What Makes Istanbul's Iconic Wet Burger Unique?

Turkish islak burgers, translated literally to "wet burgers" in English, are an iconic street food in Istanbul. The famous, craveable hamburgers are "wet" because the entire burger is soaked in tomato sauce and then steamed to soften the bread. Somewhat akin to a soggy meatball sub without the cheese, this saucy burger is definitely worth the mess, according to many Istanbulites who can't end the night without one from one of the many islak burger joints in the city. 

In addition to being drenched in a garlicky tomato sauce, the meat is seasoned differently than regular American burgers. The ground beef is typically mixed with ingredients like onions, garlic, cumin, paprika, black pepper, and parsley. Sometimes breadcrumbs and an egg are used as binders for the meat mixture. While the cooking method may vary slightly per restaurant, typically after the burgers are cooked, the patties and both halves of the buns are dipped in tomato sauce. At the Turkish islak joints, the burgers are put in a glass steamer that works double duty — to keep them warm and flavorful and to attract the after-bar crowd. 

If you're up for trying to make your own islak burgers at home, make sure to season the beef at the right time for the best flavor results. Traditionally, islak burgers are on the smaller size, sometimes compared to sliders. You might choose to use a burger press or patty maker like the Cuisinart Adjustable Burger Press to form perfect ground beef burger patties.

It's debatable who truly invented the wet hamburger in Istanbul, although two restaurants are often attributed to the burger's origins. Kizilkayalar Hamburger, a Turkish street food establishment that's been in business since the 1970s, claims to have invented islak burgers. Today, the restaurant has eight branches, including its original location in Taksim Square, a tourist and leisure hub in the heart of Istanbul. However, another Taksim Square restaurant, Kristal Büfe (in operation since the 1960s), also claims to have invented the wet hamburger (somewhat by accident due to the hastiness with which its saucy burgers were made and slopped together). 

While they have existed for decades, islak burgers experienced a rise in popularity in the early 2000s and 2010s. In 2009, Anthony Bourdain ate an islak burger at Kizilkavalar on an episode of "No Reservations." He remarked that the burger was "like a big, spicy slider." More recognition and exposure led to the islak burger becoming a coveted late-night, after-bar food that remains popular today. 

Indeed, the saucy but simple wet hamburgers seem to follow Anthony Bourdain's one-hand rule for better burgers — that less is more when it comes to ingredients. If a trip to Istanbul isn't in the cards, try making your own at home and steaming them in a pressure cooker. A helpful tip is to choose a softer bread (such as brioche, potato, or Hawaiian) for your burger buns so that they soften faster when steamed.