The Origin of Salisbury Steak: The Hot Water Cure & Meat Diet

Dr. James Henry Salisbury speaking with a patient

--St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), May 27, 1894

Like a number of others who were children in the 1960s and 1970s, I enjoyed Salisbury Steak, covered in gravy, in TV dinners. And like many of those same people, I haven't eaten Salisbury Steak in many years since. However, Salisbury steak remains popular. It's still available in TV dinners, can be found at some restaurants, and some people even prepare it at home. And Salisbury Steak is very different now that when it first was created. 

As I researched my recent articles on the Origin of the Hamburger (Part 1 and Part 2), I came across multiple references to Salisbury Steak, and I've since pursued that line, seeking out its origin as well. When was Salisbury Steak invented? How is it different from Hamburg Steak? It's a fascinating tale, and its origin isn't mired in the same type of controversy and ambiguity as the Hamburger. 

In short, the Salisbury Steak was named after Doctor James Henry Salisbury (January 12, 1823 – September 23, 1905), who was born in New York. He began his career as a chemist, but eventually went to medical school, graduating in 1850. Over the years, Dr. Salisbury conducted numerous experiments, trying to determine what were the healthiest foods to eat. He worked as a doctor during the Civil War, and allegedly the seeds of the Salisbury Steak originated with his experiments during the war, using chopped steak to prevent diarrhea in soldiers.

Dr. Salisbury was first famous though for another matter, his "Hot Water Cure." The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), August 7, 1883, in an article titled, The Hot Water Cure. Its Origin and the Rules Prescribed for Its Use, detailed Dr. Salisbuy's theory and its origins. “The practice of administering hot water for the cure of diseases originated with Dr. James H. Salisbury of New York, in 1858, who claimed that his assertions in regard to the drinking of hot water were founded on physiological experiments at the outset, verified in the treatment of diseases, and based on the experience derived from the treatment of thousands of cases since 1858.”

At the time of this article, Dr. Salisbury said, “It I were confined to one means of medication, I would take hot water. I have drunk it for twenty-five years.” He also claimed that the hot water cure was “.. a foundation for the treatment of all chronic diseases.” Also at this time, a number of other leading physicians gave their support to the hot water cure, especially as it seemed better than the use of "nauseous drugs."

How did you partake of the hot water cure? First, Dr. Salisbury stated,  “The water must be hot; not cold or lukewarm. This is to excite downward peristalsis of the alimentary canal. Cold water depresses, as it uses animal heat to bring it up to the temperature of the body and there is a loss of nerve force in this proceeding. Lukewarm water excites upward peristalsis or vomiting, as is well known. By hot water is meant a temperature of 100 degrees to 150 degrees F., such as is commonly liked in the use of tea or coffee.”

How much should you drink? “Dr. Salisbury first used half a pint of hot water at a draught, but he found that quantity insufficient to wash out the stomach. He accordingly directs the patient to drink from one half pint to one pint or one and a half pints at one drinking.” The timing of the drinking is very important as well. “Hot water should be drunk one to two hours before each meal, and half an hour before retiring to bed. If taken immediately before meals it is apt to be followed by vomiting. One to two hours allows the hot water time enough to get out of the stomach before the food enters, and thus avoids vomiting.”

Continuing, Dr. Salisbury also stated,“In drinking the hot water, it should be sipped, and not drunk so fast as to distend the stomach and make it feel uncomfortable. From fifteen to twenty minutes mat be consumed during the drinking of hot water.” You didn't have to drink the hot water plain. Dr. Salisbury noted, "To make hot water palatable it is sometimes desirable to medicate it with aromatic spirits of ammonia, ginger, lemon juice, sage, or salt.”

The hot water cure became a fad for a time, and is an important precursor to the Salisbury Steak. My articles on the Origins of the Hamburger already mentioned how during the 1880s, drinking hot water and eating Hamburg steak were considered to medically benefit dyspeptics. And the roots of this belief are attributable to Dr. Salisbury. 

As an aside, other cultures have pointed to the health benefits of hot beverages, such as China. It was a China physician, who promoted hot beverages, which led to the Japanese drinking hot Sake year round, and not just during the winter.  

In an article in the Plain Speaker (PA), March 5, 1892 (which was reprinted in numerous other newspapers), more details about the life of Dr. Salisbury were reported, as well as additional details about the hot water cure. The beginnings of his interest in the medical field began in the late 1840s. “In 1849, when he was principal of the chemical laboratory of the New York state geological survey, this doctor (who was a graduate of the Albany Medical college) commenced the study of germ diseases, a field in which he ranks among the chief microscopists of the world.”

In 1854, “.., he entered upon the field of personal experiment, testing upon himself the effects of exclusive feeding upon a variety of foods,…” He was his own guinea pig, but within a couple years he was ready to test his theories on other people. So, in 1856, he “..got to hiring healthy, ablebodied men to submit themselves to similar experiments,” and it cost him about $40,000 to conduct his experiments (which would be equivalent to about a million dollars today)! That's an amazing amount of money to dedicate to these experiments, indicative of Dr. Salisbury's sincerity in his endeavors. 

For his first experiment, he placed six men on a diet of baked beans and coffee for a few weeks, and they all suffered on this diet, sustaining paralysis, chronic diarrhea, heart palpitation, and oppressed breathing. He also placed four men on a diet of oatmeal porridge and coffee, and those men sustained flatulence, constipation, headache and dizziness.

Dr. Salisbury concluded that "Improper alimentation is the predisposing cause of disease." By improper alimentation, he meant " the feeding upon food which the digestive organs cannot readily and perfectly digest, notably—for our race-an excess of starchy and saccharine materials, which are highly fermentable.” Dr. Salisbury had a solution, which also included his hot water cure, although the article noted, “The curative use of hot water was a popular fad seven or eight years ago, and doubtless did them much more harm than good—a result naturally to be expected from the ignorant employment of any force or remedy."

The solution was explicated in Dr. Salisbury's book, The Relation of Alimentation and Disease (1888), although it was alleged the book was ready for publication in 1867. The delay in publication was due to Dr. Salisbury seeking further evidence to support his theories. The article noted,  “That book is, of course, better understood and appreciated by educated physicians than by the general public,…” And the solution involved a "hot water and meat diet treatment" which was claimed to have "cured it in a great number of cases,…”

What did the treatment include? “The new treatment restricts the patient to purely animal, and consequently nonfermenting, food—good lean beef or mutton, with poultry allowed, say once a week. No vegetables, bread, cereals, fruits, pastry or sweets are permitted. From a pint to a pint and a half of water as hot as it can be drunk must be taken two hours after and one and a half hours before each meal and one hour before retiring." It is this "meat diet" which led to the Salisbury Steak.

The first documented reference to "Salisbury Steak" I was able to discover was from 1884. The concept obviously began with Dr. Salisbury even earlier, but it may not have received this name until around 1884. It's also worth noting that it appears Dr. Salisbury didn't use the term himself, even in his 1888 book. It was others, including physicians and journalists, who apparently coined the term, using Salisbury's name to refer to the ground beef item that Dr. Salisbury promoted.

The Medical and Surgical Reporter: A Weekly Journal, February 16, 1884, presented a "Clinical Lecture Delivered at the Philadelphia Hospital by Dr. William Pepper." The lecture was on the treatment of epilepsy, including information on diets. Dr. Pepper stated, “…there is no successful treatment of epilepsy without careful attention to the diet,..”  In his lecture, Dr. Pepper said,  “.., let me refer to one of these methods, which has attracted considerable attention by the success which has followed its use in the hands of its introducer, Dr. Salisbury. I refer to the diet of raw meat, or meat almost raw, and hot water, with an exclusion of all the oleaginous and starchy ingredients of the food.” 

This is the famed hot water and meat diet. A description of the preparation of the meat was also provided. “Dr. Salisbury recommends that the meat be prepared by the American Meat and Vegetable Chopper, by which the meat is finely minced, and after twenty or thirty minutes’ chopping, there is found on the surface of the meat in the tin cylinder connected with the machine, a red pulp, reduced almost to a powder, and beneath this is a layer of reddish-gray fibre which is almost entirely indigestible. In preparing the ‘Salisbury steak,’ this red pulp is formed into pats, put into a wite broiler and broiled for four or five minutes before a hot fire. Prepared in this way, the meat requires very little mastication; …”

As we can see, Salisbury Steak was simply minced beef, formed into a patty, and broiled. It was intended to be easily digestible. Where are the seasonings? Where is the gravy? This certainly doesn't resemble the Salisbury Steak with which we are now familiar. At this point, it resembled a Hamburg Steak, but without the seasoning and onions. It was just beef.

The first newspaper to reference Salisbury Steak was The Sun (NY), January 17, 1885, and the article was reprinted in numerous other newspapers. This is probably the first time the general public had heard this term, which previously was restricted mainly to other physicians. The article reported, “Salisbury steak appears to be giving remarkably good results as a diet for people troubled with weak or disordered digestion, but who require the supporting power of animal food."

