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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsYou’re Doing It Wrong: Veggie Burgers
Now forget everything you know about veggie burgers. Veggie burgers dont have to be to hamburgers what The Wedgewoods were to The Beatles (at least according to Mad Men). In fact, they shouldnt really try to imitate hamburgers much at all: We dont yet have the technology to make fake beef that tastes anything but disquieting. And, to consider another popular approach, theres no reason vegetarian patties have to include every edible crop known to man. (Heres a black bean, and a grain of brown rice, andlook, everyone, a corn kernel!)
Veggie burgers simply need to be sturdy, savory, and juicyflavorful and dense enough that you know youre eating something distinct from the bun, and not getting more bland starchiness. The way to accomplish that is marinated tempeh.
Tempeh is a fermented soy product. Originally from Indonesia, its typically sold in the United States in half-pound shrink-wrapped rectangles. A few months ago, I suggested making chili with tempeh, which immediately prompted widespread outcry from chili traditionalists. But tempeh is the closest thing vegetarians have to a non-weird meat substitute. And, whether or not youre a vegetarian, its absolutely the best ingredient for veggie burgers.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/05/23/tempeh_burgers_marinated_veggie_burgers_that_actually_taste_good_.html
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,976 posts)Most fake burgers taste like (and have the consistency of) a mixture of sawdust and moss congealed in a matrix of Elmer's Glue.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)MrScorpio
(73,631 posts)hedgehog
(36,286 posts)MiddleFingerMom
(25,163 posts).
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... in Tucson. I ordered a tempeh burger and BELIEVE (:rofl I said, "Now, THAT... is
a tasty veggie burger!!!"
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I could give up burgers for this -- though I've not had that effect duplicated since.
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Their "shepherd's pie", however, sucked pink slime.
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becca da bakkah
(426 posts)I make my own version of veggie burgers, which doesn't fall apart, and doesn't taste bland. But I LOVE tempeh for vegetarian Reuben sandwiches. Just thaw and split the block of tempeh in half, then fry one section in oil until golden on all sides.
Add a few squirts of liquid smoke on the tempeh....to replicate the corned beef. Top with melted Swiss cheese, and drained, cooked sauerkraut on toasted rye bread spread with 1000 Island dressing. YUM....with a sour pickle on the side!