[mr.kerouacbellows]

My wife and I live in Birmingham, AL... We have friends in other states who have visited various restaurants where they serve "giant hamburgers". You know the ones... the burgers that are made from a whole cow, with enough cheese and condiments to feed a small village for weeks. The type of burger that one or two people can barely handle - if at all.

Help!

Anyway, we are looking for a place in the area that has that; the type of place you may see on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It doesn't need to be in Birmingham - we are willing to make it a day trip. Pretty much within a three hour radius of Birmingham or so.

In fact, we would just like recommendations for any great burger place...

Help!

[cpg35223]

Hamburger Heaven in Irondale?

I think there's a place called Bugtussle's in north Alabama somewhere. I think it's still open.

[gaflsc]

Whataburger has recently come to your area. Try them.

[harry chickpea]

Would you gladly repay me on Tuesday?

Making a great hamburger is not all that difficult. The recipe starts:
Go camping.
Buy one or more pounds of aged fresh ground chuck, with sufficient fat to make it about 20% fat. (buy a chuck steak and have it ground for you.)
One six pack of beer.
One large homemade sourdough roll.
Hickory wood for one hickory fire.
Nine strips of bacon
One half pound of mushrooms
Two onions
Three cloves of garlic
Your choice of Dale Steak Sauce, kosher salt, or Worcestershire sauce.

Don't eat breakfast.
Wait until 1 PM at the earliest to start.
Start the fire and get it to a bed of coals
using a cast iron skillet, cook half the bacon, set it aside, then use the fat and one can of beer to lightly saute the onion, then the garlic, then the mushrooms (a bullion cube with the mushrooms is optional) . let cool.
mix it all into the meat with the Worcestershire or Dales or salt(reserving 1/2 cup of onions), or make two large patties of meat and sandwich the mixture between them, sealing the sides.
Once the patty is formed, wrap it in the remaining bacon.
Add fresh moist sticks to the fire.
Drink one beer
Start the cooking of the patty over the open fire, and when about 1/2 done and you are starving, switch to the hot frying pan, cover with the extra onion, drizzle a little beer on it to help the onion caramelize, and fry till done.
Toast or lightly brown the bun.
Add whatever condiments, cheeses, mayo, vegetables, and/or spices and peppers you want.

The key to a great hamburger is to be really hungry and just have a touch of a buzz. I learned that at eighteen when I forgot to eat before going to the local bar. The bartender was trying out a similar hamburger, and I just expanded on his idea over the years.

OK, any other ideas for a great hamburger that aren't so complicated?

[southernnaturelover]

If you're ever in south Alabama you must try Bracken's Drive-In in Brewton. The "big burger" is huge and the one size fries and onion rings are the size of a small brown bag.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by gaflsc

Whataburger has recently come to your area. Try them.

I like Whataburger, but they're nothing like the ole thick burgers at the "mom & pop" drive-ins.

[Houston3]

I think one thing wrong with hamburgers today is no one grills the buns like they used to. Whataburger even runs them thru a grilling machine now, nothing like being grilled on the grill.

[rnc76]

Soul Burger in Huntsville makes a mean burger. Miss Kathy (the owner) makes everyone feel welcome.

[Marty McFly Jr]

Originally Posted by mr.kerouacbellows

My wife and I live in Birmingham, AL... We have friends in other states who have visited various restaurants where they serve "giant hamburgers". You know the ones... the burgers that are made from a whole cow, with enough cheese and condiments to feed a small village for weeks. The type of burger that one or two people can barely handle - if at all.

Help!

Anyway, we are looking for a place in the area that has that; the type of place you may see on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It doesn't need to be in Birmingham - we are willing to make it a day trip. Pretty much within a three hour radius of Birmingham or so.

In fact, we would just like recommendations for any great burger place...

Help!

three hours?? whoa!
but which village do you want to feed?
most hamburgers aren't made out of a whole cow...
Or am I taking you too literally?
It's just hard for me to imagine anywhere in the world with no burger place every few feet

[cpg35223]

Actually, I'll tell you a place that makes GREAT hamburgers. It's in this gas station on the corner of 3rd Avenue South and 41st Street, two blocks from Avondale Park. I'm not kidding you. Big thick greasy burgers. People line up to eat this woman's artistry.