and DELICIOUS. Also free range organic chicken, roasted. It’s how meat is SUPPOSED to taste.


159 posted on 10/09/2010 12:56:04 PM PDT by Yaelle ( I donated double. We need FR running smoothly this fall. Join me.)
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To: big black dog
And don't forget the health hazards of eating GMO foods (genetically modified). Your fast food places will be full of them.

How and Why to Avoid GMOs

160 posted on 10/09/2010 1:00:16 PM PDT by Yaelle ( I donated double. We need FR running smoothly this fall. Join me.)
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