The article continued, "The manner of preparing it is described by Dr. Hepburn in the Philadelphia Medical and Surgical Reporter. The surface of a round steak is chopped with a dull knife, the object being not to cut but to pound the meat. As the meat pulp comes to the top it is scrapped off, while the tough and fibrous portion gradually reaches the bottom of the trough. The pulp is then made into cakes and lightly and quickly broiled as to leave it almost raw inside.” Again, we see that this patty was prepared without seasonings or other ingredients. However, that would soon change.

In The Sentinel (PA), March 2, 1886, from an article previously in the New York Medical Times, it was noted that, “The Salisbury steak is made by taking the best slices of the ‘round’ on the beef, and chopping it with dull knives. The object is not to cut, but rather pound the meat. By thus treating it, the pulp comes to the top, and the tough, fibrous portion remains below. The pulp is scraped off and made into cakes, like sausage-cakes, or into the shape like a good-sized steak and gently broiled on a gridiron. It has been found that meat gently cooked os more digestible than raw. The fire must be good, so that the meat may be rapidly broiled—that is, be cooked on the outside and almost raw inside.” The main idea is to ensure the meat is easily digestible.

The article continued, “A little salt and pepper and a small amount of butter added make a not at all unpalatable dish, and one which contains all the strength of the beef, with the tough, indigestible portion entirely separated.” So, we finally see a few items added to the chopped steak, salt, pepper, and butter. That still doesn't resemble the Salisbury Steak of today. Finally, the article mentioned, "This diet is used exclusively in chronic cases by physicians professing to treat according to the Salisbury method."

In 1888, The Relation of Alimentation and Disease by Dr. Salisbury was published, which presented "... some of the results of over thirty years research into the true Causes of Disease,…” For some biographical information, the book stated that Dr. Salisbury began the study of germ disease in 1849, and entered into the practice of medicine in 1850. He then stated, “In 1854 the idea came to me,…to try the effects of living exclusively upon one food at a time. This experiment I began upon myself alone at first.” He first started on baked beans, and continued his food experiments on himself until September 1856.

That month, he hired six men to live with him and become the subject of his food experiments, starting with baked beans. In 1857, he hired four more men, feeding them only oatmeal porridge, and the next year, he tested out various foods on 200 hogs. In addition, he began studying smallpox germs in 1850 and continued to work on it for 15 years. And in 1862, he started working on measles germs.

Dr. Salisbury noted that the publication of this book had been delayed for over 20 years, “..., in order that sufficient cures of so-called ‘incurable’ maladies might place both discovery and method of treatment beyond all reasonable doubt.”

The book helped to promote his hot water cure and meat diet. As support for the meat diet, he claimed that, “As a general rule, we have twenty meat teeth, and only twelve vegetable teeth; while four o£ these latter, the 'wisdom teeth,' are poor apologies as grinders. The stomach, in man, is a purely carnivorous organ, and is designed, both in structure and function, for the digestion of lean meats. The small bowels, with their glandular appendages (liver, pancreas, and glands of Lieberkuhn and Brunner), are herbivorous mamly, and are designed to digest vegetables, fats and fruits. The pancreatic secretions are used to emulsify fats, and to change starch into glucose. The biliary secretions, and those of the glands of Lieberkuhn and Brunner, are for digesting farinaceous and vegetable products generally." The  thrust of these claims is that man should primarily consume meat.

Dr. Salisbury continued, "Healthy Alimentation would consist in a diet of about one part of vegetables, fats and fruits, to about two parts of lean meat. Sweets and fruits should be used in moderate quantity, and as relishes only. Fruits should only be taken after breakfast and dinner, on a full stomach, and then only in moderate quantity; never at or after supper. The supper should be more of a lean meat meal than either of the others, and the best meat for supper is broiled lean beef. This digests easily and quickly, and is less able to produce flatulence than any other food.

It's interesting that Dr. Salisbury never used the term "Salisbury Steak" in his book. Instead, the section referring to that item stated, “Food Meats. — Eat the muscle pulp of lean beef made into cakes and broiled. This pulp should be as free as possible from connective or glue tissue, fat and cartilage. The  'American Chopper ' answers very well for separating the connective tissue, this being driven down in front of the knife to the bottom of the board. In chopping, the beef should not be stirred up in the chopper, but the muscle pulp should be scraped off with a spoon at intervals during the chopping. At the end of the chopping, the fibrous tissue of the meat (the portion which makes up fibrous growths) all lies on the bottom board of the chopper. This may be utilized as soup meat for well people."

The book continued, “Previous to chopping, the fat, bones, tendons and fasciae should all be cut away, and the lean muscle cut up in pieces an inch or two square. Steaks cut through the centre of the round are the richest and best for this purpose. Beef should be procured from well fatted animals that are from four to six vears old."

How did Dr. Salisbury want you to prepare this dish? “The pulp should not be pressed too firmly together before broiling, or it will taste livery. Simply press it sufficiently to hold it together. Make the cakes from half an inch to an inch thick. Broil slowly and moderately well over a fire free from blaze and smoke. When cooked, put it on a hot plate and season to taste with butter, pepper and salt; also use either Worcestershire or Halford sauce, mustard, horseradish or lemon juice on the meat if desired. Celery may be moderately used as a relish.”

This is different from how Salisbury Steak was first presented, when it was simply unseasoned chopped/ground beef. Not only is salt, pepper and butter recommended, but there are also suggestions to add Worcestershire, Halford sauce, mustard, horseradish or lemon juice. Plus, it was unique that celery could be used as a relish. 

How curative was this meat diet? Dr. Salisbury also wrote, “The experiments upon meat feeding showed that meats, and especially beef and mutton, can be subsisted upon without resulting in diseased states, for a much longer time than can the best vegetable products under the same conditions. The reason of this is that the first organ of the digestive apparatus — the stomach — is a meat-digesting organ. I have had patients afflicted with grave diseases, thrive and become perfectly well upon beef. Many of them have continued this as an exclusive diet from three to four years, before bringing breads and vegetables into their diet list. Good, fresh beef and mutton stand at the head of all aliments as foods promotive of human health."

Meat choppers were starting to become popular during the 1880s, and were perfect for the preparation of Salisbury Steak. The Meriden Daily Republican (CT), January 12, 1889, noted, “The meat chopper, for use in making the dyspeptic’s delight, Salisbury steak, fastens on the end of a table and grinds after the fashion of a coffee mill. A plain steak is cut up in inch pieces, all fibers, sinews and fat removed, and the meat, ground somewhat coarser than for sausage, is seasoned slightly, broiled and eaten with butter. Delicious it is and necessarily easy to digest. A trifle dry for one who enjoys his sirloin steak extra thick, but inestimable to weak stomachs and hurried eaters, and a nice change as well.” Again, there is little added to the steak besides some light seasoning and butter.

The Centralia Enterprise and Tribune (WI), June 7, 1890, briefly mentioned, “Yet there was once a treatment for disease, a way of keeping healthy, that had for its basis the eating of meat alone, and eschewing vegetables. It was called the Salisbury treatment, and the name Salisbury steak was named after its founder.”

Changes to the Salisbury Steak begin to arrive. The Montgomery Advertiser (AL), June 11, 1893, provided a brief recipe for Salisbury Steak. "Chop surface of a round steak with dull knife. Scrape off pulp, make into cakes, and broil. Season with onion juice, if liked. Serve with sauce piquante.” First, we see the suggestion that it be seasoned with onion juice, likely because Hamburg Steak, which was already very popular, was flavored with onions. Second, we see the first reference to a sauce for the Salisbury Steak, a hot sauce, not a gravy. 

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (NY), January 28, 1894, printed a menu that listed “Salisbury Steak with mushrooms.” The dish was starting to go beyond Dr. Salisbury's initial concept, to add more ingredients that would provide additional flavor to the dish. 

Dr. Salisbury had his detractors as well, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), May 27, 1894, published an article titled, A Nest of Cranks. How Dr. Salisbury of Hot Water Fame Starves His Patients. The title alone indicated the position of the article. It began, “The Salisbury steak is not part of the culinary wonders. It is a dietary tidbit originated with Dr. J.H. Salisbury, B.N.S., A.M., of No. 170 West Fifty-ninth street.” It continued, “The doctor is a hot-water curist. The Salisbury steak is a chef d’euvre designed, not to build to build up tissue, as most steaks are supposed to do but to retard, restrain and diminish tissue. The hot water is a physical purifier and a physiological germicide. It tones you up—or down.”

The author of the article, a woman, met Dr. Salisbury twice, claiming to be a potential patient. As she sat in the waiting room, she observed the other patients, nearly all women, who were also waiting, noting, “All appeared to be in advanced stages of individualism—hollow-eyed and sunken-cheeked, pale, ghastly and wan.” She also claimed,“Others, so I was creditably informed, had died.”

As for Dr. Salisbury, she stated, “Some persons would proclaim Dr. Salisbury the herald of grand medical principles. Others would call him a crank, the price of quacks. He is not a member of the usual medical societies. Physicians in regular practice do not recognize him as among their number.” She continued, “Years ago Dr. Salisbury was a fad….The fad, as a fad, died out.” However, Dr. Salisbury still had a large practice, mostly with women.

