Luther Burger
Encyclopedia
A Luther Burger, or doughnut burger (among several naming variations), is a hamburger
or cheeseburger
with one or more glazed doughnut
s in place of the bun
. These sandwiches have a disputed origin, and tend to run between approximately 800 Calorie.
and record producer
Luther Vandross
. This origin is mentioned in a January 2006 episode of animated series The Boondocks
, "The Itis", in which the character Granddad creates a restaurant which serves the burger.
Mulligan's, a suburban bar in Decatur, Georgia
, serves the Luther Burger in addition to their "hamdog
". The Daily Telegraph
reported that Mulligan's may be progenitor of the burger when the owner substituted the doughnuts when running out of bun
s.
The Gateway Grizzlies
baseball team of Sauget, Illinois
have served the Luther Burger at their ballpark
. Their version consists of a deep-fried
Krispy Kreme
doughnut around a black Angus all-beef patty, melted cheese, and two strips of bacon. Dubbed a cardiologist
's worst nightmare, this burger is 1000 Calories (4,184,000 J). Aside from bringing in revenue from sales, it has drawn more fans to come out to the ballpark: apparently, attendance at games has increased and the burger is one of the most popular aspects of the park. The burger has met with criticism from burger purists and from people who are turned off by the thought of the taste and the health implications.
In Astoria, Queens
, a Lebanese
burger restaurant began selling a halal
-compliant version of the Luther Burger (a Crave Doughnut Burger) with turkey bacon
in 2010. The restauranteur added the 1/4 lb burger to the menu after a friend experienced one while traveling through the Southern United States
. Restaurant owner Mr. Zabib sells 10–20 of the US$6.50 burgers per day, and is fairly certain they were unique to New York City
upon their introduction.
Around the United States, copies and variations of the Luther Burger have appeared at state fair
s. The 2010 Wisconsin State Fair
variation held a -pound Angus beef burger, topped with Wisconsin cheddar cheese and two strips of chocolate-covered bacon, on a toasted Krispy Kreme doughnut bun. The burger sold for US$5 and equaled 1,000 Calories. Erika Celeste
, for National Public Radio's All Things Considered
detailed a "doughnut burger" sold at the 2010 Indiana State Fair
when discussing the imaginative and caloric "arms race" at state fairgrounds to devise new "wackier" menu items: "[a] fresh patty of beef and melted cheese sandwiched between two glazed doughnuts". The Indiana vendor explained his impetus to sell the burger after seeing Paula Deen
"[do] it on TV". The 800 Calories (3,347,200 J) burger was described as having a salty-sweet taste, and surprisingly ungreasy. The "Krispy Kreme Doughnut Burger" as served at the 2010 Mississippi State Fair was garnished with "lettuce, tomato and a generous slice of raw onion", and was estimated to provide 1500 Calories (6,276,000 J). The Alabama, Arizona
, Louisiana, North Carolina
, South Carolina, and Tulsa State Fair
s also served up Luther Burger variants in 2010.
Epic Burgers and Waffles (EBW) introduced their doughnut cheeseburger to the 2011 Canadian National Exhibition
; they were inspired after seeing it at fairs in the Southern United States
and noting its popularity at the Calgary Stampede
the month before. EBW's version cost C$8 (or C$10 to add bacon and a fried egg
), and contained 1500 Calories (6,276,000 J).
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
or cheeseburger
Cheeseburger
A cheeseburger is a hamburger with cheese that has been added to it. Traditionally, the cheese is placed on top of the patty, but the burger can include many variations in structure, ingredients, and composition...
with one or more glazed doughnut
Doughnut
A doughnut or donut is a fried dough food and is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets...
s in place of the bun
Bun
A bun is a small, usually sweet, bread. Commonly they are hand-sized or smaller, domed in shape, with a flat bottom. A bun can also be a savory bread roll similar to a bap or barmcake....
. These sandwiches have a disputed origin, and tend to run between approximately 800 Calorie.
Origins
According to legend, the burger was named for and was a favorite (and possible invention) of singer-songwriterSinger-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross was an American singer-songwriter and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times...
. This origin is mentioned in a January 2006 episode of animated series The Boondocks
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
, "The Itis", in which the character Granddad creates a restaurant which serves the burger.
Mulligan's, a suburban bar in Decatur, Georgia
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
, serves the Luther Burger in addition to their "hamdog
Hamdog
A hamdog is an American dish that consists of a hot dog that is wrapped in a beef patty, deep-fried, covered with chili, a handful of french fries, and a fried egg. It was invented by Chandler Goff in February 2005, and a hamdog eating contest was established in 2007. Dr...
". The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
reported that Mulligan's may be progenitor of the burger when the owner substituted the doughnuts when running out of bun
Bun
A bun is a small, usually sweet, bread. Commonly they are hand-sized or smaller, domed in shape, with a flat bottom. A bun can also be a savory bread roll similar to a bap or barmcake....
s.
