What I remember about crumble burgers from my childhood is peeking at the buns in the steamer. I do not recall my mother or paternal grandmother fixing the meat, just the buns. I loved the warm, soft buns.
Although I never had crumble burgers anywhere else other than our home or my grandmother’s, I never really considered whether or not anyone else ate them. In fact, I may have thought we were the only ones at some point. I assumed that it was something that my grandmother or her mother had come up with to use stale hot dog buns.
In recent years, I have learned of “loose meat” sandwiches that are served in parts of the Mid-Western United States, notably Iowa and Kansas. Hmm…my grandmother had relatives that she would visit who lived in both of those states…perhaps she was actually inspired to make crumble burgers because of other relatives. The sad truth is that I will never know how they came into my life, but I am glad they did.
I have been somewhat unsure as to whether to write a post about something once again so simple and basic. However, I have done it before and will probably do it again.
To make the best crumble burgers, you need stale or very cheap hot dog buns. The partially dry buns steam the best without falling apart.
Unlike hamburger patties, the best crumble burgers are not made with an 80/20 blend of meat/fat. Instead, I recommend using a less fatty meat like ground round or even ground sirloin. You do not want the meat to stick together; you want it to crumble.
Recipe: Crumble Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced (Optional)
- salt, to taste
- 1/2 c. of water or beef stock
- hot dog buns
- water
Instructions
- Brown ground beef. Add a little olive oil if you do not have enough fat to cook the ground beef.
- Add onion to the skillet as beef is cooking so onion will be soft.
- (Drain off grease if needed).
- Add water to beef mixture and cover.
- Cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Remove cover and cook until water has evaporated.
- Meanwhile, boil some water in a pot with a steamer basket or place a colander on top of the pot. Be sure the boiling water will not touch the basket or colander.
- Place buns in basket/colander with slit side down.
- Cover and steam for 2-3 minutes or until soft, but not falling apart.
- Serve by filling hot dog bun with beef and topping with ketchup.
Quick Notes
Hamburger buns can be used.
Buns need to be steamed.
Black pepper may be added to taste.
By the way, crumbling up a cooked hamburger does not taste the same. The meat and the bun both need the steam to achieve a true crumble burger.