The writer also noted that in the waiting room there was a curtained doorway into a small room where patients could have a mug of hot water. They were said to be, “A sad-looking lot they were—eyes heavy, skin brown, dry and wrinkled and all of them reduced to a degree of emaciation that proved their perfect faith in the Salisbury system.” During her meetings with Dr. Salisbury, he indicated that his hot water and meat diet could make her beautiful, and cure her various ailments. However, the writer didn't find much beauty in the patients she saw in the waiting room. 

To treat her, Dr. Salisbury had a contract for her to sign, which made many promises. She stated, "What woman wouldn't submit to almost any privation in the way of diet and exercise if tempted by such an alluring prospect as that? To be made so beautiful that all the world would bow down in admiration; to have eyes that would rival the stars, and a skin as fair as a baby's."

Dr. Salisbury had been in business since 1863, and the writer, who didn’t know the ingredients of “beef-steak a la Salisbury”, received a printed circular about Salisbury steak;. It stated, “The steak is a meat-cake broiled before eaten. The muscle pulp of lean beef, free from fat, glue or ‘connective tissue’ and cartilage, is chopped up as fine as meal. It is then pressed together in cakes from half an inch to an inch thick."

As an aside, Dr. Salisbury wasn't a fan of vegetables, believing they often could be harmful. The Alton Evening Telegraph (IL), November 15, 1895, quoted Dr. Salisbury, “The most unhealthful vegetable in the world is asparagus. No man or woman can exist to exceed seven days on this insidious vegetable. Why it is that people have got the idea that it is healthful I cannot understand, unless it is from the peculiar odor it gives to the fluids that pass from the body. Some people believe it is healthful for the kidneys, but there is nothing which I know of that is more injurious.”

Dr. Salisbury believed that beef was very healthy, and the key to avoiding disease. “As for beef, it is sustaining and strengthening and invalids should take as much as possible and avoid such vegetables as they know to be unhealthful.”

What's the difference between Salisbury Steak and Hamburg Steak? The Daily Times (NC), April 10, 1896, offered an opinion by providing recipes for both dishes. First, “To Serve Salisbury Steak. Chop or grind lean round steak very fine, form into cakes like sausage, dust well with flour, and brown on both sides in clarified butter on a griddle, or in a spider; lift to a warm platter, and season with salt, pepper and butter.” A very simple recipe, without any gravy or sauce.

Second, “To Serve Hamburg Steak. To a pint of meat chopped or ground as for Salisbury steak add tablespoonful of finely minced onion, or a teaspoonful of sage, thyme, or summer savory; form into cakes, and cook the same as Salisbury steak. Either Salisbury or Hamburg steak may be cooked by covering the bottom of a greased spider about half an inch thick with the chopped meat, and when nicely browned, folding like an omelet and turning upon a warm platter.” Although both are chopped/ground beef patties, the addition of onion is a primary difference, as well as the suggestion of adding sage, thyme or summer savory. 

However, confusing the issue, there were times that onions were added to Salisbury Steak. The Boston Globe (MA), May 8, 1898, noted, “If one is fond of onions and high seasoning, they can have the ordinary salisbury steak.”

As the 20th century began, Salisbury Steak started taking on a life of its own, separate from Dr. Salisbury and his meat diet. It became a versatile dish, with various restaurants putting their own spin on this item. The Buffalo Times (NY), June 28, 1903, presented a menu with Salisbury steak a la Creole while the El Paso Herald (TX), September 21, 1905, presented a menu with Salisbury steak, Oxford Style. The Oakland Tribune (CA), September 18, 1906, mentioned Salisbury steak, Spanish Style while the Jewish Outlook (CO), January 25, 1907, noted Salisbury steak with Tomato Sauce.
And the Reading Times (PA), May 30, 1906, mentioned Salisbury Steak with Onion sauce.

We return to the question of the difference between Salisbury Steak and Hamburg Steak. The Boston Globe, June 28, 1907, stated “some housewives imagine a Salisbury steak and a hamburger steak are synonymous terms. In reality the dishes are prepared according to different methods and have an entirely different flavor.”

The article continued, “Salisbury steak is prepared as follows: Mince very finely two pounds raw rump beef. Season with one and one-half teaspoons salt and a half teaspoon pepper. Break in one whole raw egg, mix well with the hand for five minutes. Divide the hash into six equal parts; give them a nice egg form, arrange in a double broiler, lightly glaze with sweet oil and broil for eight minutes on each side. Dress on a hot dish with parsley and serve.” The addition of an egg is something new, and we see that the seasonings are still simple, salt and pepper.

Then, it was noted, “Hamburger steak with fried onions, prepared for the following method, is very tasty: Pass through a chopping machine two pounds lean, raw rump of beef, lay it on a plate, add one good-sized finely chopped sound onion, first fried, in teaspoonful of butter for three minutes. Season with one teaspoonful of salt, half teaspoonful white pepper, a saltspoonful grated nutmeg, one teaspoonful finely chopped parsley and one whole raw egg. Mix all well together, then divide into six equal parts. Roll them in flour and give them a fish-cake form. Heat three-quarters of an ounce of butter in a frying pan. Slide in the steaks and fry them for six minutes on each side. Remove, drain well, dress on a hot dish, pour over their own gravy. Arrange the fried onions around the steak and serve very hot.”

The addition of onions is once again a primary difference between these two dishes, though the recipe for Hamburg also included additional seasonings, like nutmeg. An egg was also used for the Hamburg, although that dish originally didn't start out using an egg as an ingredient.

More Salisbury Steak menu items appeared across the country. The Morning Call (NJ), October 15, 1907, noted Salisbury steak with onion sauce and potatoes, while the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), December 13, 1907, mentioned Salisbury Steak with Sauce Claremont. The Statesman Journal (OR), December 29, 1907, referenced Salisbury steak with cream sauce while the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), April 23, 1909, mentioned Salisbury Steak with Sauce Piquante. The Pittsburgh Press (PA), November 13, 1910, noted Salisbury steak with tomato sauce and the Franklin’s Paper The Statesman (CO), June 3, 1911, referred to Salisbury steak with brown gravy. Salisbury Steak was becoming a versatile dish. 

The Union Advocate-Review (OK), November 4, 1909, provided a brief recipe, “One pound chopped steak, one teaspoon salt, one tablespoon lemon juice, two tablespoons minced parsley. Cook as above, and serve rare.”

Those differences again! The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (NY), September 28, 1912, briefly noted, “Hamburger steak is Salisbury steak with chopped onions mixed in.”

The origins of Salisbury Steak and Hamburg Steak likely occurred around the same time, probably during the 1870s, although they were somewhat different in their presentation. Salisbury Steak was more plain, while Hamburg Steak was enhanced by onions. Over time, both dishes would become more complex, eventually morphing into the dishes we enjoy today. Both dishes were also presented as providing health benefits to dyspeptics, although Salisbury Steak was said to be beneficial for numerous medical ailments. Thanks to Dr. James Salisbury for his creation. 

Do you still eat Salisbury Steak? Do you make it at home? Do you still eat it in a TV dinner? Or do you enjoy it at a specific restaurant? 

Origins of the Hamburger: The Sandwich Appears (Part 2)

When did the Hamburger as we know it, a ground beef patty between two pieces of bread, originate? 

In Origins of the Hamburger (Part 1), I’ve already explored the early history, during the 1870s and 1880s, of Hamburg steak and the Hamburger. During this period, both terms referred to essentially the same dish, a serving of ground beef, with seasonings and onions, formed into a "cake." It wasn't yet a sandwich, even though it was sometimes referred to as a Hamburger. It was clear that the Hamburg steak was enjoyed all across the country, so it was known to many people. 

It wouldn’t be until the 1890s that we saw the first documented reference to a Hamburg sandwich, ground beef between two pieces of bread. Who invented that concept? In this article, I'll examine a couple of the alleged inventors of the Hamburger, noting that this is an area of much controversy, with numerous parties claiming to have invented it. In short, there’s little hard evidence to support these various claims, relying primarily on hearsay, or statements from the alleged inventors, statements made many years after the alleged date of invention. 

As I’ve said multiple times before, food origins stories often attain a mythical aspect, and the owners/inventors commonly assert their claims many years later. They lack definitive proof of their claims, and sometime their claims can even be proven to be inaccurate. It’s easy to make these claims many years later when it gets harder to disprove them. We shouldn't accept such claims as the truth unless we carefully analyze the evidence surrounding these claims. 

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Initially, we’ll note that during the 1890s, Hamburg steak remained a popular breakfast dish, there were numerous ads for meat choppers to prepare this dish, and grocery stores started selling pounds of hamburg steak so consumers wouldn’t have to chop the beef at home. The use of the term “hamburger steaks” was also common.

The German origins rose again. The Chicago Tribune (IL), January 2, 1890, mentioned that: “There is a German restaurant on Madison street frequented by many downtown merchants who affect Hamburg steaks, wiener, schnitzels, Baum-Kuch, and other Teutonic delicacies.”

