Where's the beef? Not in these burgers. (2009)

This piece was a challenge, because when it comes to burgers, I am all about beef. My editor at Pioneer Press wanted a piece on other burgers, and I wanted to become familiar enough with the topic to design original recipes for the story.

Where’s the beef? Secrets of the other burgers.

BY DAVID JAKUBIAK originally published by the Pioneer Press May 21, 2009

Across Chicagoland, grills are cleaned, fuelled, and ready for a summer of searing meats for expectant mouths. But what do you expect when you hear the word, “burger?”

Evan Van Dyke, a cook who lives in Rolling Meadows called burgers a “cultural icon,” which most people think of as a ground beef patty served on a bun.

“If someone has been eating burgers for years and you tell them you are going to give them a burger, and you give them something else, no matter how tasty it is, it won’t be what they are expecting,” he cautioned.

But there are other kinds of burgers. There are turkey burgers, bison burgers, burgers made from critters harvested from sea, burgers made from birds that can’t fly, and veggie burgers, which are entirely free of any critters or birds at all.

The Red Robin chain of restaurants, which has locations in Algonquin, Bloomingdale, Bolingbrook, Warrenville, Hoffman Estates, Lincolnshire, and Orland Park, to name a few, claims to be the home of the gourmet burger. And their definition is a bit wider.

Red Robin’s Executive Chef Dave Woolley defines a burger as “any type of protein or patty placed between two halves of a bun or bread, and topped with different condiments to enhance the flavor profile.”

In fact, he noted, “At Red Robin, we offer more than two dozen different burgers with a variety of proteins and patties including beef, chicken, turkey, fish and vegetarian burgers.”

Within Woolley’s definition lies the science behind the patty, and the challenge to anyone seeking to create a burger out of something other than ground beef. A burger is a patty that stays together when cooked, enabling it hold securely between pieces of bread as pieces of it are chomped off and devoured.

David Lipschutz, owner of the Blind Faith Café in Evanston, which serves a vegetarian “Blind Faith Burger,” said this ability comes from the binding proteins in a burger’s ingredients. For example, he said, many burger recipes call for eggs which offer binding proteins.

What may surprise some people, he said, is that many vegetable proteins, like those found in seeds and grains, offer great binding potential, “perhaps even more than animal proteins.”

There is another thing about burgers that makes them ideal for summer cooking. Their deliciousness can be enhanced when they are carefully subjected to the intense heat of a grill.

Chef Woolley, recommended using a very hot grill, between 500 and 700 degrees, and searing the patty. “Searing will help lock in the juices of the protein. Only flip the protein or patty once while it is on the grill to make sure the burger is cooked evenly on both sides. Also, the less you play with the burger while it is on the grill, the juicier the patty,” he explained.

So, when creating any beef-free-burger it is important to think about binding proteins and a hot, hot grill. But there are also considerations for individual ingredients.

Van Dyke said that adding ground bacon to ingredients like turkey or bison will give the meat some additional fat to remain juicy even after being grilled.

“There are also flavor combinations that I like, like turkey and teriyaki or turkey and gorgonzola,” he said.

Lipschutz said that when concocting a veggie burger it is essential to keep and eye on the water content of the burger.

“To make a good vegetarian patty you really need to use a combination of nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetable to get it to bind and give you the texture you want. If you want something for the grill you will want something with more density. The biggest mistake people make is not introducing enough moisture to ensure the proteins bind, but not putting so much that it falls apart,” he said.

Ultimately making a good beef-free burger comes down to the very same questions any dish would come down to, Lipschutz said. “First and foremost the flavor is important, then presentation is important, and texture is important, and the nutritional value is important.”

Finally, the very best burgers, Chef Woolley offered, come from cooks who are not afraid to play.

“Incorporate foods that are harmonious and work in unison to create delicious flavor combinations,” he said. “Get creative!”

Barbecue Turkey Burger

This tasty turkey burger blends the smokiness of chipotle with the sweetness of barbecue sauce, while the added bacon gives the burger enough fat to stay juicy even on a hot grill. Working ground turkey is not one of the kitchens most pleasurable chores, but these burgers are worth it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground turkey

4 slices bacon

1 egg

½ cup bread crumbs

1 t. chili powder

½ t. chipotle powder

½ t. onion powder

¼ t. salt

Cheddar cheese

Barbecue sauce

Yield: 5 burgers

METHOD:

1. Grind bacon in food processor, or mince as fine as possible.
2. Mix bacon, turkey, egg, bread crumbs, spices and salt in a bowl by hand.
3. Form burger patties and refrigerate for about an hour. To prevent burger from sticking to plate, you can first cover the plate with plastic wrap.
4. Place burgers on an oiled grill over medium/high heat.
5. Cook for about 8 minutes and flip.
6. Glaze cooked side of burger with barbecue sauce and top with a slice of cheese.
7. Cook burger until internal temperature has reached 165º F.
8. Serve on bun and top with extra sauce if desired.

Teriyaki-inspired salmon burgers

It may seem sacrilegious to take a beautiful salmon filet and pulverize it in a food processor. But this makes a burger that maintains the salmon flavor and offers it a portable, easy to eat form that’s ideal for outdoor dining. Using Panko bread crumbs I is encouraged, their lightness helps the burger hold its shape without interrupting with the flavor of the fish.

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. salmon filets skinned and cut into 1” pieces

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

2 green onions

1 T. ginger

3 cloves of garlic

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. honey

Red Onion

Yield: 5 burgers

METHOD:

1. Using a food processor, finely chop the green onion, ginger, and garlic.
2. Add about half of the salmon to the food process and pulse until the fish is well ground.
3. Add the bread crumbs, soy sauce, and honey and pulse until blended.
4. Add the remaining salmon and pulse until it is just mixed. Do not over blend this final fish addition because you want to maintain some of the flaky texture of the salmon.
5. Form mixture into patties.
6. Clean and oil grill and heat to a medium-high temperature.
7. Place the burgers onto the grill and cook for about 5 minutes on either side. Carefully flip burgers.
8. Serve burgers on a bun with a slice of red onion and a squeeze of lemon. To add an extra spice, you can mix some wasabi paste with mayonnaise as an added topping.