How Did The Meatball Become A Hamburger?

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Our familiar word meatballs has Persian origin and comes from the word meatball. The same can be said about the affinity with Turkish meatballs and Greek meatballs. It is said that in ancient Egypt they chopped pieces of meat, which were then shaped into loaves and baked in an oven. Similar recipes are found in some of the oldest Arabic and Asian cookbooks.

The recipe for the meatballs was spread thanks to the Golden Horde of Genghis Khan. During the long marches, the Mongols placed a piece of raw meat under the saddle. When riding, it softened and could be more easily cut into small pieces, which were further flavored with various spices.

Thus, in 1238, Genghis Khan's grandson Kublai Khan brought with him the custom of consuming minced raw meat during the invasion of Moscow. The Russians adopted the tradition and called it steak tartare or Tatar steak. Later, they improved the taste of the steak by adding finely chopped onions and raw eggs. The grilled delicacy was already called Tatar meatball.

Later in the 17th century, ships arriving from Hamburg with German crews began to visit Russian ports. Thus, the Tatar meatball was transported to Germany, and from there to the whole of Europe.

Raw minced beef steak has become one of the biggest specialties in Denmark. In France he also took an honorable place. Even Jules Verne describes it as a favorite dish of his hero - Captain Nemo. And in Belgium toasted bread with Tatar steak is still called toast cannibale.

Again, sailors from Hamburg moved to New York in the 18th century the meatball in both variants - raw and baked. Tents were set up around the port of New York, in which sellers offered German sailors meatballs prepared in Hamburg.

And at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, German entrepreneurs offered meatballs as hamburgers. Under this name, German settlers in America later began offering minced meat balls in the suburbs of New York.

And grilled meatballs between two slices of bread appeared in 1800. This is how this type of sandwich was born, which became a favorite of immigrants in America. It acquired its final appearance with the invention of the mechanical meat grinder in the early 19th century.

And the date May 28 is the perfect day to eat juicy hamburger without remorse, because on this date it is celebrated Hamburger Day.