Mississippi Slugburgers

Originating during the Great Depression in North Mississippi—with Corinth, Mississippi, as its arguable headquarters—the slugburger came about when restaurant owners stretched scarce burger meat with filler (stories vary, but it seems that potato flakes and flour were likely what was used). The patties were deep fried to crispy perfection and served on buns with mustard, diced onion, and dill pickle slices. These unique burgers were sold for a "slug," slang for a nickel—hence the name.

Modern-day potato flakes don't produce quite the same results as the ones originally used for slugburgers, so home cooks will use all-purpose flour, bread, and/or cornmeal as the extender, while restaurants might opt for soy grits or soymeal.

We opt for cornmeal, which makes for incredibly crispy burgers, and add a little oatmeal (which is not at all traditional) for a heartier texture. The burgers are dense, in a good way, with more chew to them than traditional burgers.

We use a combination of ground beef and ground pork, but you could use all of one or the other to simplify the ingredient list. And whereas the original slugburgers were deep-fried, we call for pan-frying in less oil for less mess and less fuss. You'll still get a fantastically crispy burger that you'll find yourself craving again and again once you've had it. And you'll stretch a pound of meat into six very satisfying burgers.

For more on slugburgers, you can watch The Trail of the Slugburger, a six and a half–minute video from Southern Foodways. If you want to go to the source, you can visit Borroum's Drug Store and Soda Fountain in Corinth, or even attend the annual Slugburger Festival, which Corinth holds every summer.