"A slugburger may not have the most appetizing name, but for many, these burgers offer nostalgic comfort and a taste that can't be easily replicated. Just as the intriguing water pie and fun-sized Halloween candy helped make the most of ingredients during the Great Depression, so, too, did the slugburger. When meat wasn't cheap, Southern cooks began to add filler ingredients to burger patty recipes to stretch groceries."
"Though the history surrounding the development of the slugburger is considered loose, these thrifty burgers are certainly creative. The fried burger patties can be thinner or thicker to bite into, but the filler added to the meat helps create a creamy texture in the center of each patty. After frying, the exterior offers a crunchier surface to bite into. Cooked burgers can be crowned with diced onions, slices of dill pickles, and drizzles of mustard."
"While you may have to travel to specific areas in the United States to find a slugburger printed on a menu, you may also need to look for a different name. Some diners will sell these old-fashioned burger recipes and list them as doughburgers instead. The difference between the two burger types often refers to the meat used in the burger patty, as doughburgers tend to use beef, while slug burgers typically use pork to make the patties."
Slugburgers originated in the American South as inexpensive patties made by stretching ground pork or beef with fillers such as soy, flour, and potato flakes during times when meat was costly. The filler produces a creamy interior while frying yields a crisp exterior. These patties are served on buns and commonly topped with diced onions, dill pickle slices, and mustard. The name "slugburger" comes from their historical five-cent price, as a nickel was colloquially called a slug. Similar versions called doughburgers often use beef rather than pork and may appear on local menus in specific U.S. regions.
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