The Oily Rag Burger – by Frank and Muriel Newman

 Read more Oily Rag articles by Frank and Muriel Newman 

In recent weeks we have been asking visitors to the oilyrag website for their thoughts on what the Ultimate Oily Rag Burger would look like. We reckon it would be a lot bigger than the bought ones and would include toasted bread or buns, a big mince pattie (whatever is on special), sliced tomato from your garden, slug free garden fresh lettuce, beetroot, avocado, fried onions, a home-grown fried egg, and so on. There’s no limit to what you can add. Here are some thoughts from readers:

• Cate from Hamilton says, “When we were both studying with a young family we discovered that adding a good heap of rolled oats to the mince mixture was a fantastic healthy 'stretcher' to bulk up the patties. Even better is to then add grated carrot or zucchini which puts moisture back into the patty and is unrecognisable to those fussy vegetable averse people!”
• Tara from Palmerston North has a trick her good cook mother taught. “Delicious cheese for a burger: Use onion pieces, whole rings work best, placed on the grill (flat grill) then add cheese (Edam works well) within the onion rings to melt. Cheese is contained within the onion borders making a cheese patty of sorts and the combined taste of melted cheese and onion flavour is yum yum on a burger! “
• Sam from Te Awamutu uses day old bread for the burger buns which she buys at a bargain price. “You can toast the buns for your burgers and no-one will ever know they weren't totally fresh.”

What do you think the oily rag burger would look like? Send in your thoughts.
 
On the subject of burger type meals, we are going on the Frugal Fast Food Hunt to find the cheapest takeaways in New Zealand. What’s your favourite frugal fast food? Is it KFC, pizza, fish ‘n chips? How do you get the best deal?
 
Some people keep an eye out on letterbox coupons and flyers. One reader says they only ever have takeaways when they can get a special offer deal.  
 
Other tips include keeping an eye on any special deals printed on the back of the supermarket checkout receipts – making use of the loyalty cards (like every 5th coffee is free), picking up takeaways instead of paying for home delivery, and so on.  Here’s a chance for all of you fast foodies to send in your frugal tips!
 
And, from the “Have you Ever Wondered file”, have you ever wondered what makes up the cost of that restaurant meal? Well, as a very rough and general rule between a quarter and  third will be the cost of the food, about a third will be wages, and the rest will be overheads (like power, rent, etc) and (hopefully!) a profit for the owner of the business.
 
Other things that have recently been posted on the www.oilyrag.co.nz website recently include a video clip about a New Zealander and his family living the self-sufficient life-style on a fifth of an acre section in Los Angeles! We also offer readers the chance to win a free copy of a new book to be released shortly – it’s as simple as picking one of two book covers – and we are about to close our flour survey, which is all about finding the cheapest place to buy flour – so let us know where you buy your flour and how much it costs.
 
You can share your frugal living tips via the oily rag website (www.oilyrag.co.nz) or by writing to Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag, PO Box 984, Whangarei. The book, Living Off the Smell of an Oily Rag by Frank & Muriel Newman is available from good bookstores.
 
* Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Readers can submit their oily rag tips on-line at www.oilyrag.co.nz. The book is available from bookstores and online at www.oilyrag.co.nz.