There’s an amusing origin story for Hamburg steak, one which appears to have no other supporting evidence besides this absurd assertion. The Atlanta Constitution (GA), January 19, 1890, wrote about Andrew Jackson Anderson, a train engineer who was born in Hamburg, South Carolina. He “… is the man who christened the Hamburg steak. In his younger days his boarding house had tough beef, and one day he took a steak, placed it upon a railroad track, and let a long freight train run over it. Then he had it cooked, and found it tender. A fellow boarder seeing the ease with which he masticated the meat asked, ‘Andy, what are you eating”’ “A Hamburg steak,’ he answered.” Definitely seems to be a tall tale.

Another Hamburg recipe. The Boston Globe, February 4, 1890, discussed a cooking class, held in the Apollo Hall, by Miss Parloa, where she described “How to Make Savory Hamburg Steaks.” The recipe stated: “Have the butcher chop two pounds of the round of beef very fine. Season it with half a teaspoonful of pepper, two teaspoonfuls of salt and one of onion juice, and, after shaping into thin cakes, place in a broiler that has been buttered slightly and broil over a clear fire for eight minutes. Serve on a hot dish.” 

As an alternative, she also stated: “Or put four slices of far salt pork into a frying pan. Remove when they have become crisp and brown. Put the steaks into the fat. Fry for eight (8) minutes, and when they are cooked put them on a warm platter. Into the fat remaining put a tablespoonful of flour, and simmer till brown. Then gradually add a cupful of water, season with salt and pepper, boil for three minutes. Pour the gravy over and serve at once.” Gravy was an option for Hamburg steaks which was seen occasionally during this time period. 

Miss Parloa also discussed some of the health aspects of the dish, continuing this topic which began during the prior two decades. “Frying makes the steak more savory, but more indigestible. A little onion or chives may be chopped and added to the meat with seasoning, if liked.” In addition, she said, “For an invalid, prepare according to the first rule, and broil or cook very slightly between two hot plates. The slice of steak may be scraped so as to take off the soft cellular tissue only, and not the fibres, and then seasoned and cooked as above.”

Eggs and Hamburg steaks. The Paxton Record (IL), June 19, 1890, citing an article from the Troy Times (and which was reprinted in a number of other newspapers), noted that “Hamburg steaks should be made from fresh, uncooked meat, but the left-overs from steaks and roasts may be chopped, moistened with uncooked eggs, seasoned, made into cakes and cooked the same as Hamburg steaks. In Hamburg steaks, the meat being uncooked, the albumen in the juices holds the meat together. The uncooked egg aided to the cooked meat answers the same purposes.” Again, we also see the word “cake” rather than “patty” being used.

The first use of bread with Hamburg? The Atchison Daily Patriot (KS), March 5, 1891, presented what may be the first documented mention of bread used with Hamburg, although it probably wasn’t a sandwich. There was a mention of a woman in Atchison, and that: “Her lunch consists of rye bread thickly smeared with Hamburg steak.” This appears to be just Hamburg steak that has been spread atop a piece of bread, like you might do with steak tartare. However, this is still a step towards the Hamburg sandwich. 

The New England Farmer (MA), March 10, 1894, hit on a couple common themes of Hamburg steak. First, it was noted: “Hamburg steak is a pleasant change for breakfast, but like sausages, hash and the like, you want to know what goes into it.” The article also mentioned, “”…if one has a meat chopper, pieces of the round or tough portions are much more appetizing served as Hamburg steaks, seasoned with salt and pepper and a few drops of onion juice, than if cooked in the ordinary way.”

Another recipe, but with catsup. The York Dispatch (PA), April 2, 1894, published this recipe: “Hamburg Steak. Take a pound of meat from the round, chop fine, add one teaspoonful of salt, two or three dishes of pepper; four drops of onion extract, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and, if desired, a very little thyme or sweet majoram. Mix well, form into small steaks with the hand. Melt a tablespoonful of butter in the frying pan; when heated put in the steaks, let them cook slowly until done half way through; turn over and cook equally on the other side." 

The article continued, with how to make a sauce for the Hamburg steak. "Make a brown sauce with the butter remaining in the pan as follows: The butter remaining will measure one tablespoonful and will, of course, be brown; add one tablespoonful of flour, stir until smooth and brown. Add one cup of stock; stir continually until it thickens. Take from the fire; add one teaspoonful of catsup; season with salt and pepper and serve with the steaks.” This is the first mention of catsup and Hamburg steak, although the catsup was added to the gravy rather than slathered on the Hamburg steak.

It wouldn’t be until 1894 that we finally saw documented mention of Hamburg sandwiches. Although the term Hamburger had been used since the 1870s, it had never referred to a sandwich during that time. It was simply another term for the Hamburg steak. In 1894, the phrase “Hamburger steak sandwich” started being used, and obviously referred to a Hamburg between two pieces of bread. This means that the creation of the Hamburger, ground beef between bread, had to have occurred before 1894.

As such, we can easily dismiss any claims of the invention of the Hamburger that allegedly occurred after 1894, as the Hamburger sandwich already existed by that point. Let’s examine the earliest mentions of the Hamburger sandwich to see if we can determine anything else.

The first reference was in the Shiner Gazette (TX), April 12, 1894, which briefly printed that, “Hamburger steak sandwiches everyday in the week at Barny’s saloon, Moulton.” A few days later, the Chicago Tribune (IL), April 15, 1894, published a story about the first “restaurant on wheels,” a “nocturnal sandwich wagon,” in Chicago which served “Hamburger steak sandwiches.” The Roanoke Times (VA), May 16, 1894, had an advertisement for The Concordia, which served “The Finest and Largest Glass of Beer in the City,” and their menu included a Hamburger Steak Sandwich.

Texas, Illinois, and Virginia. In 1894, the Hamburger Steak Sandwich was already known across the country, and not just in one limited region. If this sandwich had been invented in a specific city or town, it would have taken some time for its existence to have become known to others, and to spread to other parts of the country. So, its invention was likely at least a couple years before 1894, if not more. It is also possible that there were multiple origins of the Hamburger sandwich, that people in different regions of the country created the sandwich around the same time. The problem is finding evidence of its creation and existence prior to 1894. 

A lengthy article in the San Francisco Chronicle (CA), July 23, 1894, discussed the popularity of Hamburg steak sandwiches in the city, in an article titled “Odors of the Onion. A New Night Feature of City Life.” The article described the various streetside foot carts, which operated at night and in the early morning. It was noted, “They love darkness whose deeds are evil,’ is probably as good a reason as any why Hamburg steaks are cooked and eaten on the streets at night.” The article continued, “A popular demand for this luxury at 2 o’clock in the morning has added a strong flavor of onion to that delicious combination of odors which surprises and delights the stranger who visits the business portion of this city between twilight and dawn.”

Hamburgers at 2am? Was this the dish that people who had been drinking all night wanted to enjoy? The food carts were located on, “Market street, from Sixth to Kearny, is the main artery for this fragrant current which flows in on the night breeze, eddying around those perambulating kitchens stationed along the curbs of the side streets. The sandwich chariots are on the increase…”

Commonly, a “kitchen wagon” has “On a broad shelf extending along the open side of the wagon is displayed the chopped beef and onions for the Hamburgs, which seem to be a specialty around the entire circuit.” It also stated, “This item is arranged in the most tempting manner possible. The meat is heaped up on a platter in the shape of a parallelepiped with rounded corners. A small parsley hedge growing along the top of the mass, like tuft grass on a sand dune, gives the whole a Frenchy aspect which cannot fail to please.”

Some artistry was involved as well. “But it is in decorating the perpendiculars of his chopped beef exhibit that the chef shows great originality of design. The fancy work is all done with raw onions sliced and fashioned into stars and crescent, diamonds, circles, rhomboids and rectangles and sometimes the symbol of the secret society to which the artist belongs.” In addition, “The cook now turns to the bread shelf,…and cuts two thin slices bias from the loaf.”

The description of the kitchen wagon was continued, “At the back of the wagon is another shelf, containing a platter of sliced ham and a box of eggs. There is also a paper roll here for the accommodation of the luxuriously inclined who send out for their sandwiches. In the rear end of the cart is the bread shelf, the front portion being occupied by the range. This is a gasoline stove with three jets, so that the entire repertoire—ham and eggs, ham and Hamburg—may be cooked simultaneously.”

The Hamburg sandwiches were very popular. As the article continued, “It is surprising the amount of business a sandwich chariot will do in a night. Sixty pounds of steak and onion, besides the other items, have been disposed of in a single séance from 9pm until 3am.” Plus, one owner said he sold “200 Hamburg steak sandwiches” on the 4th of July night, plus lots of ham and eggs. And their cost? “The sandwiches are 10 cents each and quite profitable at that, which accounts for the number of people investing in wagons and onions.” 

Numerous food trucks in San Francisco sold the popular Hamburg steak sandwiches, and it was a profitable business. There was nothing to indicate these sandwiches were a brand new creation, or a novelty.They seemed to have been served rather simply, with the usual onions. 

The Boston Globe, December 18, 1894, published a Recipe for “Beef a la Hamburg.” It stated, “Take the hamburg patties left from dinner and put them in hot water on the stove and let them boil 10 minutes, stirring so as to break them apart thin; skim out the meat and thicken with flour, and season with salt, pepper and butter; let that come to a boil and then turn on the beef.” This might be the first documented use of the term “patties” when referring to hamburgers. Previously, recipes called for the ground burger to be formed into “cakes.”

