Jackson House in Harrisburg wins the PennLive Burger Battle; judges to present award Wednesday

The cavemen had it correct. There’s no better way to cook meat than over an open flame.

If there was a recurring theme throughout the six-week PennLive Burger Battle it was this: Hamburgers made using man’s oldest invention simply taste better.

The wafting smoke flavors the beef. The spitting flames char the burger in mysterious, wonderful ways that griddle-cooking could never duplicate.

So while the Burger Battle sought the transcendental experience of a fancy, gourmet hamburger, in the end the winning formula turned out to be: Keep it simple.

As in, fresh ground beef. Hand-rounded patties. And hamburgers seared and sizzled to order over an open flame.

All the other burger bells and whistles don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that smoky-flavored thing going on.

Such is the deceptively simple recipe at the Jackson House Restaurant in Harrisburg.

So, for returning the gourmet hamburger to its prehistoric roots – and for wowing the taste buds of the Burger Battle judges in the process – the Harrisburg lunchtime institution takes home the award for ground beef greatness in Central Pennsylvania. It wins the 2013 PennLive Burger Battle!

At 11:30 a.m. this Wednesday, amid the hustle and bustle of the usual Jackson House lunch crowd, crusty owner Dave Kegris, who warmly embraces his "Burger Nazi" moniker, will be presented with a framed award by PennLive officials and contest judges. And his restaurant will be roundly roasted for its sometime surly, always painstaking practice of selling no hamburger before its time.

A look back at all the Burger Battle stops: Round 1. Round 2. Round 3. Round 4. Round 5. Round 6.

As we reported during our Jackson House visit early in the contest: These hulking, half-pound patties take a full 20 minutes to smoke and sizzle on the charbroil grill, over a lapping, open flame. So, you’ll have to excuse Kegris if he grows short with impatient customers. After all, he has a hot grill spitting fire in his face all day.

Kegris must be doing something right. His customers have been lining up over lunch at the Jackson House for more than 30 years. Now, the secret is out: There is no secret.

There’s no special seasoning, no secret sauce. Kegris doesn’t so much as salt his burgers. He doesn’t have to.

Those lapping flames, sizzling juices and that aromatic smoke provide all the flavor needed to keep burger fans coming back, again and again. Year after year. Decade after decade.

The Jackson House on North 6th Street in Harrisburg, Pa. serves burgers and Philly Cheese Steaks. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

This, because nothing ever seems to change at Jackson House. Not the interminable wait for a hamburger. And not the rich, mouth-watering reward once you finally bite into one

Now that’s a burger! And it's why Jackson House is the clear winner.

Still, we can’t let the 2013 Burger Battle slip into the record books without some honorable mentions:

We found Dodge City’s charbroiled burgers a worthy rival. If there was a quibble, it's that the seasoning of the meat might have been a bit heavy-handed at this full-service Harrisburg restaurant.

We prefer it when the fresh ground beef and the magical mix of charred meat and captured smoke do all the talking to our taste buds. On a side note, Dodge City’s fresh-cut, specially procured Pennsylvania fries were to die for – and worthy of a return trip all by themselves.

Top That! in Palmyra didn’t top things when it came to the Burger Battle’s big award. But if this were a beauty contest, its burgers would have won hands-down.

Talk about a picture-perfect plate of ground beef! These bun-clad beauties were more than ready for their close-up. If only this character-rich establishment charbroiled its beef, instead of letting them languish on a griddle-grill.

We're ready for a return road trip to the Red Rabbit Drive-In in Reed Twp., as well. Now that spring seems to be finally settling in, perhaps we can enjoy the scenery of this outdoor dining throw-back, making up for our chilly, coat-clad, teeth-chattering stop during the contest The special sauce slathered on those signature Bunny Burgers also merits a second bite.

And if you have hunger pangs, perhaps there’s no more filling sandwich than the super-sized House Burgers at Hershey Road Family Restaurant. These specially-seasoned burgers go down more like meatloaf. Comfort food to the max!

Thanks to all of this year’s contestants. It was a battle royale -- with cheese.

Now let's hear a final word from the 2013 Burger Battle judges:

Sue "Food Writer" Gleiter

The Jackson House burger had me at first bite. Its win has less to do with the toppings and the bun, and more to do with the preparation and cooking method.

As I said in my first review, the Jackson House burger is pure char-grilled goodness. It's a technique they've mastered at this city establishment, and one the regular clientele obviously recognize. It's the reason the place has a reputation, and the reason why it's sometimes hard to nab a seat over lunch.

Hands down, I give second place to Dodge City. The Tangler Burger was exceptional, even if it was a tad bit overly seasoned. Dodge City also scored for the best fries. They are hand-cut, and made from potatoes purchased weekly from Tallman Family Farms in Tower City.

The Best Looking title goes to Top That! Those burgers stand tall and are worthy of a magazine cover.

Richard "J. Wellington Wimpy" Abowitz

Jackson House half-pound burger -- I dedicate my Lipitor to you! Ultimately, the lesson I learned in this battle is that a hamburger is about the beef and how it's prepared. Jackson House offers a fantastic burger that is all about the flame-broiled cooking method and the taste it gives to the meat.

Not that the other stops on our journey haven't left their marks: The fries at Dodge City and I have already reunited since our first meeting. And, as soon as it gets a little warmer I can't wait to take friends to Red Rabbit's classic setup -- and fantastic set-up.

My favorite scene of people was the awesome folk who came out in Palmyra to share lunch with us at Top That. Because if we can't babble about burgers, what can we talk about?

John "Burgermeister" Luciew

Three decades ago, with virtually no restaurant experience, Jackson House owner Dave Kegris became inspired by a no-frills burger joint in New York City. He brought his love for food, Philadelphia and the New York Yankees to Harrisburg.

Little has changed since then. This, more than anything else, is why Jackson House bested the Burger Battle competition. Kegris got it right the first time, and he never second-guessed himself since. The rest is hamburger history.

In closing the contest, we want to thank PennLive readers for following along with our fun food fight. An extra tip of the bun goes to all those who met us out at the various Burger Battle venues. We hope you enjoyed our mid-week restaurant respite as much as we did.

Soon, we will be asking all of you to pick our next food category to conquer. Stay tuned to PennLive for details. Then, cast your ballot for the next food category for PennLive’s restaurant roadshow.

See you all over lunch sometime soon.

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