Ground Meat, Burgers & Sausages

Appears in

Published 1998

About

The hamburger is the U.S.’s most famous contribution to the world of barbecue. And while we may think that nothing can beat the succulence of a thick, hand-patted burger expertly charred over fire, grill jockeys around the world offer some stiff competition, elevating lowly ground meat to the level of art.

“There’s a lot more future in hamburgers than in baseball.”

—Ray Kroc

Bulgarians have earned bragging rights for their kufteh (cumin-scented veal and pork burgers). Romanians deserve raves for their mititei (spicy pork and lamb sausages). And Croatians should be proud of their ćevapčići (three-meat burgers flavored with coriander). Moving east, the burger gives way to a sort of skinless sausage, that’s molded and cooked on a flat metal skewer. It’s called kofta kebab in the Middle East, lyulya kebab in Azerbaijan, and seekh kebab in India.