International Hamburger Day: make an umami burger at home | Press

Rafael Dantas, from the channel Rango do Rafa, teaches how to make a mouthwatering burger.

Next Monday (28) is International Hamburger Day. This classic—famous worldwide for being easy to prepare, tasty, and versatile—can be considered a complete meal, since it brings together carbohydrate, protein, and vegetables.

Different stories trace the origins of the hamburger, and the best-known says that the combination of bread with a minced beef patty was introduced to the United States by Germans arriving from the Port of Hamburg. Soon the first carts appeared selling the “Hamburg steak,” as it was first called. In Brazil, the hamburger arrived in the mid-1950s with the first fast-food chains and snack bars. Over time, it gained more and more fans, and new versions appeared using other cuts such as picanha (rump cap) and skirt steak.

The bread-and-meat combo features on menus across the culinary spectrum, and the dish can be served with simpler toppings like tomato and leafy greens or more sophisticated ones like Brie and mushrooms. Beyond the meats used to make burgers, the toppings also deliver umami—one of the five basic tastes of the human palate—helping the dish be widely enjoyed and even more flavorful. Umami is also linked to health benefits such as aiding protein digestion and supporting oral hygiene.

The date calls for a special recipe, so here’s the Umami Feast Burger. The sandwich is by food influencer Rafael Dantas, from the Rango do Rafa channel. See how to make it:

UMAMI FEAST BURGER

Ingredients

For the burger

• 180 g beef short rib, ground twice
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the toppings

• 2 slices queijo minas padrão (Brazilian semi-hard cheese)
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper

For the ketchup

• 4 Tbsp ketchup
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp miso
• 1 tsp honey
• Soy sauce, to taste
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Method

1. Cut the bacon into small cubes, place in a cold skillet, set over low heat, and cook until crisp and rendered. Remove and drain on paper towels.
2. Once slightly cooled, fold the bacon into the ground beef.
3. Portion the meat and “slap” each ball from one hand to the other to even it out and lightly compact.
   Season with salt and pepper only when it hits the griddle.
   After flipping, top with the queijo minas padrão.
4. Slice the onion in half, then into thin half-moons. Separate the rings and soak in milk for at least 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, mix the spices into the flour. Remove the onion, let the excess milk drip off, dredge in the flour, and deep-fry at 180 °C until golden. Salt after frying if needed.
6. For the ketchup: mix all the ingredients into the ketchup and adjust seasoning with soy sauce if necessary.

To assemble

1. Toast the burger bun with butter. Spread some ketchup on the bottom half, add the patty, more ketchup, a generous pile of the fried onions, and finish with the top bun, also butter-toasted.

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. Two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and a lingering taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br and follow facebook.com/ogostoumami and instagram.com/ogostoumami.