Now that summer is here, it’s time to bring the Ollieburger recipe out again. Perfect anytime.
The Original Lum’s Ollieburger
For many years, a family restaurant chain, known as Lum’s sold an exceptional 1/3 pound hamburger that was second to none. These fantastic burgers were also to be found at a Lum’s spinoff called Ollie’s Trolleys. Unfortunately, due to the bad management of the parent company and the repeated selling of the restaurants, the chain virtually disappeared. There are a few Trolleys around and a handful of restaurants where you can still purchase this burger.
However, these few remaining businesses have failed to live up to Ollie’s own strict standards of preparation that he personally drilled into my head and they allow their customers to ‘have it their way’.
So, in honor of Oliver G. Gleichenhaus, I present to you, the one, and the only;
Worlds Greatest Hamburger
The Ollieburger*
OLLIEBURGER SEASONING
DRY INGREDIENTS*
1/4 C Sugar
2 tbsp Paprika
¼ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Ground Coriander
½ tsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Ground Celery Seed
1 tbsp Ground Cumin
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Fennel Seed
1 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
2 EA Crushed Beef Bouillon Cubes
LIQUID INGREDIENTS*
6 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Steak Sauce (A-1)
2 tsp Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Heinz 57 Sauce
2 tsp Cider Vinegar
BUN SAUCE*
¼ cup Miracle Whip
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp orange, French dressing
½ tsp sweet relish
2 tsp dill pickle relish
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried, minced onion
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp ketchup
2 tbsp prepared Ollie Seasoning Marinade
1 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
Directions:
In a large measuring bowl, add all dry Ingredients together by hand. DO NOT INHALE MIX as the dust is very overwhelming.
In a separate bowl, mix liquid ingredients together until well mixed. Carefully add to dry ingredients and slowly mix by hand. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
For bun sauce, mix all ingredients and refrigerate for 2 hours as well.
When preparing an Ollieburger, place a 1/3 pound burger in prepared marinade and allow to soak for 15 minutes.
Place on a 2 sided grill (such as a sandwich grill) and cook until Medium Rare.
Serve with a slice of Mozzarella cheese on a seeded bun with bun sauce top and bottom, and a garlic pickle spear.
Potato chips are optional.
AND NOTHING ELSE IS NEEDED.
This is how Ollie wanted it, and this is how I present it to you.
Discard any remaining sauce after the day’s preparation.
*A little footnote.
This recipe was created using a small sample of a commercially prepared seasoning mix.
As you may or may not know, commercial mixes are pulverized to protect any proprietary secrets a company may have. Therefore these may not be the 100% exact ingredients, as owned by God-only-knows-who. Also, prior to Lum’s buying Ollie’s recipe, there was no written recipe. Ollie tossed together whatever ingredients he had handy in his chop shop. The commercial recipe was a collaborative effort between Lum’s and their spice venders,
The creation of the recipe you see today was prepared over a period of 7 years. I was assisted by the late Rich Loy, of Lexington, Kentucky. Over that period we painstakingly made hundreds of batches in order to dissect the secrets of ‘the sauce’.
The final test was made and perfected shortly after Rich passed on. This last batch was the closest that anyone, outside of the secret holder, had made in taste and consistency.
Like the late ‘Ollie’, Rich was a character in his own right. I miss both, very much.
You will also find that this is a very expensive marinade to make, unless you maintain a stock of all ingredients. For those who can still buy it, you know now why it costs you between $7 and $9 dollars per burger.
Try this recipe, and you’ll know why it’s worth it!