Mississippi Slugburger

I'm showing you my take on one of America's strangest hamburgers, and certainly the hamburger with the strangest name. But don't worry, this is 100% mollusk free. The name comes from the fact that these used to cost a nickel–and in the past, the slang term for nickel was "slug."     

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 268 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
• 6 hamburger buns, split
• ¼ cup dill pickle slices, or to taste
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste (Optional)
• ¼ cup prepared yellow mustard, or to taste
• 7 slices potato bread
• 1 pinch chili powder, or to taste (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

Cut the crusts off the bread slices. Place slices on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 3

Bake in the center of the preheated oven until dry and toasted, about 45 minutes.

Step 4

Transfer toasted bread to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you reach coarse crumbs.  

Step 5

Place ground chuck, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder into a bowl. Add bread crumbs. Combine with your fingers, breaking apart the meat.

Step 6

Dampen your fingers with water and form mixture into hamburger patties.

Step 7

Heat ¼ to ½ inch vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place a patty into the pan and turn heat down to medium. Cook until well browned and crusty, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining patties, adding more oil if needed.

Step 8

Remove from the pan and serve on hamburger buns with mustard and pickles; sprinkle tops of patties with chili powder and/or cayenne if you like prior to serving.