The Chicago Tribune (IL), July 5, 1896, had an article on lunch or sandwich cars, mentioning, “A distinguished favorite, only five cents, is Hamburger steak sandwich, the meat for which is kept in small patties and “cooked while you wait” on the gasoline range.” Also for a nickel. The Elmcreek Beacon (Nebraska), December 2, 1898, provided a menu for the Elm Creek Chop House, which offered a Hot Hamburger Sandwich for 5 cents. A bit pricier. The Emmons County Record (ND), December 9, 1898, had an ad for the American restaurant with a Hamburg Sandwich for 15 cents, a Hamburg Steak for 35 cents, and a Hamburg Steak with Eggs for 50 cents.

And finally, I’ll note a brief reference in the Morning Union (CA), February 27, 1900. They published an ad for the Gem Saloon and their Steam beer. It said, “A Hamburger sandwich is just the thing with good beer.” This might be the first time a Hamburger and Beer pairing was presented.

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There are two main contenders for the creation of a hamburger sandwich, both with a claim to having invented it in 1885 at a county fair. Both origin stories lack supporting evidence to definitively verify their claims. Much of the evidence comes from many years after the alleged creation of the sandwich, often with plenty of hearsay and family stories passed down through the generations. We should question those family claims that lack substantiation. If definitive proof existed, there wouldn't be so much controversy over who invented the hamburger sandwich.   

One of the contenders is Charlie Nagreen (1871–1951) of Seymour, Wisconsin. It was alleged that in 1885, at a county fair, Charlie, who was only 15 years old, was selling meatballs and few customers were buying them as it was too hard to eat them while walking around the fairgrounds. So, he decided to flatten the meatballs, or some hamburg steak, between a couple slices of bread, making it easier to carry and eat. Charlies eventually became known as "Hamburger Charlie" aka “Hamburg Charley” and continued to sell these sandwiches for many years at the fair.

The first newspaper reference to a “Hamburg Charley” actually had nothing to do with sandwiches, or Charlie Nagreen. The Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), July 28, 1904, reported that Frederick Schmidt, a notorious criminal, was also known as “Hamburg Charley,” although no reason for this nickname was given. Schmidt had just been arrested again, this time for robbing a woman’s apartment. Another reference to a “Hamburg Charley” was in the Femdale Enterprise (CA), May 20, 1921, noting that Charley Crider, a night watchman, was known by that nickname, but again, no reason for the appellation was provided.

The first reference though to Charlie Nagreen as “Hamburg Charley” was published in the Oshkosh Northwestern (WI), September 21, 1934. The article stated that 49 years ago, Charlie, also known as C.R. Nagreen, started working at the Seymour county fair. Charlie had originally set out, “With his team of horses and 1,500 feet of lumber he started for New London, but the concessions there were closed and Charley was turned away.” So, Charlie turned around and went to another fair in Oshkosh. 

However, the article doesn’t state he invented the hamburger sandwich. That is a curious omission if Charlie had invented the hamburger 49 years ago at his first county fair. Why not mention that fact if it were true? A Wisconsin newspaper would have been proud that a local boy had created that iconic sandwich. 

The Wausau Daily Herald (WI), September 24, 1934, also mentioned Hamburger Charley, noting his longevity at the local fairs in southern Wisconsin. However, it also did not state that Charlie had been the inventor of the Hamburg sandwich.

It wouldn’t be until 1937 that “Hamburger Charley” started to press the claim that he created the Hamburg sandwich. The Green Bay-Press Gazette (WI), August 14, 1937, reported that Charlie Nagreen “.., today rose up at the counter of his stand at the Brown county fairgrounds and claimed the right to be called the originator of the hamburger.” Why did he wait over 50 years before publicly making this claim? And if he had to make this claim, then it couldn't;t have been obvious to others that he was the inventor of the hamburger. 

Charlie stated that in 1885, when he was fifteen years old, he set up his first stand at the Seymour fair. He continued, “I hit upon the idea of grinding up meat, frying it, and putting it between a bun. It tasted better seasoned with onions.” The newspaper also noted, “Asked about the name ‘hamburger,’ Charlie replied, ‘It just came to me.” 

I’ll note that this origin story will differ to some degree from Charlie’s later stories. It makes no mention of him having first tried to serve meatballs. He would have been aware of Hamburg steak, and it usually being accompanied by onions, so that wasn't anything innovative. Charlie also doesn’t provide a specific reason for calling it a ‘hamburger.’ Plus, he claims he placed the burger in a bun, although it would have been two slices of bread at this time period. His claims just don't seem persuasive. 

Jump forward ten years. A slightly different origin tale was related in the Post-Crescent (WI), August 6, 1947. Citing C.R. Nagreen, the article began, “Back in 1885, ground beef patties were called meatballs, and in the following year in 1886, they began being called ‘hamburgers,’…” Charlie claims he was “the originator of the word ‘hamburger.’” Again, there is no real evidence offered. 

The article also mentioned the many years that Charlie has had a hamburger stand at the local Wisconsin fairs. Interestingly, the article also noted that about 9 years ago, Harry Reynolds wrote a poem in tribute to Nagreen, covering his time from 1885 at the fairs. In the winters, Charlie ran a costume business, and had done so for about forty years. He also sold fireworks, for wholesale, for about 37 years, having recently ended that business. I’ll note that Charlie passed away in June 1951.

Once we reach the 1980s, the Post-Crescent (WI), November 9, 1985, discussed Charlie and the origin of the burger. It printed, “It was, they say, a fistful of ground beef that 15-year-old Charlie Nagreen in an unexplained whimsy, sort of flattened between two slabs of bread.” The newspaper spoke to someone who worked with Charlie, in the early 1900s, who stated, “You bet they were good. He made them with good, fresh meat and lots of fried onions every day. We’d go through a 50-pound bag of onions every day. We’d get a dime for a burger; 15 cents if it was ‘city day’ at the fair.” It was claimed that Charlie made as much as $400 a day. It was also mentioned that Charlie had other gigs, including selling Christmas trees, popcorn, ice cream, and running an inn.

The Country Today (WI), April 19, 1989, claimed that 15-year-old Charlie first began by selling meatballs at the fair. “However, fairgoers couldn’t stroll the grounds very well with a hot meat ball in their hands.” At some point, Charlie placed ground beef between bread, allegedly inventing the hamburger.

The main problem with Charlie Nagreen’s claim to having invented the hamburger appears to be a lack of evidence. The first newspapers to mention Charlie, from 1934, never mentioned that he had invented the burger. It wouldn’t be until 1937, over fifty years after its alleged invention, did Charlie claim to have originated the hamburger sandwich. Why wasn’t this claim made publicly much earlier?

Charlie also didn’t have a specific reason for calling it a “hamburger” although I note that the term existed since at least the 1870s, and Charlie would probably have heard it before. It was also later claimed that Charlie had began his fair business by selling meatballs, which didn’t sell well. He then decided to put ground beef in bread, but there was no explanation of where he obtained the bread. And initially, he may have just put squeezed meatballs between two slices of bread.

Without more evidence, I don’t think this origin story possesses enough credibility.

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The other main contenders for having created the hamburger sandwich in 1885 at a county fair were Frank and Charles Menches, brothers from Ohio. However, there are conflicting stories about their origin tale, even differing as to the date of creation. The first origin stories were provided in local newspapers, while the second origin story was presented in a book in 1970. Which origin tale is more credible?

The first mention of the Menches brothers selling burgers was provided in the Akron Beacon Journal (OH), September 15, 1922. It was stated that for the last 40 years, the Menches have sold hot dog sandwiches at fairs in Summit county fairs. Commonly, they sold about “1,500 pounds of wieners at a fair,” a pound yielding about 12 weiners. So, the Menches were at the fairs since around 1882, but they weren't selling hamburgers all that time. 

The article continued, “In addition, we sell a ton of chopped beef or hamburger in sandwiches, and a pound will make on an average, 15 sandwiches. We have been selling hamburger sandwiches for 20 years.” And “During the last 20 years, have sold 600,000 hamburger sandwiches and 1,200,000 slices of bread.” That would mean they were only selling hamburgers since 1902. 

The article continued,  “The Menches originated the idea of the hamburger sandwich through force of circumstance. Originally, ‘hot dog’ was made with pork sausage, and 20 years ago the Menches could not purchase slender sausages. The thick sausage did not make a good sandwich, and they squeezed the filling out, fried it and made two sandwiches out of one sausage. The pork was too greasy, however, and they tried mixing a little chopped beef with it. Some of their patrons suggested beef alone and this was tried, with the result that beef was preferred to the mixture with pork and has remained as an institution ever since and has been copied by others all over the country.” 

Thus, according to this article, the Menches started selling hamburgers around 1902, and as we know Hamburg sandwiches existed at least as far back as 1894, the Menches couldn't have invented them. 

Charles Menche died in December 1931 and there were several obituaries in the newspapers, including the Akron Beacon Journal (OH), December 4, 1931, The Tennessean (TN), December 6, 1931, and Akron Beacon Journal (OH), January 9, 1937. They wrote about the life of Charles, although only briefly stating Charles had claimed to invent the hamburg sandwich. Details of that creation were not provided though.

