Award Winning Chef!!! Award Winning Recipe!

Dick Albrecht wins Burger Builder Contest

W. Richard (Dick) Albrecht was first place winner and the recipient of a $1,000 check in the Build a Burger Contest sponsored by the Nebraska Beef Council for the one hundredth anniversary of the hamburger. Albrecht was the winner of the local build a burger contest sponsored by the Ainsworth Area Chamber of Commerce at the Elks Lodge during the “Middle of Nowhere” Days. He built his burger using all items that could be found at the local grocery stores.

On August 28 he competed again using the same type of ingredients to build a burger at the semi-final contest at the State Fair. There he was named as one of the three state finalists. The final competition was held September 25, at the Qwest Convention Center in Omaha as part of the 2004 River City Round Up. The burgers were judged by three judges who were all professionals in the food industry business and education levels. Judges comments included “A great revision of the ‘old burger;’”  “burger has tremendous flavor;” “all items are coming into a wonderful medley that floods the senses;” “very good, like the seasoning.”

In a interview that took place during preparation of the burger, Albrecht was interviewed by Ann Marie Bosshamer, Director of Marketing, of the Nebraska Beef Council. He named his burger the Sand Hills Discovery Burger. He told the group that he wished to help promote the cattle industry of the Sand Hills where some of the best beef is found. He named each of his ingredients used on the burger and one of the ingredients was by a local seasoning made by Tom and Doris Owens from Sparks, NE called the Oasis Seasoning. After tasting the burger members of the crowd wanted to know where they could buy this seasoning and where was Sparks located? Albrecht also stopped in O’Neill and bought some tomatoes from a new hydroponic green house business there. He wanted to showcase some of the special products that come from the Sand Hills area of Nebraska.

Winning 2^nd at the contest was Vicki Donoghue of David City, and 3^rd was Doug Lipinski of Fremont. Several members of the Albrecht family from the Emerson area were there to support “Uncle Dick” and even designed and wore a special T-shirt for the occasion. His parents, Walter and Violet Albrecht, of the rural Emerson community and who have been in the beef production business for over 62 years were asked to stand and be recognized.

Sand Hills Discovery Burger

By Richard Albrecht

Ingredients

1 high quality beef patty

Rotella or Sarah Lee Kaiser Bun

Thin slice tomato

Thin slice Swiss Cheese

1 tablespoon real bacon bits

1 tablespoon Mrs. Marzetti’s Honey French Dressing

1 bottle Oasis Seasoning, generously shake on burger before cooking

1 large leaf nutritious lettuce, red leaf, or bib, etc.

1 teaspoon Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey Mustard 

Cooking Instructions:

1. Thaw hamburger patty and generously coat each side with Oasis Seasoning. Let set for at least 5 minutes before placing on grill
2. Grill burger just until it releases the temperature of 170 degrees internal temperature (about 10 minutes)
3. Toast bun on grill during the last few (three) minutes of cooking

Building the Burger

1. Place 1 tablespoon of French dressing on toasted top half of bun
2. Place lettuce leaf on top of dressing
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of bacon bits on lettuce and season with Oasis Seasoning
4. Place tomato slice on top of bacon bits
5. While the burger is cooking, assemble ingredients
6. Place thin slice of cheese on hamburger on grill and remove when cheese starts to look too limp
7. Place cheese covered burger on top of tomato
8. Place onion slice on top of burger
9. Take the bottom half of the toasted bun and spread 1 teaspoon of Jack Daniels Mustard on the bun
10. Place bottom half of bun on top and gently turn the whole burger upright and hold together with toothpicks.