James Beard’s most treasured burger recipe, which was actually created by famed culinary innovator Jeanne Owen, uses 2 teaspoons of heavy cream to 2 pounds of ground beef. Conversely, the TikTok recipe (the original clip is no longer available but has garnered lots of reactions) calls for adding 1 cup of heavy cream to about a half pound of ground beef. This recipe becomes even more bizarre as milk, flour, egg, and baking powder are added, plus seasonings like black pepper and oregano. This creates a slurry-like mixture that in no way resembles an actual hamburger. 

@notitsmenicksmithy

I didnt get to try it so idk

♬ original sound – Nick Smithyman 🤨

As the “patties” are placed into the pan, one can’t help but notice that the mixture looks more like pancake batter, a comparison that is quickly commented on within the post. “Forbidden pancake hamburger,” said one person, while another stated, “Ma’am that’s beef pancakes.” There are also questions about how long each patty is fried, which led to concerns that the already questionable burger was not fully cooked. The finished dish had a definable patty shape, but the color of the burger was much closer to something like turkey or tuna patties than actual beef.