The timelime was pushed back a decade in the Akron Beacon (OH), December 5, 1938. It reported, “The hamburger sandwich was born on the old Summit county fairgrounds here in the fall of 1892. Its birth was an accident, …” The article continued, “It was the opening day of the Summit county fair at the old fairgrounds at the foot of E. North at. Frank Menches checked his supply of small link sausages and found that he would not have enough to run through the afternoon. He called Zimmerly Bros., local packers, and placed an order for a tub of link sausage—delivery immediately.”

However, Zimmerly didn’t have any link sausages but did have ground sausage, which Frank told him to send. Frank told his employees to “form the meat into small ‘patties’ and fry it.” They sold out those sausage sandwiches that afternoon, but also did some financial calculations. It cost 12 cents a pound for ground sausage but only 8 cents for beef, so the Menches brothers decided to try the beef instead.

Frank said, “I went around to Al Boder’s butcher shop on N. Howard st. and placed an order for 500 pounds of beef.” Boder was hesitant at first, considering all of the work he would have to do to chop 500 pounds of beef with his cleaver. However, Frank suggested he run it through the sausage grinder instead. The ground beef sandwiches did well and they averaged 1000 pounds of ground beef a day. They didn’t have a name for those sandwiches yet, just calling out, “Get your hot sandwiches here.” 

As Hamburg steak was well known across the country at this point, why didn't they call them "Hot Hamburg steak sandwiches?"

Frank continued about the naming of the sandwich. “Two years later, at the Elyria fair, Gus Sales of Cleveland had a stand where he was selling the ground beef sandwiches. His cry was ‘Hot hamburgers. Get your hot hamburgers here.’ From that time on we adopted the name for the sandwiches we had been selling for two years.” So, based on Frank's claims, the Menches didn’t create the name hamburger, instead adopting it from someone else in 1894. The article continued, noting that the Menches sold the most hmaburgers at the Stark county fair in Canton in 1921, selling three tons of hamburger meat. 

Gus Sales? The Elyria Chronicle Telegram (OH), April 18, 1873, stated that in 1894, Gus Sales "christened the hamburger" at the Elyria Fair.  However, there is little mention of Gus in the newspapers, little support for his claim. In addition, as we already know hamburger sandwiches existed in 1894, all across the country, then the claim of Gus Sales doesn't hold water. 

When Frank Menches died, the Akron Beacon Journal (OH), October 4, 1951, ran an obituary, basically copying the same origin story as presented in 1938.

The Evansville Courier & Press (IN), January 11, 1960, reported that, “The hamburger became popular in this country in 1904 at the St. Louis Fair. The ice cream cone became popular then and there too. The hamburger, however, was introduced in this country before that by—some say—a Frank Menches of Akron, O. They say he ran out of pork sausage at his concession stand in 1892 and shrewdly substituted ground beef.”

This was echoed by the Seattle Daily Times (WA), March 14, 1968, stating, “Some historians honor Frank Menches of Akron, Ohio, who ran out of pork sausage at his stand at the Summit County Fair (NY) in 1892. The quick-thinking Menches substitured ground beef.”

Then, a drastically different origin tale of the Menches and the hamburger arose. 1970 saw the publication of Tanbark and Tinsel: A Galaxy of Glittering Gems from the Dazzling Diadem of Circus History by John Kunzog. The book provides fifteen chapters of circus history, although one of those chapters is about the creation of the Hamburger. Kunzog's origin tale pushed back the creation of the hamburger by the Menches to 1885, as well as moving the location of its creation from Ohio to New York. 

Kunzog alleged that he had spoken with Frank Menches during the early 1920s about the invention of the hamburger. However, Kunzog’s book wouldn’t be published until 1970, many years later, and after both Menches brothers were deceased. Why didn't Kunzog speak up earlier than 1970, to refute the other origin tales that involved the Menches brothers? 

Though the book doesn't mention it, it's probably safe to assume Kunzog, as a newspaper writer, kept some notes of his discussion with Franck Menches. However, were those notes complete, or did Kunzog have to rely on his memory of an interview that occurred over 45 years previously? And if Kunzog had a question about his notes, neither Menches was alive to answer it for him. 

The book stated that in 1881, the Menches brothers began a concession business, selling peanuts and popcorn, when Frank was 16 years old and his brother Charles was younger. There was too much competition, so they decided to start selling hot sandwiches, and selected the pork sausage sandwich. You could have either rye or white bread, and the condiments included mustard, horse radish, piccalilli, sliced dill pickles and raw sauerkraut. 

The Menches attended the Erie County Agricultural Fair, also known as the Hamburg Fair, in the summer of 1885. Unfortunately, the Menches received very little pork from butcher, allegedly because it was too hot to slaughter pigs. As a substitute, the butcher gave them five pounds of ground beef. ran out of pork and the local meat market could only give them ground beef as a substitute. 

The Menches fried up some patties, with just some salt, and they weren't satisfied with its flavor. They added some light brown sugar, and that sweetness was very pleasing to their taste. They might have added a coffee element, but there is a typo in the book so it isn't clear. They tried to come up with a name, and Frank, who knew his German history, claimed to have named it after the location of the fair, Hamburg, New York. For these Hamburgers, they added to their condiments, with catsup and sliced onion. They even placed some wild mint on their counter to onion breath. 

The book also discusses the other endeavors of the Menches, and their other possible food inventions. Kunzog also claims that the first cookbook to use the term "Hamburg" was the book Palatable Dishes: A Practical Guide to Good Living, published in 1890 by Peter Paul & Bro. However, if you actually look at that book, it never uses the term "Hamburg." It does have a recipe for "Meat Cakes," which is basically a Hamburg steak, seasoned with salt and pepper, and it isn't a sandwich. What other mistakes did Kunzog make in his book?

Why is Kunzog’s version so different from the ones presented in various newspapers from the 1930s on? Why are the origin dates so different? Kunzog claim some of it might have been "... inaccurate information or to keep honors at home." The problem with those allegations is that some of those prior articles also spoke directly to Frank Menches so why didn’t he tell the same story as allegedly related to Kunzog? Why have the dates of invention changed multiple times? 

I don’t find Kunzog’s account credible as it seems to contradict multiple prior newspaper articles, including those which interviewed Frank Menches. It's also seems too convenient that the Hamburger was invented at the Hamburg Fair. Plus, the term "Hamburger" was being used before 1885, so Frank couldn't have invented that term. 

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Hamburg steak sandwiches, ground beef between two slices of bread, existed at least since 1894, and at that time, they were available across the country. Thus, these sandwiches likely originated at least a couple years before, giving them time to spread from the region of their creation to the rest of the country. Or, there could have been multiple, independent origins in different parts of the country. The origin of the hamburger is mired in controversy, but there's insufficient evidence to definitely determine the creator, and the existing candidates rely mainly on hearsay and tales passed down through families. 

Whoever created the hamburger, we can all agree that it's a wonderful sandwich! 

Origins of the Hamburger: The First 20 Years (Part 1)

The beloved Hamburger, truly an American creation although its ancestry reaches back at least to the ancient Romans. Its ancestry also includes steak tartare, and although some claim the Mongols might have originated that dish, that claim doesn't appear to actually be true. At some point, a minced meat dish was made in Germany, and the city of Hamburg might have provided its name to this dish.

My intent in this article is show some of the origins of Hamburger in the U.S., and in doing so, I push back the dates of the first known documented references to this dish. For now, this article will primarily deal with documented references during the 1870s and 1880s, the first two decades of mentions of Hamburg steak and Hamburgers. Please note that this article is a work in progress, as I continue my research into this topic, and extend the time period covered by this article. 

I've seen claims that the first printed menu to list a hamburger was from Delmonico's, in New York City, in 1834. However, that claim was soundly destroyed in an article in Gastronomica (Spring 2008), by Ellen Steinberg and Jack Prost. Most of the other burger histories state that the term "Hamburg steak" didn't appear in print until the 1880s. However, multiple appearances of this term actually occurred at least a decade earlier, during the 1870s. In addition, the first use of the term "Hamburger" has been alleged to have occurred in the later 1880s, but it too actually occurred in the 1870s.

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The first documented reference I found of "Hamburg Steak" was the Evening Star (D.C.), July 22, 1872, which discussed Thorpe’s, a "quiet hostelrie."  The article stated, “The specialties of Thorpe’s are flowers and Hamburg steak.” Its preparation was a bit of a mystery to the author of the article, who also thoroughly enjoyed the dish. “As for the Hamburg steak, that is a long way beyond my powers of description. But its tempting incense still gratifies the sense of smell, and the memories of its juicy tenderness and delicious flavor will long live to tickle the palate and awaken pleasant associations. How it is prepared I know not, nor whether the secret of its compounding is to die with its present possessor."

The Chicago Tribune (IL), July 6, 1873, had an advertisement for Anderson’s European Hotel, and its menu included Hamburg Steak.