Products
| Marketed names |
|---|
| Crave Doughnut Burger |
| Craz-E Burger |
| Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger |
| Krispy Kreme Donut Burger |
| Krispy Kreme Doughnut Burger |
The Gateway Grizzlies
Gateway Grizzlies
The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team based in the St. Louis suburb of Sauget, Illinois, in the United States. The Grizzlies are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
baseball team of Sauget, Illinois
Sauget, Illinois
Sauget is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. It is part of Greater St. Louis. The population was 249 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sauget is located at ....
have served the Luther Burger at their ballpark
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
. Their version consists of a deep-fried
Deep frying
Deep frying is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot oil or fat. This is normally performed with a deep fryer or chip pan; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used....
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is the name of an international chain of doughnut stores that was founded by Vernon Rudolph in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The parent company of Krispy Kreme is Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc...
doughnut around a black Angus all-beef patty, melted cheese, and two strips of bacon. Dubbed a cardiologist
Cardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
's worst nightmare, this burger is 1000 Calories (4,184,000 J). Aside from bringing in revenue from sales, it has drawn more fans to come out to the ballpark: apparently, attendance at games has increased and the burger is one of the most popular aspects of the park. The burger has met with criticism from burger purists and from people who are turned off by the thought of the taste and the health implications.
In Astoria, Queens
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, a Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
burger restaurant began selling a halal
Halal
Halal is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. The term is used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law...
-compliant version of the Luther Burger (a Crave Doughnut Burger) with turkey bacon
Turkey bacon
Turkey bacon is a meat product usually prepared from smoked, chopped and reformed turkey and commonly marketed as a low-fat alternative to traditional bacon...
in 2010. The restauranteur added the 1/4 lb burger to the menu after a friend experienced one while traveling through the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. Restaurant owner Mr. Zabib sells 10–20 of the US$6.50 burgers per day, and is fairly certain they were unique to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
upon their introduction.
Around the United States, copies and variations of the Luther Burger have appeared at state fair
State fair
A state fair is a competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in their categories at the more-local county fairs....
s. The 2010 Wisconsin State Fair
Wisconsin State Fair
The Wisconsin State Fair is an annual event held at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. The modern fair takes place in August and lasts 11 days.-History:...
variation held a -pound Angus beef burger, topped with Wisconsin cheddar cheese and two strips of chocolate-covered bacon, on a toasted Krispy Kreme doughnut bun. The burger sold for US$5 and equaled 1,000 Calories. Erika Celeste
Erika Celeste
Erika Celeste is a journalist who has worked in radio, print, and television since 1992. Among other things she has collected 2 Emmys, a , and several AP Awards.She has worked for every major news network affiliate including ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and PBS...
, for National Public Radio's All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
detailed a "doughnut burger" sold at the 2010 Indiana State Fair
Indiana State Fair
The Indiana State Fair is an annual fair held in Indianapolis, Indiana, usually in the month of August. The first fair was held in 1881 and the 2009 fair had the highest number of attendees at 973,902....
when discussing the imaginative and caloric "arms race" at state fairgrounds to devise new "wackier" menu items: "[a] fresh patty of beef and melted cheese sandwiched between two glazed doughnuts". The Indiana vendor explained his impetus to sell the burger after seeing Paula Deen
Paula Deen
Paula Deen American cook, cooking show host, restaurateur, author, actress and Emmy Award-winning television personality.Deen resides in Savannah, Georgia, where she owns and operates...
"[do] it on TV". The 800 Calories (3,347,200 J) burger was described as having a salty-sweet taste, and surprisingly ungreasy. The "Krispy Kreme Doughnut Burger" as served at the 2010 Mississippi State Fair was garnished with "lettuce, tomato and a generous slice of raw onion", and was estimated to provide 1500 Calories (6,276,000 J). The Alabama, Arizona
Arizona State Fair
The Arizona State Fair is an annual state fair, held at a permanent fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. It was first held in 1884, but has had various interruptions due to cotton crop failure, the Great Depression era, and World War II years. Since 1946, the fair has been held regularly each year...
, Louisiana, North Carolina
North Carolina State Fair
The North Carolina State Fair is an annual fair and agricultural exposition held in Raleigh, North Carolina, and organized by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services....
, South Carolina, and Tulsa State Fair
Tulsa State Fair
The Tulsa State Fair is a fair and exposition in Tulsa, Oklahoma that operates during an 11-day span starting at the end of September and ending early in October. Of Oklahoma's two state fairs, it had the smaller annual attendance by a small margin in 2010...
s also served up Luther Burger variants in 2010.
Epic Burgers and Waffles (EBW) introduced their doughnut cheeseburger to the 2011 Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...
; they were inspired after seeing it at fairs in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
and noting its popularity at the Calgary Stampede
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway,...
the month before. EBW's version cost C$8 (or C$10 to add bacon and a fried egg
Fried egg
A fried egg is a food made from an egg fried whole with minimal accompaniment. They are traditionally eaten for breakfast in western countries, but may be eaten at other times of the day.-China:...
), and contained 1500 Calories (6,276,000 J).
See also
- Bacon ExplosionBacon ExplosionA Bacon Explosion is a pork dish that consists of bacon wrapped around a filling of spiced sausage and crumbled bacon. The American-football-sized dish is smoked or baked....
- List of sandwiches