Jun 13, 2010

Quest for the Perfect Burger

Can't have a casual dining place without the perfect burger. This one came pretty close, and was "...pretty f*ing good, dude..." as my seitan-hating hubby declared.

But the perfect burger is but a matter of opinion, and is based not only on the patty (although that's pretty important), but also on all the accoutrements.

What do you like on YOUR burger?

Mine had avacado, grilled onion, extra tomatoes, creamy mustard slaw, and melted Daiya cheddar (which tastes more like American to me)... Heaven on a toasted bun.

But getting back to the all-important patty, this one consisted of a base of vital wheat gluten, TVP, and mushrooms, and was seasoned with what I'll call a "condensed flavoring gravy." This had an incredible "beefy" flavor, but there was still a slight wheat gluten aftertaste- which I find unpleasant. Most people who like the taste of meat (ok, animal flesh) will care about this, but if you've never had meat before or don't really remember because it's been decades, then this burger would probably blow you away!

Anyway... if any of you would like to try my new and improved recipe, as well as "Hot Dog v.2" and others, I'm still looking for a few more TESTERS.

6 comments:

  1. This looks great! I like to put hummus on my burgers!

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  2. I like carmelized onions slathered on mine, and I always have to have the standard ketchup and pickles.

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  3. i love avocados when i have them around. and jalapenos. and spicy mustard. yum.

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  4. I usually make bean-based burgers, and I agree with the commenter above that there is simply no better topper than caramelized onions.

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  5. Have you added some non-wheat, non-soy ingredients like black beans or other beans, and maybe just a pinch of Marmite (warning: do not ever it this by itself, as the Brits do; you will be hating life)? When I make veggie sausage, as long as there are lots of flavors going on, the gluten does not sit front and center on the taste buds.

    Burger topping preference: really crispy lettuce and just a pinch o' mayo and spicy mustard. Maybe dill pickle slices if I'm feeling really racy.

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  6. Thanks for the advise, Carolyn. I've been playing around with intensifying the flavors so the gluten isn't as noticeable... marmite sounds interesting!

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