Double Up on that Cheese Burger – Montreal Style!

Get ready to fire up the grill for a little known National Day dedicated to Double Cheeseburgers! Yep, according to the fine folk at National Day Calendar, September is the month that celebrates cheeseburgers. In fact, the tasty dish is honored on two separate days! September 15 is National Double Cheeseburger Day and the 18th of the month is National Cheeseburger Day! That means you can celebrate your love of burgers topped with cheese twice in the span of a few days! We like the idea and are just wondering when the parade is? We’re already putting together ideas for a cheeseburger themed float.

While that planing is going on we should also focus on what type of BBQ Dragon inspired cheeseburger we’re going to grill. We know it’s going to be big, packed with flavor… and covered in cheese! With that in mind, we decided to go with a nod to our fellow grill masters and beef lovers in Canada as a way of saying thanks for Canadian steak seasoning – aka Montreal steak seasoning. Only this time it’s for Cheeseburgers instead of a thick steak!

The Story Behind the Seasoning!

Photo: schwartzsdeli.com

In case you think Texas and Florida are the only places where people work in the beef cattle industry then read on! Canada is one of the largest beef producers in the world! in 2017 they ranked number 15th on the globe with the United States taking the top spot. Remember the movie Cool Runnings about the Jamaican Bobsled team at the 1988 Calgary Olympics? Calgary is known for the cowboy-themed attire at the 88 Olympics and the movie even included a bar scene with a mechanical bull! The film was filled with people walking around with Cowboy hats.

As for the seasoning, lore has it that a broiler man by the name of Morris “The Shadow” Sherman was working at Schwartz’s deli in Montreal when he used the shops smoked meat pickling spices to season his own steaks. The rest is culinary history as customers started requesting that the blend of spices on their orders. We’re not sure of the authenticity of the story as the “about” page on schwartzsdeli.com never mentions the history of “Montreal Steak Seasoning” but they do talk about their “secret” blend! We know this, people wait in line to dine at the deli founded in 1928 so the eats must be worth the wait!

Montreal Seasoned Cheeseburgers

Double Cheeseburger Montreal Style

Here’s the recipe for your own Montreal Style Steak Seasoning courtesy of Kent “The Deck Chef” Whitaker. It’s perfect for steaks as well as chops and for burgers. Simply make the seasoning mix and use it as a rub for steaks and chops or blend into your ground beef, turkey, or whatever burger meat you choose for amazing flavor.

Kent’s Montreal Steak Seasoning

This is pretty simple as far as ingredients go but the secret is using a mortar and pestle to grind down the larger spices. You can also use a grinder. The reason for this is that you want the spice mixture to be even when sprinkling or rubbing on meat. Here’s all you need!

• 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns. White or black or some of both – your choice!
• 2 tablespoons paprika, smoked if desired
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons coriander seed
• 2 teaspoons mustard seed
• 2 teaspoons dill
• 2 teaspoons rosemary
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

Combine the larger ingredients in a mortar and pestle or grinder – really depends on what spices you have – some may already be ground. But, anything that’s not already in powder form, or close, gets ground up. Combine with the remaining spices, shake, and use! Double as needed and store in an airtight container for weeks or even a few months. Combine with your next batch of burger meat and serve up some amazing burgers for National Double Cheeseburger Day and National Cheeseburger Day. I suggest using the BBQ Dragon Rotating Grill Grate when grilling up a large number of burgers to help ensure even cooking.

Author Bio: Kent Whitaker, also known as “The Deck Chef,” is an award-winning culinary writer and cookbook author. He’s also penned Young Reader, NASCAR and History titles. The former winner of the Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest also covers football, motorsports, and bass fishing. Kent currently lives in East Tennessee with his wife, son, and a couple of dogs that love when he fires up the smoker or grill. You can reach out to Kent at www.thedeckchef.com, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.