1:13in productionCh. 1 · What the dish is and where it came from/ 1:13 · ceiling 15 min
Dishes · Food history
Cheeseburger
A hamburger topped with melted cheese, added near the end of cooking.
A cheeseburger is a hamburger with melted cheese on top of the meat patty, added near the end of cooking. Lionel Sternberger is reputed to have introduced it in 1924 at his father’s Pasadena sandwich shop. A trademark for the name 'cheeseburger' was awarded to Louis Ballast in Denver in 1929.
A cheeseburger is a hamburger with melted cheese on top of the meat patty, added near the end of cooking.
0:20
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It works by placing cheese on a sizzling hamburger patty near the end of cooking so it melts.
0:27
What it gets right
It gets right the combination of hot, cooked meat and melted cheese in one handheld format.
0:37
What it does not
It does not include vegetarian or dairy-free options.
0:45
What it changed
It changed regional food culture enough to spawn a distinct variation: the steamed cheeseburger, invented in Middletown, Connecticut, in the 1930s.
0:53
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people who eat beef and dairy and want a sandwich with a hot, melted cheese topping.
1:05
Is it worth your time
It is worth your time if you seek a simple, widely available sandwich built around a beef patty and melted cheese.
Worth your time?
Selectively. Start with the brief, then cook the parts we point at.
What works
It gets right the combination of hot, cooked meat and melted cheese in one handheld format. The cheese is applied directly to the patty, not separately.
What does not
It does not include vegetarian or dairy-free options. The meat patty and cheese make it unsuitable for those avoiding either.
Cook it if
Skip it if
The written brief1 min read
What the dish is and where it came from
A cheeseburger is a hamburger with melted cheese on top of the meat patty, added near the end of cooking. Lionel Sternberger is reputed to have introduced it in 1924 at his father’s Pasadena sandwich shop. A trademark for the name ‘cheeseburger’ was awarded to Louis Ballast in Denver in 1929.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It works by placing cheese on a sizzling hamburger patty near the end of cooking so it melts.
What it gets right
It gets right the combination of hot, cooked meat and melted cheese in one handheld format. The cheese is applied directly to the patty, not separately.
What it does not
It does not include vegetarian or dairy-free options. The meat patty and cheese make it unsuitable for those avoiding either.
What it changed
It changed regional food culture enough to spawn a distinct variation: the steamed cheeseburger, invented in Middletown, Connecticut, in the 1930s.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people who eat beef and dairy and want a sandwich with a hot, melted cheese topping. It is not for people avoiding meat, cheese, or both.
Is it worth your time
It is worth your time if you seek a simple, widely available sandwich built around a beef patty and melted cheese.