Skillet Burgers cooked by the Master in Adamsville Tennessee, Terry Rainey

“It’s not what goes into the burger, but what they go into – a black iron skillet,” said Terry Rainey of Adamsville Tennessee. At home on his farm in the area that Sheriff Buford Pusser of “Walking Tall” fame once patrolled, this former member of the TN Highway Patrol sure knows how to flip a burger. He was at the stove with three black iron skillets cooking hamburgers for a houseful of guests . . . all of whom went back for seconds.

Ground Beef (not lean)

Greek All-Purpose Seasoning

Salt and Pepper

Black Iron Skillet

To start with you have to get ground beef rather than the leaner versions. Place your patties in the skillet, cover generously with Greek seasoning; using the end of your spatula, tap each of the patties a hundred times to allow the seasonings to soak down into the meat rather that come off in the skillet when you flip the burgers. Now cover them generously with black pepper – literally bathe them! Then it’s time to salt the burgers to your taste. He thinks it better to season them up as they cook, rather than to adjust the seasonings after they’re done. Allow to cook a few more minutes; the grease is coming out of the meat. Flip the burgers and cook on the other side. Flip again and crisp up the other side. According to the expert, the grease in the skillet is what gives these burgers their crusty outside. When done, serve on a warm bun, slathered with mustard and finely chopped onions; add a slice of cheese, a squirt of ketchup and some dill pickles if you like. And remember all that seasoning - well it did it's job to compliment the meat, but it's not overpowering as I had thought initially.There you have it, a Skillet Burger!

We had these delicious burgers while Samantha, Terry’s wife, and her crew grilled hotdogs and hamburgers for their son, Wesley’s, cookout. A huge bonfire and a hayride on an industrial tandem trailer with a safety perimeters of hay bales strapped together, followed. Never have I seen a hayride rig like this. A shiny semi was hooked up to the trailer, and after it got good and dark with a real chill was in the air; all loaded up for an hour ride through the McNairy County bottoms, across what was once Civil War battlefields, and into the neighboring river town of Savannah before heading home. Terry even had a sofa nestled among the bales of hay for a little added comfort for those no longer in their early teens! By the time the truck rounded back to the farm all the party-goers were hunkered down between the bales of hay with layers of blankets and hay straw trying not to freeze while having the time of their lives!

It was one of those special times spent with friends that you will long remember. Even Big Fuzzy, the 24 pound cat, and Nate, the gorgeous and loveable chow mix, enjoyed the party meandering inside and out in the chilly fall air. Wesley’s little sister, Kareena, was all smiles and giggles with her friend as they layered on clothes to keep warm. Wesley and many of these boys are members of the mighty Adamsville Cardinals football team that begins championship play next Friday night. Of course where there are teenage boys, there are teenage girls; this party was no different. It was fun and I’ll be making Skillet Burgers and telling all the story about the night I learned to cook them from the Master – Terry Rainey.

Wesley Rainey

Samantha and Karenna Rainey