From Mongolia to America: the little-known history of the hamburger
Wherever you are in the world, the first food that comes to mind when you think of fast food is the hamburger. One of the oldest foods in history with its origins dating back to the 13th century and having originated in Germany, the burger became a world-famous classic as soon as it arrived in North America.
The origin of this food, associated with American culture, explains why it is so popular.
Considered something of a burger expert, American George Motz has been traveling the United States for 20 years trying different types of burgers. Motz, who has dedicated his life to burger culture, filmed a documentary titled “Hamburger America” in 2004. Claiming to have eaten more than 20,000 hamburgers, Motz believes the origin of the food dates back to the 13th century.
Claiming that the burger originated in Mongolia when the Mongols and Tatars were fighting, the expert explains that the Tatars kept raw mutton under their saddles all day and spiced the meat to eat when they set up camp.
Then the sheep reached ship crews and ports along the Baltic Sea and then headed west to parts of Europe.
Hamburger meat took its closest modern form in Germany. Arrived at the port of Hamburg, the dish consisted of minced cooked beef, the “frikadellen” of today, instead of raw mutton.
While waiting for their ships, German migrants began eating meatballs called frikadellen because it was both cheap and delicious. When the Germans came to the United States in the mid-19th century, they brought the recipe for this dish with them to the new world.
Since the word “frikadellen” meant nothing to Americans, the Germans decided to change its name to “hamburger meat” or “Hamburg meat” to make the dish more local, according to Moltz.
Frikadellen, the earliest form of burgers, was usually served with potato salad.
Although German farmers are said to have introduced Hamburg meat to Americans, another fast food icon, the hot dog, is believed to have inspired people to put Hamburg meat in bread. . Yet the first person who did it is a mystery.
Hamburg sandwiches, or burgers, quickly became a popular food in America over the years and began to be sold in many restaurants and cafes. The burger, which emerged as a replacement for local food from Germany, managed to remain an American classic for 100 years.
Pointing out that factory workers often ate hamburgers during the Industrial Revolution, Motz pointed out that hamburgers were a very important part of working-class life.
