As a lifelong Culver’s fan, I’ve enjoyed many of their famously delicious ButterBurgers over the years. But I’ve always wondered – where does all that incredible beef actually come from?
Given Culver’s rapid growth to over 800 restaurants across the Midwest and beyond, supplying quality beef is no small task. In this article, we’ll dig into the origins and journey of Culver’s beef, from farm to grill.
Grab a side of cheese curds as we explore how Culver’s crafts their ButterBurgers using carefully-sourced beef and hand-formed patties. It’s a mouthwatering process well worth understanding!
An Overview of Culver’s Famous ButterBurgers
Before diving into the supply chain details, let’s briefly overview Culver’s iconic ButterBurgers:
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Made with 100% fresh, never frozen Midwest beef
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Patties are hand-formed in each restaurant
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Burgers are cooked to order on a buttered toasted bun
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Options like bacon, cheese, and avocado available
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Menu also features chicken, fish, and veggie burgers
Keeping those succulent ButterBurgers fresh and flavorful at hundreds of restaurants takes careful coordination between farms, suppliers, and franchise locations. Now, let’s uncover exactly how that happens.
Step 1: Raising Cattle in the Midwest
Culver’s ButterBurgers start their life on rolling pastures of family-owned farms in the Midwest. This region, with its fertile soil and temperate climate, produces exceptionally tasty beef.
Midwest farms adhere to ethical principles like
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Allowing cattle to graze on open pastures
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Using no added hormones or routine antibiotics
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Following humane animal handling methods
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Sustainably managing land and natural resources
After 4-5 months on a diet of corn, hay, and grain, cattle reach an ideal finishing weight and are sent to processors.
Step 2: Processing the Beef
Once fully grown, cattle are transported from farms to USDA-inspected beef processing facilities in the Midwest. Humane handling practices are enforced throughout the harvesting process.
At these large plants, cattle are stunned then slaughtered and broken down into every conceivable cut of beef. Culver’s mainly uses chuck, sirloin, and brisket cuts for ButterBurgers.
The beef is tested to verify food safety and quality specifications are met. It is then vacuum-packed, placed in refrigerated trucks, and shipped to Culver’s facilities.
Step 3: Hand-Forming Patties In the Restaurants
This is where the Culver’s magic happens. At each restaurant, employees hand-form the beef into patties and add a pad of butter to create the signature ButterBurgers.
The process of hand-forming allows for irregular shapes and sizes, giving the burgers a homemade, culinary feel. It also avoids compressing the meat too much, keeping patties tender.
Patties are portions into 6 or 8-ounce sizes depending on burger type. Fresh patties are cooked right away, never frozen. This ensures maximum flavor and moisture.
Step 4: Cooking the ButterBurgers Fresh to Order
Cooking is the final step in transforming Midwest beef into irresistible ButterBurgers. Culver’s often uses a patented ButterBurger Grill designed specifically for their restaurants.
The grill allows precise temperature control to cook burgers consistently without overcharring. Burgers are seasoned then cooked over an open flame fueled by natural gas.
Chefs know exactly when to melt cheese or add crispy bacon. Once plated, ButterBurgers are served piping hot and fresh off the grill.
Why Midwest Beef Makes the Difference
You may be wondering – why is Culver’s so obsessed with Midwest beef? As it turns out, sourcing locally from this region greatly impacts their burger quality:
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Ideal climate and soil – The Midwest provides optimal conditions for raising cattle that produces tender, flavorful beef.
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Ethical farming – Midwest farms focus on humane practices and sustainability compared to large commercial feedlots.
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Supports local communities – Midwest sourcing keeps money circulating in local farming economies.
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Consistency – Sourcing from a defined region gives Culver’s tighter control over quality.
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Freshness – Midwest proximity allows faster beef delivery for improved freshness.
In short, Midwest beef enables the deliciously fresh flavor that diners expect from Culver’s ButterBurgers.
How Culver’s Sustains Responsible Sourcing
In addition to quality, Culver’s prioritizes ethical and sustainable beef sourcing. They partner with suppliers upholding practices like:
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Pasture access and humane handling for cattle
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No added hormones or routine antibiotics
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Protecting water and soil health through rotational grazing
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Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges
Of course, reliably sourcing beef from hundreds of regional farms has inherent challenges. Here are some ways Culver’s proactively manages supply issues:
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Maintaining a diverse, redundant supplier network as backup
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Working cooperatively with suppliers on forecasting and capacity planning
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Offering suppliers long-term contracts to foster stability
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Investing in supply chain technology for improved inventory visibility
Through a proactive approach and strong Midwest supplier relationships, Culver’s has built an impressively resilient burger beef supply chain.
My Take: Beef Worth Celebrating
Learning about the care and attention Culver’s puts into sourcing their signature ButterBurgers gave me an even greater appreciation for this iconic Midwest chain. Their commitment to quality, freshness, and ethical Midwest beef shines through in every delicious burger.
And as a Midwesterner myself, I love that Culver’s supports local farmers and the regional economy. The next time I bite into a perfectly cooked ButterBurger, I’ll be sure to savor the whole journey that premium beef took from pasture to bun. Fresh, flavorful beef is worth celebrating, and Culver’s does it right!
How Culver’s makes their iconic butter burgers
FAQ
What kind of beef does Culver’s use?
Where do culvers get their ingredients?
Does Culvers use frozen beef?
What oil does Culver’s use for burgers?
Are Culver’s burgers made in Wisconsin?
Culver’s, it must be noted, originated in Wisconsin, aka the Dairy State, and all of the butter used on their buns comes from a small, family-owned Wisconsin dairy. Culver’s says its burgers are made from three cuts of beef: sirloin, chuck, and plate. Their beef is also fresh, never frozen, and each burger is grilled to order.
Are Culver’s burgers grilled?
Culver’s says its burgers are made from three cuts of beef: sirloin, chuck, and plate. Their beef is also fresh, never frozen, and each burger is grilled to order. In fact, each one is prepared by a Culver’s “grill master” who has spent several months training to master the act of making a better butterburger.
Where are Culver’s burgers located?
Culver’s are stretching from Minnesota to Florida, and every state in between. As of now they aren’t on the coasts, and a few places in the deep south, but they have plans to expand throughout the entire US. This isn’t by surprise, Culver’s finished second in a national poll as America’s favorite burger only behind In-n-Out Burger.
Is Culver’s a German Burger?
In 2018, Culver’s upped the ante with its Oktoberfest-inspired Pretzel Haus Pub Burger, a nod to Wisconsin’s German roots. This burger featured beef patties topped with Wisconsin cheddar, Wisconsin cheddar cheese sauce, pickled onions, bacon, and a horseradish/mayo/mustard bistro sauce on a pretzel bun made by a Milwaukee bakery.