More details were provided in the Brooklyn Sunday Sun (NY), December 28, 1873, which discussed some of the diners, described as the "aristocracy," and their sumptuous meals at Dieter’s Restaurant, which compared well to the famous Delmonico's. One diner enjoyed "Hamburg beef steak” while another had "Hamburger beef steak" (though there was probably no difference between the two dishes).  This is also the first documented reference to "Hamburger," much earlier than most other sources have claimed. This article also indicates that "Hamburg steak" was served to wealthy diners, and that it wasn't just a dish for the common people.

Hamburg fo breakfast! The Eureka Daily Sentinel (NV), February 25, 1874, had an ad for the San Francisco Restaurant, located in Eureka, and on their breakfast menu there was a listing for “Hamburger Beefsteak” for 25 cents.  This is another very early mention of "hamburger" and also indicated the dish could be enjoyed for breakfast. This would be a common theme for the next twenty years, that Hamburg Steak was a popular breakfast item.

The San Jose Daily Herald (CA), May 7, 1874, published an ad for the Central Market, noting, “If you want a good Hamburg Steak, go to Zimmer’s Stall.”  There was then an ad in the Salt Lake Tribune (UT), September 18, 1874, for the Restaurant Francaise, which had Hamburg Beef Steak for 25 cents. The Quad-City Times (Iowa), October 13, 1874, mentioned that Melchert’s in Davenport, a "celebrated hostlery" served “Hamburg steaks.”

It was rare to find an anti-Hamburg steak article in the newspapers during this time. However, the San Francisco Chronicle (CA), July 18, 1875, was one of those exceptions. In a lengthy article on New York restaurants, there was a section on German restaurants, which stated, “But I don’t think Americans take to them readily, and I am sure their inevitable boiled beef and that most spurious of counterfeits, the Hamburg steak, will never be naturalized in this country.” Obviously this writer was quite wrong, as Hamburgers became hugely popular, and German restaurants have been embraced as well.

The first actual description of a "Hamburger steak" was provided in the Eaton Democrat (OH), December 23, 1875.  The article mentioned, “...sometimes we have what the Germans call a Hamburger steak, that is, the meat, chopped fine like sausage, flavored delicately with onions, and broiled rapidly;” It was a simple dish, and that basic description wouldn't be much different throughout the rest of the 1870s and 1880s. The main differences would be the mention of the use of salt and pepper, and sometimes garlic or an egg.

There were more brief mentions in other newspapers. The Daily Morning Argus (CA), September 26, 1876, had an ad for American Hotel and Restaurant, with Hamburg Steak for 25 cents. The Sun (NY), September 28, 1879, noted that a person had “tackled a Hamburger steak for the first time in six days.” The Bismarck Tribune (ND), November 28, 1879, mentioned that the Thanksgiving menu for the Merchants Hotel had Hamburg steak. Have you ever had a hamburger for Thanksgiving dinner?

Another description of Hamburg steak was offered by the Nebraska State Journal (NE), January 14, 1880.  It stated, “Hamburg steak” is a new dish prepared only by the Rialto, for a few special German friends. It consists of chopped steak seasoned with pepper, salt, and onions, and served without being even warmed.” It seems to indicate this is a dish originally from Germany, and it's interesting the reference to the exclusivity of it being served at the Rialto. It wasn't yet so common a dish that it could be found at just any restaurant. 

The Detroit Free Press (MI), February 13, 1880, noted that at a Detroit cooking school lesson included how to prepare “Hamburger steak.” So, by this point, people at home had some interest in making Hamburger steak for themselves. Briefly, the Oregonian (OR), August 10, 1881, had an ad for the St. Charles Restaurant, selling their Hamburg steak for 10 cents. 

An amusing anecdote appeared in the National Republican (D.C.), February 24, 1882. “They say that Mr. Tilden is in feeble health, but a man who can eat three-quarters of a pound of Hamburger steak every morning for breakfast and wash it down with a bottle os Bass can hardly be said to be in feeble health.” Maybe the first documented pairing of hamburger and beer? 

The Daily Deadwood Pioneer-Times (SD), July 28, 1882, briefly mentioned that, “Hamburg steak a specialty at the Garfield chop.” It is clear that Hamburg steaks were available all across the country, even though they might only be found in limited restaurants in each region. 

It was claimed that Henry Watterson, a famous journalist, introduced the Hamburg steak to Louisville, Kentucky. The Quad-City Times (Iowa), August 9, 1882, reported that “The Hamburg steak, introduced by him into Louisville, a dish made by grinding beef with a strong mixture of salt, pepper and onions, is his favorite article of diet.”

The Boston Daily Advertiser, February 9, 1883, reported on a demonstration lecture at the Boston Cooking-school on “Bread and Breakfast Cakes.” The demo included items including milk bread, yeast, raised waffles, squash waffles, griddle cakes, hominy cakes, broiled meat cakes as well as Hamburg steak. As I mentioned before, Hamburg steak was often seen as a breakfast dish, and at this time period, recipes usually referred to the form of the Hamburg as a "cake" rather than a "patty." Referring to it as a patty wouldn't come until later in time. 

The article provided the recipe too, “Hamburg Steak—Cut or pound round steak to make it tender, spread it with fried onions, fold, pound again and beat; this is, for those who like onions, a delicious breakfast dish, and is easily prepared. In greasing the gridiron for broiling rub with a bit of leaf fat; this is always well to do, it does not mar the flavor, and it does not waste as butter does.”  This article, or sometimes just the Hamburg Steak section, was reprinted in numerous newspapers across the country during this time. 

Another intriguing article was in The Sun (NY), April 27, 1883, which was titled and subtitled “Not Eaten On the Premises; Hamburg Steaks and Pork Chops which Cost but Little and are in Great Demand.” The article discussed a store that sold cooked provisions and began with one person's order, “Give me six Hamburgers, four chops, half a pound of sliced ham, and five cents’ worth of pickles,’ said a bareheaded girl, as she entered a small store that stands near a towering cigar factory on Second Avenue.” It continued, “Those flat, brown meat cakes on that dish there are Hamburg steaks; the people call them ‘Hamburgers.’ They are made from raw meat chopped up with onions and spices, and then fried. They also cost 5 cents, and are very good.”

More of a connection to Germany. The Chicago Tribune (IL), July 28, 1883, in an article on German Cooking, noted that “A dish of great popularity is what is called ‘Hamburg-steak’ It is made of chopped beef, and is, under circumstance, far preferable to the ordinary sole-leather steak served in boarding houses.”

The health benefits of Hamburg steak? During this period, the term dyspeptics was used to refer to people who had indigestion. The Hope Pioneer (ND), October 26, 1883, first mentioned the health benefits for dyspeptics of drinking hot water. In addition, “the new food for dyspeptics" was said to be “the minced steaks and cutlets of Hamburg and Vienna.” This would be another common theme for Hamburg steaks during this time period, and how they were beneficial to dyspeptics and others. 

The article then went into more detail on Hamburg steaks, "This is composed of beef cut from the best part of the round, chopped by machinery in such a way as to separate the nutritious parts from the tough or fibrous structure which contains them. The result is a fine pulp, which is formed into little cakes and lightly broiled. Such a meal as this is said to give the most incorrigible dyspeptic new views of life. Perhaps it may, and it is also possible that patients who have adopted this treatment may prefer the simple nourishment of chopped steaks and hot water to the luxuries proffered at the hotels.” 

Another recipe appeared in The Morning Journal-Courier (CT), November 17, 1883, in an article on a cooking class, which also noted: “A simple meat dish known as Hamburg steak was highly relished.” The recipe was: “Hamburg Steak. One pound of round steak chopped fine, one-fourth teaspoonful pepper, one tablespoonful onion juice. Mix ingredients together and form in little cakes one-half inch thick. Put one tablespoonful drippings in frying-pan. When hot put in the cakes and fry five or six minutes, or until a rich brown.” Again, we note that the recipe talks about forming the meat into "cakes" and not "patties." 

Another simple recipe was provided in the Chicago Tribune (IL), April 27, 1884, which took it from a Boston Herald article that was reprinted in numerous papers. The article was complaining that the waste of food was due in large part to a lack of knowledge by cooks. It also stated, “Did you ever eat Hamburg steak? No? Well, you take a piece of good lean beef, grind it up fine, put in salt, pepper, and onions chopped fine; then break in eggs sufficient and mix the whole up together. Flatten into a cakelike mass and fry it until done in sweet butter.”

Succinctly, the Indianapolis News (IN), May 12, 1884, put it, “Hamburg steak is simply minced beef.”

A lengthier article was in the Evening Star (D.C.), January 3, 1885, which was reprinted from the Philadelphia Ledger. The article was about home advice, and part of the article stated: “Hamburg steaks are the nearest thing to raw beef to be cooked at all, and yet they are very good. For all persons recommended to relieve lung troubles, etc. by the hot water and beef diet, the Hamburg steal comes most acceptable. Even tough beef is good cooked in this style. Take a piece of good beef-of course the better the beer, the better your Hamburg will be—and chop it up very fine, first taking out whatever there may be of skin, fat or sinews. Season the meat with salt and cayenne to taste, and then mince very finely a small onion together with a little garlic. Mix these well through and then form it into meat cakes about an inch in thickness. You can broil them on a wire toaster or on an ordinary gridiron if you are careful. Or course the larger masses you take for the sausage cake or steak the more rare it will be within. Cook quickly over a bright fire, and turn them so as to brown on both sides, immediately, so you have all the juices kept within. Serve with or without plain butter sauce, as it happens to agree with your diet rules.”

