Paul Newman's Hamburger Philosophy

Chuck, baby, chuck

Summer is many things, but most of all it is a time of grilling and tomatoes. I don’t necessarily look forward to June through whenever the leaves start to fall off the trees because I run hot, but that won’t stop me from spending time in front of an open flame as I wait for the coals to get just right for me to cook dinner. As for tomatoes, I’ve become a bit of a snob and tend to turn my nose up at them if they aren’t being served to me around July or August. I won’t go as far as to ask for no tomatoes on a sandwich or burger in December or March, but I’m not going out of my way and ordering anything that features them prominently unless it’s summer.

But I'm as un-fussy as possible when it comes to grilling burgers. The meat being between the bun is the only necessity, while the cheese, condiments, and toppings are all up to you. That’s how I do it when I grill, and I’ve mostly come to expect that of most people I’ll accept invites from. You don’t need to get too crazy with the ground Wagyu or buns that you drive 40 miles to get from a little old lady in the country who only makes a couple of batches a week from her quaint little farmhouse kitchen. If you’re grilling and standing in front of an open flame isn’t something you do often, then I’ll assume the chances of me getting a well-done burger are high. And that’s fine! But you don’t need to get fancy. This isn’t Burger Night with your significant other. That’s why I’ve decided to share Paul Newman’s own (get it?) burger recipe. I’ve started making them since I picked up a copy of his vital 1985 Newman’s Own Cookbook, and I’ve never heard a single complaint. Rumor has it that you will look like this if you eat enough Newmanburgers:

The Newmanburger is simple, but the late actor made a point of telling readers that the right meat is key. “Don’t make the mistake of using ground round or sirloin in this recipe,” he wrote. Go for ground chuck Newman said that “many hamburger cooks fall short of my standards because they use meat that is simply too good.” Do you hear that? Could you imagine Paul Newman comes over and he’s all excited to do some grilling, then you tell him that your’re making elk burgers with meat that had been shipped overnight from the Broken Arrow Ranch, and a look of sadness comes over his face? A single teardrop falls from his eye and splashes on his Rolex Daytona. Paul? Are you OK? Paul? Why are you leaving?

Chuck. That’s all Newman wanted. He wanted you to toss it from hand to hand “to keep them fluffy,” but never patting them down because “the meat. or the hamburger won’t be able to breathe while it’s cooking.” Newman also believed you never put salt, pepper or any seasoning on the burger before cooking because it will make the meat tough, and “The idea of adding onions, eggs, bread crumbs, or any other ingredients raises my hackles. Never confuse steak tartare with the pure hamburger,” the wise one wrote. Newman cooked all his burgers on the outdoor grill or the indoor fireplace grill, and if you’re using the old Webber, he was quick to remind you that preparing your fire is of the utmost importance. Don’t put the meat on the veggie oil-greased grill until the charcoal is a uniform grayish-white. You sear the burgers on one side and then turn them a single time. After you turn them, he says to lower the grill for a brief time to sear the meat. I just move my patties off the fire for this. The result is “a hamburger that is crisp. on the outside, tomato-red inside.”

Newman says sides are simple. If corn is in season, then boil a few stalks. He also says a big salad bowl filled with whatever “fresh makings the market has to offer.” I like potato chips with my burger. If it’s just Emily and I, we’re freaks, and also add some baked beans to dip the chips in. Newman says his burger is usually accompanied by frosty mugs of beer, but “on occasional impulse I serve up a bottle of 1962 Mouton-Rothschild or its equivalent, and that’s when the burger tastes best.” If you’ve got $890 to spend on a 62-year-old bottle of red, then, by all means, do so.

To me, this is a perfect grilling burger. He doesn’t include measurements in the recipe, only ingredients and the vibe. Ground chuck, vegetable oil for the grill, buns, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced Bermuda onions, and slivered kosher dill pickles. You know what to do with all that, right? Ketchup, mustard, mayo, and whatever you want you can add to make this your own, because the Newmanburger is more a philosophy than anything.