Slugburger facts for kids
A slugburger with onion rings
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| Course | Main |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Southeast |
| Created by | John Weeks |
| Main ingredients | Beef or pork with an inexpensive meat extender such as soybeans |
A slugburger (first called a Weeksburger) is a traditional food from the southern United States. You can find it in places like Northeast Mississippi and North Alabama. It's a patty made from a mix of beef or pork and a cheaper ingredient, like soybeans. This mix is then deep-fried until it's crispy.
Slugburgers are usually served on a bun. People often add mustard, pickles, and onion. Sometimes, you even get a side of French fries or onion rings with it!
Contents
The History of the Slugburger
How the Slugburger Began
The slugburger story began in 1917. A man named John Weeks brought his special hamburger recipe to Corinth, Mississippi. He had local butchers grind his meat. He asked them to add potato flakes and flour to the mix. These small hamburgers were first known as Weeksburgers.
Why the Name "Slugburger"?
Before 1950, soy grits took the place of potato and flour in the recipe. Soy grits are still the main extra ingredient today. People in town say the name "slugburger" came from a slang term. A "slug" was a metal coin the size of a nickel. It could be used in vending machines.
Growing Popularity
At one time, five of the Weeks brothers were selling Weeksburgers. They sold them in the southern part of Corinth. One brother even ran twelve other hamburger stands. After World War II, he sold burgers from old trolley cars. One of these trolley car stands was in Booneville.
The Fun Slugburger Festival
| World Slugburger Eating Championship | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Burgers | Runner up | |
| 2012 | Matt Stonie | 30 ‡ | Adrian Morgan (24.5) | |
| 2013 | 31 ‡ | Joey Chestnut (30) | ||
| 2014 | 43 ‡ | Joey Chestnut (42) | ||
| 2015 | Joey Chestnut | 33 | Juan Rodriguez (23) | |
| 2016 | 41 | Geoffrey Esper (32) | ||
| ‡ World record set | ||||
Each year, people from Corinth and nearby towns gather for a special event. It's called the annual Slugburger Festival. This festival celebrates the local slugburger!
Festival Activities
The festival happens in downtown Corinth. It takes place over three weekend evenings in July. Main Street Corinth organizes the event. You can find entertainment at the Train Depot. There's also a carnival at Trailhead Park. A big highlight is the World Slugburger Eating Championship.
Unique Festival Fun
TripAdvisor.com has called the Slugburger Festival one of the "wackiest" summer events. It's listed alongside fun events like The Great Texas Mosquito Festival. The festival also has a singing contest called Slug Idol. Singers from nearby areas in Tennessee and Mississippi compete.
The Eating Championship
The Slugburger Festival started in 1988. In 2012, the first World Slugburger Eating Championship was held. Professional eaters from Major League Eating have won most of these contests. Matt Stonie won the first three championships. In 2014, he set a world record by eating 43 slugburgers in 10 minutes! He beat Joey Chestnut that year.
In 2015, Joey Chestnut won the title. He ate 33 slugburgers. He won again in 2016, eating 41 slugburgers.
