The Rat Pack was the ultimate swingin’ combination of multi-talented performers. Comedic, musical, and always enjoyable to watch, two of the best-known members, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, were undisputed icons who could definitely agree on the appeal of fine dining. While the two friends enjoyed performing, eating, and carousing together, it seemed that they had differing opinions regarding the preferred process for preparing a hamburger.
According to “The Celebrity Cookbook” by Dinah Shore, Martin’s recipe boasted a minimal list of only two ingredients: a pound of ground beef prepared in a skillet sprinkled with table salt and two ounces of chilled bourbon to sip on and enjoy alongside the hamburgers. Ever the jokester, Sinatra’s recipe one-upped Martin’s, describing the burger-making process sans a list of ingredients and in three simple steps: “1. Call for Deano; 2. Tell him to make you a f—in’ burger; 3. Drink his bourbon.”
Salty language notwithstanding, these two “recipes” are a prime example of the humorous aspects of home cooking, a love of good food, and the lifelong friendship shared by two classic crooners. Though these specific recipes might indicate a lack of kitchen skills, Frank Sinatra’s signature tomato sauce would prove otherwise. Between Martin and Sinatra, you can certainly take some inspiration to prepare your own batch of mouthwatering burgers.
Preparing a Sinatra-inspired burger
While Frank Sinatra’s personal hamburger recipe relied entirely on Dean Martin, your version will likely involve a bit more effort. The results, however, will be well worth it. Given both Martin and Sinatra’s penchant for potent beverages, bourbon should definitely have a starring role in this show. Consider the possibilities of grilled bourbon burgers to take your cookout to the next level. To infuse bourbon into your cooking, try adding a splash of your favorite bourbon to the meat mixture when seasoning and preparing your patties for grilling or make a delectable bourbon barbecue sauce or glaze to add as a topping. If you’d prefer a different type of burger, grill up a batch of bison burgers with a Cajun bourbon mayo.
If you’re not a bourbon drinker, you can still pay tribute to Sinatra and Martin’s humorous recipes by leaning into your own favorite flavors and getting clever with your presentation. Whether you make your burgers with beef, bison, chicken, turkey, lamb, or black beans, let your food sparkle with great taste and a side of wit by coming up with a pun name for your recipe. For example, take a cue from The Rat Pack and serve your burgers alongside a hearty helping of onion ring-a-ding-dings or add a spicy sauce as a topping for a batch of “I Get a Kick Out of You” burgers.