Again, we see Hamburg steak being recommended for medicinal reasons, although this time for lung issues and not indigestion. And again, the recipe is very simple, adding only salt, pepper and onion to the hamburg meat. 

Hamburg steak as a luxury? The Atchison Daily Patriot (KS), June 16, 1885, mentioned that “among the luxuries served up by Robert Wetzel is genuine Hamburg steak. This is a most delicious dish, and it is seldom one can get the genuine article in a city like Atchison.” It seems that Hamburg steak was still considered a more high-end dish, not available everywhere, but treasured when it could be found. 

Another lengthy article was in the Lancaster New Era (PA), September 5, 1885, which wrote: “A Hamburger Steak, from the Caterer. In the first place the steak must be good. Any economy practiced in this respect toward the Hamburger will be just as fatal to its excellence as to that of any other mode of cooking a steak. A good sirloin, or a good rump, entirely free from any stringiness, should be used, and the proportion of fat to lean, to please most tastes, would probably be one fourth, or perhaps a little less, of the former and three-fourths of the latter. The meat should be minced very finely and seasoned thus: For each half pound of the meat add two teaspoonfuls of finely-minced onion, a half of a clove of garlic, also chopped very fine, and pepper and salt, a half a teaspoonful of each of the two latter would probably suit most palates. After the seasoning is thoroughly mixed through it, the meat is to be formed into rather thin cakes and fried on both sides in butter, the pan of course being thoroughly heated before the meat is put in; when done, dish up and serve with the gravy poured over it, garnishing with Lyonnaise potatoes. Many person may object to the addition of garlic and onion, and the steak can, of course, be prepared without them; yet in that cause it is hardly entitled to the name of Hamburger.” 

We see the recommendation that good beef should be used for Hamburg steak, but we also see the addition of garlic, which we haven't seen before. Plus, we see the addition of gravy as well. The Hamburg steak is seeing a bit more variation at this point, although it is still essentially the same dish.

How do you chop or mince the meat for Hamburg steak? A new kitchen tool started coming on the market, making it easier for home cooks. The Pacific Bee (CA), December 4, 1885, published an advertisement for a Meat Chopper, which stated: “Mince and sausage meat, Hamburg steak, hash, etc. chopped at the rate of one pound per minute.” Meat choppers would be mentioned many times in the newspaper of this period, and eventually started discussing the health benefits of Hamburg Steak. 

Another recipe but with a variation. The Abbeville Press & Banner (SC), December 30, 1885, provided several recipes, including one for Hamburg Steak. It stated: "Take one pound of very finely chopped or scraped round or rump steak. If you do not care to scrape it free from sinews ask the butcher to do it for you. Put in a frying pan an ounce of butter; add a teaspoonful of minced onion, and fry it a delicate brown. Now shape the steak in a round form, about an inch and a half thick, and fry it in the same pan with the onion; when done add a pinch of cayenne. Meat prepared in this form is always more digestible than solid steaks, and the ways of serving it are quite numerous. Some like it raw, highly seasoned with finely-chopped raw onion and parsley, cayenne, salt and the yolk of a raw egg. Others eat it very rare and some insist on cooking it almost as dry as chips. In our opinion it is best cooked about ‘medium,’ and a poached egg placed on top of it is quite acceptable.” 

The article notes how Hamburg steak is better for your digestion than regular steaks, and that it can be served in a variety of ways, from similar to a steak tartare to very well done. In its raw form, it might be topped by a raw egg yolk, while if it is cooked, a poached egg might be placed atop it. Today, plenty of restaurants offer a fried egg atop their burgers, and I'm a big fan of adding an egg to a burger.

More Hamburg steaks for breakfast! The Fort Worth Daily Gazette (TX), May 2, 1886, printed, “Hamburg steaks prepared in this way are relished by many for breakfast. Scrape the lean meat from the sinews of rump steak; season it with salt and pepper and form it into flat, round cakes. Mince an onion and fry it brown in butter; then fry in this the steaks a delicate brown. They may be rare or well done, according to taste. Gravy or sauce piquante is served with them.”

Return of the meat-chopper. The Kansas Farmer (KS), October 27, 1886, had an ad for a meat chopper, noting it was, “For chopping Sausage meat, mince meat, hamburg steak for dyspeptics, beef tea for invalids, &c.” The medicinal aspects were emphasized once again. 

The Abbeville Press & Banner (SC), November 17, 1886, briefly mentioned that the Jim Fisk restaurant, sold a Hamburger steak for 8 cents. 

And the meat-chopper and health concerns returned. The Times (PA), November 20, 1886, printed an ad (pictured above) for a meat chopper with stated, “Eminent physicians advise dyspeptics to drink hot water before eating. Also to eat Hamburg Steaks cut by the Enterprise Meat-Chopper.”

Origins of the Hamburg steak were presented. The San Francisco Chronicle (CA), February 6, 1887, noted, “The minced steak with onions and poached egg, is English, but we received it in later years as a Hamburg steak from the Germans. The Romans however pounded their meat almost to a mince.”

An intriguing New York City restaurant. The News-Herald (Ohio), April 21, 1887, discussed Beefsteak John, an eating house in the Bowery of New York City. The Swiss owner started by devoting the restaurant to broiling beefsteaks at low prices, and eventually expanded the restaurant's size and menu. The restaurant was then able to seat about 200 people, and it fed about 1800 people each day. Steak and onions remained the primary entree, and you couldn't opt out of the onions. It was interesting to note that the restaurant didn't even provide napkins to its customers. 

As his steaks were cheap, they also tended to be tough, so some of his older customers had to stop eating there as their teeth were not up to the job, To cater to these individuals, the restaurant introduced a “Hamburger steak,” which was “...a formation of chopped beef, pressed into the shape of a solid steak, and fried brown.” It became so popular that the restaurant sold about 300 pounds of Hamburg steak each day. The size of each Hamburg steak wasn't mentioned but if they were one-third of a pound each, then about half of the customers each day would have ordered one.  

The Indianapolis News (IN), May 7, 1887, printed an article on various meat preparations and recipes, including Hamburg steak. The article stated,  “Take juicy, thick, round steak, free it from skin and gristle, lay it on a board, chop it as dine as possible all over with a sharp heavy knife; turn the meat and do the same; it should not be almost like sausage meat; wherever the knife comes in contact with skin or gristle cut it out; pepper and salt all over one side, then double the meat and cut into cakes; they should be an inch and a half thick; if the double steak makes it thicker beat it thinner with a broad knife. Broil these cakes or fry them in German fashion in a very hot pan with a little butter; when done lay a poached egg on each cake and server very hot.” 

Once again, we see the addition of poached eggs to the Hamburg. The article continued, “The poached eggs are part of the dish called Hamburg steak, but of course the cakes are excellent without then. If they are omitted put a small piece of batter on each with pepper and salt.” 

Household hints were provided in an article in the Indiana State Sentinel (IN), January 4, 1888. It stated, “A Hamburg cook gives a good way for using a kind of steak, the round, which usually is well flavored, but is too tough to broil in the ordinary way. To prepare it remove the skin, fat and sinews from two pounds of the lower part of the round. Chop the meat very fine, add to it a clove of minced garlic and one small red onion chopped fine, half a teaspoonful of pepper and a teaspoonful of salt. Shape the mass into little steaks an inch in thickness by wetting your hands so the meat will not cling to them. Fry the steaks in hot butter and serve them with or without tomato sauce. Hamburg steaks may also be broiled in a double broiler which has been well buttered.” 

Garlic is seen again as an ingredient, but something new is the addition of tomato sauce. Is that a precursor to ketchup?

If you are preparing for a marathon, eat Hamburg! The Courier-Journal (KY), July 1, 1888, had a lengthy article on various ways to train for road races. One piece of advice was, “Eat good nourishing food. A Hamburg steak is one of the best things for breakfast, with toast and coffee.” Again, Hamburg steak for breakfast, although there wasn't the mention of an egg. 

Another brief recipe was provided in the Argus & Patriot (VT), April 24, 1889. The recipe stated, “Hamburg Steak—Two parts lean and one part fat tender beef or use proportions to suit yourself. Chop fine, season with salt, pepper and onion, if you like, then add grated bread crumbs, mix well, add a little beaten egg, roll into balls, flour, and fry a crisp brown.”

Hamburg steak in Hawaii! The Honolulu Advertiser (HI), July 22, 1889, printed an ad for Harrys Lunch Rooms, with Hamburg Steak for 25 cents, which also included a drink of tea, coffee or chocolate. 

So, the first documented mentions of Hamburg Steaks and Hamburgers occurred at least in the early 1870s, and the item remained relatively similar during the 1870s and 1880s. However, during these two decades, there weren't any references to a hamburger sandwich. That would come during the 1890s, which I'll write about in the near future. 

To Be Continued....