Celebrate National Hamburger Day Safely with Your Pet

Need an excuse to party with your dog? National Hamburger Day is May 28th. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

​There’s nothing dogs love more than food, but before you treat Rover to that super-deluxe burger, consider that there are safe and not-so-safe ways to feed a hamburger to a dog.

Here are some important things you should know, along with a gourmet burger recipe from chef Carmine Guglielmino that you and your dog can share.

Toxic Ingredients

Burgers commonly contain ingredients that can make your dog sick, and some ingredients, like onions, are flat-out toxic and should be avoided at all costs.

Skip these:

• Garlic
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Onion
• Fresh Spring Parsley
• Pickles
• Salt
• Tomato

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers a searchable database of foods that are unsafe for dogs. You’ll also find a quick list here.

Proceed with Caution
Other common burger components may be used safely as long as you don’t overdo it. If you’re unsure how any of these foods may affect your pet, check with your vet.

Burger Buns. They’re not exactly great for dogs because they offer lots of belly-filling bulk with minimal nutritional value. Also, buns typically contain salt and sugar which aren’t good for any living creature in great quantities. But for a treat, burger buns are fine for most dogs. Be mindful of the choking hazard when there’s too much bread in one bite.

Sesame seeds are OK for most dogs in small quantities.

Bacon. Mmmmm, did someone say “bacon burger”? What dog wouldn’t love it? Bacon is usually OK for dogs when used sparingly, but it can have detrimental health effects when eaten often – just like for humans.

Cheese. Some dogs are lactose intolerant, which means that any kind of dairy product, including cheese, could cause gastrointestinal discomfort: belly pain, gas, diarrhea and vomiting. Talk to your vet about giving dairy to your dog. Most dogs do OK with dairy in limited quantities, and dairy products with lower fat tend to be better tolerated.

Lettuce. A few small pieces of iceberg lettuce won’t hurt most dogs, and it can actually aid their digestion. Just steer clear of spinach, kale, and parsley, which can make your dog sick.


Greenlight Ingredients
The truth is, any dog would be thrilled if you just threw a meat patty on the floor. But where’s the fun in that?

If you want to have some fun with your dog-friendly burger for National Hamburger Day, get creative with some of these ingredients:

• Carrots
• Apples (without seeds or core)
• Sweet potato
• Pumpkin
• Eggs (avoid raw)
• Flour (whole wheat and oat flour are good choices)
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Celery
• Zucchini
• Peas
• Beans
• Cooked Potatoes
• Olive oil
• White or brown rice
• Cottage cheese
• Mozzarella
• Soft goat cheese

Choking Hazard
Sometimes it’s downright impressive how much food a dog can inhale in under three seconds. But when we consider how dangerous it can be, it’s not so cute.

Dogs can choke to death, especially when it’s a toy poodle trying to scarf down a triple cheeseburger.
If you’re going to feed your dog a burger, take the peril out of their pleasure. Break it up into smaller, more manageable pieces. It’ll taste just as good.

Cooking Temperature
Raw meat can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets and people. Be sure to cook your burger meat well. To be sure it’s safe, use a meat thermometer. The inside of the patty should be cooked at a minimum of 165 degrees.

Eating Out
Cooking a burger can be fun, but America loves its fast food.

Think twice about feeding your dog a fast food burger. They frequently contain toxic ingredients like onions and tomatoes. Even if you try to remove these ingredients from the burger, they may have been cooked into the meat.

Fast food can also contain large amounts of fat, salt, vinegar and even sugar, which can give your dog diarrhea, belly pain, and other gastrointestinal distress. The same is true of common condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayo and barbecue sauce.

This doesn’t mean that you and your pup can’t enjoy a treat on the road together. Some restaurants offer dog-friendly menu items. This will help you find some in the USA.

A Gourmet Burger Recipe You Both Can Share
Chef Carmine Guglielmo designed this gourmet lamb burger recipe that you and your dog can share on National Hamburger Day:

RECIPE

Greek Burgers with Sesame "Fries" (Makes 4 burgers)
Ingredients
For the burgers:
1 pound ground lamb
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 large egg
1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted 
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
​4 whole wheat pitas
2 cups bean sprouts

For the sauce:
1 cup plain Greek or other low-sugar yogurt*
 1 tablespoon chopped Dill
1/2 Cucumber, peeled and diced small

* Examples of yogurt:
Chobani Greek, plain nonfat (4 grams of sugar)
Smari, plain, nonfat (5 grams)
Stonyfield Organic, plain, nonfat (8 grams)

For the "fries"
1 large carrot, 1 zucchini and 1 apple, cut into sticks to resemble French fries 
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
2 teaspoons sesame seeds


Instructions:
First, make the sauce: combine all three ingredients and stir together in a bowl. If using Greek yogurt, you might want to thin the sauce out with a little bit of water. Add one tablespoon at a time until you've reached your desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

For the burgers: combine the first 6 ingredients until fully incorporated. Divide into 4 patties and flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness. Set aside on a plate until ready to cook.

Next, prepare the "fries": in a mixing bowl, toss all the fruit/veggie sticks with the oil just to coat. Place on a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Humans may want to sprinkle on some parsley, but skip this for dogs, as some types of parsley can be toxic to animals.

For the pita: Stack pitas on top of each other and wrap in a damp paper towel. Microwave them for a minute and let them hang out in the microwave to stay warm until you're ready to use them. 

Pre-heat a non-stick or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and disappears right away when you drop it on the pan, approximately 5 minutes.

Brush olive oil on both sides of the burger patties and place them in the preheated pan. Make sure you hear that sizzle (if you don't, the pan isn't hot enough)! Cook 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the center of the meat registers 165° on a thermometer. 

To assemble: Take a pita and slice down the center so that you have two halves. Open up the inside of each pita and spread as much yogurt sauce as you like on both sides of the pita. Next, take a burger patty and either cut that in half or chop it up to put an even amount into each pita half. Stuff each pita half with about 1/4 cup of the sprouts, drizzle with a little more sauce, and cut each half in half, or even thirds! Continue to assemble the other 3 burgers. Serve with a side of "fries". Enjoy!

​Follow Chef Carmine Guglielmino on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

CONTENT WRITER, BARKTIQUE + MEOW

Kim Brittingham

Kim Brittingham is a content writer for Barktique + Meow, animal lover, and history buff residing at the Jersey Shore. She is the author of Read My Hips (Three Rivers Press/Random House, 2011) and Write That Memoir Right Now (Blackstone, 2013). She's a willing servant to a rescued miniature poodle named Clarice.