Recipe(tried): Geniune Lum's Burger and Bun Sauce (2024)

Here is the original recipe used to prepare the Burger at both the Lum's resturants and the Ollie's Trollies restaurants. It was recently released December 25, 2007 by someone who knew and worked with Oliver G. Gleichenhaus (Ollie). The recipe is 100% authentic. I know because I have already tried it. A slight word of advise, have some extra money for this venture because collectively the ingredients used in this recipe will get expensive. And to cook the spices into the meat the way it was intended, you should use a George Forman type grill.

THE BURGER
The World’s Greatest Hamburger
by Andreas Viklund

"For many years, a family restaurant chain, known as Lum’s sold an exceptional 1/3 pound hamburger that was second to none. These fantastic burgers were also to be found at a Lum’s spinoff called Ollie’s Trolleys. Unfortunately, due to the bad management of the parent company and the repeated selling of the restaurants, the chain virtually disappeared. There are a few Trolleys around and a handful of restaurants where you can still purchase this burger.

However, these few remaining businesses have failed to live up to Ollie’s own strict standards of preparation that he personally drilled into my head and they allow their customers to 'have it their way'."

So, in honor of Oliver G. Gleichenhaus, I present to you, the one, and the only;

THE BURGER*

BURGER SEASONING:

FOR THE DRY INGREDIENTS:*
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp ground celery seed
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp fennel seed
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 crushed beef bouillon cubes

FOR THE LIQUID INGREDIENTS:*
6 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Steak Sauce (A-1)
2 tsp Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Heinz 57 Sauce
2 tsp Cider Vinegar

FOR THE BUN SAUCE:*
1/4 cup Miracle Whip
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp orange, French dressing
1/2 tsp sweet relish
2 tsp dill pickle relish
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried, minced onion
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp ketchup
2 tbsp prepared Ollie Seasoning Marinade
1 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning

In a large measuring bowl, add all Dry Ingredients together by hand. DO NOT INHALE MIX as the dust is very overwhelming.

In a separate bowl, mix Liquid Ingredients together until well mixed. Carefully add to dry ingredients and slowly mix by hand. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

For Bun Sauce, mix all ingredients and refrigerate for 2 hours as well.

When preparing an burger, place a 1/3 pound burger in prepared marinade and allow to soak for 15 minutes.

Place on a 2 sided grill (such as a sandwich grill) and cook until Medium Rare.

Serve with a slice of Mozzarella cheese on a seeded bun with bun sauce top and bottom, and a garlic pickle spear. Potato chips are optional.

Discard any remaining sauce after the day’s preparation.

AND NOTHING ELSE IS NEEDED.

"This is how Ollie wanted it, and this is how I present it to you.
*A little footnote.

This recipe was created using a small sample of a commercially prepared seasoning mix.

As you may or may not know, commercial mixes are pulverized to protect any proprietary secrets a company may have. Therefore these may not be the 100% exact ingredients, as owned by God-only-knows-who. Also, prior to Lum's buying Ollie’s recipe, there was no written recipe. Ollie tossed together whatever ingredients he had handy in his chop shop. The commercial recipe was a collaborative effort between Lum's and their spice venders,

The creation of the recipe you see today was prepared over a period of 7 years. I was assisted by the late Rich Loy, of Lexington, Kentucky. Over that period we painstakingly made hundreds of batches in order to dissect the secrets of ‘the sauce’.

The final test was made and perfected shortly after Rich passed on. This last batch was the closest that anyone, outside of the secret holder, had made in taste and consistency.

Like the late "Ollie", Rich was a character in his own right. I miss both, very much.

You will also find that this is a very expensive marinade to make, unless you maintain a stock of all ingredients. For those who can still buy it, you know now why it costs you between $7 and $9 dollars per burger.

Try this recipe, and you’ll know why it’s worth it!"