Our burger beef.
Living in a rural agricultural community and being committed to supporting local farmers, we first looked at sourcing beef locally. We neighbor some incredible cattle farmers who produce absolutely delicious beef, but being small family farms, would never be able to supply the volume needed for a summer of burgers at The Loon. So the hunt for a good quality commercial source that aligned with our values began.
We were at a food show in Portland seeking ingredients to build our menu, when we were handed cheeseburger sliders by a vendor. We took a bite and our eyes widened as we looked at each other and said, “Oh my gosh, that’s the best burger we’ve ever tasted.”
…and we’ve had a lot of burgers.
The burger beef was juicy, extremely flavorful, and with a crispy sear that added texture and punched the flavor up even more. It was Braveheart Black Angus Beef. In addition to being absolutely delicious, we learned that Braveheart has rigorous quality and tracing standards, as well as extraordinary sourcing requirements.
We are so impressed with Braveheart’s flavor, quality, and commitment to sourcing and production transparency.
Braveheart Beef comes from Angus-verified cattle that are born on U.S. family farms, and are transported 200 miles or less for processing to reduce stress on the animals and improve traceability through the production chain. Braveheart cattle are raised and fed under Progressive Beef, a third-party auditor and cattle management system that focuses on animal welfare, food safety, and sustainability.
Braveheart takes traceability and transparency to an unprecedented level with their PathProven program and landmark DNA Traceback, a first-of-its-kind program that uses DNA testing to verify that all Braveheart cattle are truly Black Angus. The PathProven program also assures that the lot number on the burger packages in our walk-in can be traced back to the animal at the slaughterhouse. That’s truly an incredible feat for a commercial beef processor. Their values of quality, transparency, and knowing where your food comes from are completely aligned with our own, and we knew we had to deliver Braveheart Beef to our guests at The Loon.
The Shack Smash Burger + Fries
A 4 oz. Braveheart Beef smash patty, grilled onions, American cheese, dill pickles and Loon Sauce with a side of fries. High quality ingredients, high quality flavor, and a filling meal for $14.
Our smash burgers are Braveheart’s chuck, brisket, and short rib blend. They get squished on the griddle for a firm sear, sprinkled with chopped sweet onions, flipped and dressed up with a slice of melty American cheese, then nestled in a griddled potato bun, with crunchy dill pickles and our house Loon Sauce (burger sauce).
FAQ: What’s a smash burger? Smash burgers are a rare find in Maine, which is why we’re thrilled to serve them right here in Norway. These burgers start with a ball of fresh ground beef that's pressed flat on a hot griddle, creating a thin patty with a crispy, caramelized edge known as the “skirt.” They’re cooked all the way through, and while different from the typical frozen 8oz burger patty found around these parts,
FAQ: What’s Loon Sauce? - Loon Sauce is our house made burger sauce. It’s a combination of mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish, and some seasonings. It’s built to complement all the elements of the burger and it’s delicious!
The Braveheart burger beef has such an intense natural beef flavor that we don’t add any additional seasoning - it shines all on its own and makes for the most delicious smash burger you’ve ever had.
