Nowadays, hamburgers are everywhere. But where did they originally come from?

Ground beef first became a part of the human diet all the way back in Mesopotamia approximately 10,000 years ago. But it wasn’t until 1848 that the hamburger started to take shape. Political up rise stirred the German Confederation causing massive amounts of people to immigrate to the United States. Naturally, with the German people came German food. “Beer gardens” found success in American cities, and butchers introduced a smorgasbord of traditional meats. The city of Hamburg had a previously-established reputation as an exporter of high-quality beef, so when the German culture began to make its mark in America, restaurants advertised their “Hamburg-style” chopped steak.

Soon after, it was discovered that preparations of raw beef, whether it be chopped, chipped, ground, or scraped, were a common factor in digestive issues. But in 1867, stomachs were settled when New York doctor James H. Salisbury made the wise suggestion that cooked beef patties could be just as healthy. Cooks and physicians alike quickly adopted the “Salisbury Steak.” Meanwhile, the first popular meat grinders for home use became abundant, setting up for an explosion in the availability of ground beef.

Just before the end of the 19^th century, the hamburger made its first appearances on a bun, though the stories are contested. Lunch wagons, fair stands and roadside restaurants in Wisconsin, Connecticut, Ohio, New York and Texas have all been credited with leading this initiative. Despite the disagreements, it’s true that the concept of a burger-on-a-bun was first introduced wide-scale at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, an event that put the spotlight on many new food concepts such as waffle ice cream cones, cotton candy, and one of our favorite beverages: iced tea!

Celebrate history by enjoying your own hamburgers this holiday: Stop by your local store for all of your preparation needs. We’ve got you covered, from Certified Angus Beef to condiments and toppings.

Happy International Hamburger Day!

Source: https://www.history.com/news/hamburger-helpers-the-history-of-americas-favorite-sandwich