Back in 1209, Genghis Khan and his army of fierce Mongol horsemen began using scrapings of lamb or mutton which were formed into flat patties - the beginnings of the burger. They softened the meat by placing them under the saddles of their horses while riding into battle. When it was time to eat, the meat would be eaten raw, having been tenderized by the saddle and the back of the horse. Yum.

In 1238 Genghis Khan's grandson, Khubilai Khan invaded Moscow, and brought their ground meat with them. The Russians then integrated it into their own cooking, creating "Steak Tartare," (Tartars being their name for the Mongols).

At the end of 1800' s, the European emigrants in America started eating meat patties quickly cooked on the grill and placed between two pieces of bread. Sailors who visited the ports of Hamburg, Germany and New York, brought this "Hamburg Steak" into the United State's diets. In New York City, stands began to appear around the harbor offering "steak cooked in the Hamburg style" and "Hamburger Sandwich". The name was probably later condensed by common use to "hamburger", which may explain why a beef sandwich - which never contained any pork - bears this name.

The birth of the American burger on a bun was in 1891, when the family of Oscar Weber Bilby served the first-known hamburger on a bun at their Grandpa Oscar's farm just west of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1933, Oscar and his son, Leo, opened the family's first hamburger stand called Weber's Superior Root Beer Stand. They still use the same grill used in 1891.

Once the burger caught on, restaurant chains such as McDonalds, White Castle, Hardy's, Wendy's and many more begin to propogate the map to bring us to the present. Now, you can find Denver's Best Burger at two locations - the original CityGrille, and the south spot, CityPub.

Other Fun Facts:

In 1888, an English doctor named Salisbury prescribed three hamburger meals a day as a cure for various ailments. His name is remembered today as the name of Salisbury Steak, the seasoned ground beef patty served with gravy.

Beef is also a nutrient-dense food. With just 10 percent of the daily recommended calories, a 3-ounce serving of beef provides 42 percent of the daily recommendation for protein, 40 percent of B-12, 35 percent of zinc, 25 percent of selenium and 13 percent of iron.