Labor Day Clash: Burger Vs. Hot Dogs
The greasy sizzle of delicious grilled meat is the calling card of every Labor Day weekend. But as everyone smashes out the barbecue grill, paper plates and Chef’s Kiss aprons, grillmasters around the world, along with their hungry audiences, rage in a debate that’s older than charcoal briquettes: Want a hamburger? Or a hot dog? (“Both” is definitely an option, but not for the purposes of this showdown.)
Vegetarian? I am so sorry.
Competition
Both hamburgers and hot dogs can be prepared in a variety of ways: grilled, grilled, in a skillet, or, in the case of hot dogs, boiled. Add toppings like ketchup, mustard, pickles, and cheese for a delicious meat dish that pairs perfectly with ice soda or delicious beer.
Burgers
Your traditional burger is a ground beef patty between two slices of bread, such as a bun or roll. Of course, you can add a variety of accessories to it, including cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and other delicious toppings and condiments. It is difficult to beat the flavor profile of a fully stocked burger, but it can be difficult to maintain its structural integrity if you only use one hand.
Hot dogs
Hot dogs are as iconic as apple pie and Superman in the fabric of American culture. A hot dog is a cooked sausage served in a partially sliced bun. Condiments like ketchup (albeit controversial), mustard, and condiments are traditional toppings, but cheese, pickles, peppers, and bacon are also great additions that will boost your dog’s mood. Sure, it’s not as filling as a burger, but you’ll still eat more than one.
Hot dogs: designed to be your best beer mate
Of the two classic grilled dishes, hot dogs are the more manageable. Regional differences mean that different types of meat can be used, although the overall shape and composition will be similar. The cylindrical shape of the sausage and the long bun make it ideal for one-handed use. They are a staple in baseball games where you need a free hand to hold a pint of beer or catch a dirty ball right in your face.
Hot dog options range from simple to downright ridiculous. Your standard dog is paired with ketchup, mustard and sauerkraut. Some of the bulkier (but delicious) hot dog options include chili cheese, the Chicago dog, and Cleveland’s staple, Polish Boy. More complex versions may require a hot dog tray containing additional filling.
Burgers: a delicious two-handed dish
There’s a reason there is an animated series about a burger restaurant . They are wonderful. It’s hard to find anything more mouth-watering to eat on a barbecue than a burger. A grilled beef patty, a toasted bun (if you do it right) and an assortment of delectable toppings all add up to a dense and aromatic appeal. The burger’s origins as we know it today are disputed, but it became a leader in American culture with its appearance at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Where hot dogs are usually grilled in the same way, you can change the flavor of the hamburger depending on how rarely you eat beef.
The actual ingredients of the burger allow for a wide variety of combinations and variations that will appeal to almost every taste. Bacon cheeseburgers, California burgers, and even Luther’s burgers (burger with a sliced donut instead of a bun) are just a few of the countless varieties you can sip.
The structural integrity of a burger is its weakness, and it depends on many factors. The thickness of the bun, the size of the pie, and the thickness of the filling all combine to produce food that is potentially too high to fit in your pie hole, forcing you to squeeze the burger or bite off multiple times, pushing the rest of the food out either from the back or the sides of the bun. Two hands are usually needed, which means you may have to sit down while you eat. Wet bottoms of the buns are also worst.
Verdict: The hamburger rule, but hot dogs are the perfect barbecue meal
No one can deny the appeal of a delicious burger, whatever your dietary requirements. But if we talk about outdoor barbecue, then its composition is a double-edged sword. Hot dogs are a great barbecue meal thanks to the even one-handed delivery of bread, beef and seasoning. You might not think this is that important, but when you walk through the park with a beer in one hand, a dog in the other, enjoying the great weekend you’ve been waiting for all summer, the answer is undeniable. Sure, toss the burger on the grill, but leave a couple of dogs for me.