hamburger hamburger hamburger

June 8, 2022 2:09 PM

I want to make and grill all the hamburgers that aren’t beef! Give me your favorite recipes for turkey burgers, chicken, impossible/beyond meat, beans, whatever you like to eat in patty format on a bun that isn’t beef. Thanks!
posted by skycrashesdown to Food & Drink (27 answers total)

I really like the Oh She Glows perfect veggie burgers. The sunflower seeds are a very nice touch.
posted by FencingGal at 2:13 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]

Chicken burgers stuffed with wilted lettuce, sautéed mushrooms, pitted kalamata olives, and feta cheese.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:17 PM on June 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

I've made this veggie burger several times and it is awesome. The recipe as written makes a lot of burger mix, so you might want to halve the quantities. I also find that using a cast-iron skillet really makes a difference to the char and flavour on the patty.
posted by essexjan at 2:25 PM on June 8, 2022

My mother-in-law introduced me to tuna burgers. Tuna from a can, a little mayo and bread crumbs to bind it together, salt, pepper, Old Bay, finely chopped celery. Mold into patties, sauté on a super hot pan with olive oil on each side until nice and brown. Can also use canned salmon and instead of Old Bay, add dill.
posted by cooker girl at 2:27 PM on June 8, 2022 [5 favorites]

These specific Pork Bahn Mi Burgers They have so much flavour, are almost impossible to overcook and the accompaniments are goooooood.
posted by Sweetchrysanthemum at 2:32 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]

For just about any burger - mix in Worcestershire sauce and chopped onion before cooking (you can use steak sauce instead) OR just the sauce and put a slice of onion between two thinner patties.

Sometimes we have to add some breadcrumbs to ground turkey to make it hang together better.
posted by TimHare at 2:33 PM on June 8, 2022

Hamburgers made with ground lamb (lamburgers) are much better than those made with beef. I was introduced to them at a farm-to-table restaurant years ago and changed my allegiance at the first bite.
posted by bricoleur at 2:38 PM on June 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

Kenji’s black bean burger and turkey burger. Both can easily be “prep a ton then freeze” recipes.
posted by supercres at 3:14 PM on June 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

Oh, he did a lamb one too. TIL. (So can’t vouch for recipe, but if the other two are anything to go by, 😗👌.)
posted by supercres at 3:16 PM on June 8, 2022

Turkeyburgers can be weird because turkey is so lean (and often ghostly white) so I often will mix in a small amount of chicken broth, some minced onions (or onion powder), some Worcestershire and will often sprinkle with paprika and chili powder on the outside. Goes well with sharp cheeses but you can also mix bleu or other cheeses in to it.
posted by jessamyn at 3:19 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]

This is maybe kinda boring, but just in case you're looking for easy - Impossible Burger makes frozen patties that are great. They grill pretty much just like a beef burger, and you can do whatever burger you love with them.
posted by nosila at 3:36 PM on June 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

I agree with the lamburgers-are-great sentiment.

Don't forget to season it up with stuff that works well with lamb - smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, or harissa (or zataar) work really well.

Lambburgers also work with mint and feta, because, well, lamb! Or rosemary/garlic/feta.

Since pork is on the menu, things like Impossible Burgers or other ready-made veggie burgers can be substantially elevated by the "veggie burger but with bacon" topping strategy.

I've found that lamb and turkey together in the same burger gets around the leanness-of-the-turkey problem, and is an interesting taste combo to boot. Ground pork and turkey work together, too.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:51 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]

Getting a little further afield: grilled watermelon with goat cheese.
posted by jedicus at 4:04 PM on June 8, 2022

These are really good "crab" cakes.You have to play with the texture a little to get them exactly right but they're amazing.
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:30 PM on June 8, 2022

My wife and I think that this recipe for Salmon Burgers with Avocado Salsa is unbeatable.

We have also, through years of experimentation, perfected our own turkey burger recipe. These are very flavorful and stay juicy ... but I'm not sure how well they'll do on a grill:

1 lb ground turkey (thigh meat if possible)
1 small shallot
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Tamari sauce
¼ tsp garlic powder
⅛ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Chop shallot into small pieces. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Make into patties. Season with additional salt and pepper on one side. Oil cast iron skillet and heat up enough for the oil to shimmer. Add patties salt-and-peppered side down. Sprinkle second side with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 mins then flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Place lid over skillet and cook for another 3 minutes.
posted by /\/\/\/ at 4:38 PM on June 8, 2022

I'm fully obsessed with this Chicky Chickpea Burger recipe that J. Kenji Lopez-Alt wrote up for a kids magazine. It's amazingly easy to put together. Everyone I know that's tried it has loved it, too! YouTube link, with link in the description to PDF recipe download.
posted by rachaelfaith at 4:39 PM on June 8, 2022

Inside-out lamb cheeseburgers with smoked mozzarella.
posted by miles per flower at 4:40 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]

This is applicable to any burger obviously, but it's a game-changer for any vegan "raw" meat product (Beyond, Impossible, etc): brush/spread both sides of the patty with mustard before cooking. This is inspired by In-N-Out's "mustard grilled" option, and it doesn't taste especially mustardy but it chars without burning all the way to bitter. Mustard is actually my go-to for any dry-roasted meat too - lamb roast, tri-tip, etc - and when I'm sous-videing steaks I put a little dab of mustard in the bag with the meat so it's already a little mustardy when I sear it at the end.

Youtube channel Sauce Stache has been refining his vegan burger game for a while, and now has a whole thing that involves making vegan fat to shred into the vegan meat mix to better replicate high-end burger meat: Vegan wagyu burger
posted by Lyn Never at 5:15 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]

Ground pork burgers.

Sweet potato chickpea burgers (not really grillable, they will fall apart).

Ground venison burgers (can be grilled instead of pan-fried/baked).

Chicken burgers with guacamole.

This chicken kofta can easily be shaped into a burger patty instead and grilled/pan-fried or baked.

Lentil burgers (not really grillable, neither are the next 2 vegan burgers).

Mushroom oat burger.

Hickory quinoa burger.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 7:14 PM on June 8, 2022

I don't know how well it would hold up on a grill, but I love The Big Omega Sandwich (salmon burger). I double the recipe and keep some spare in my freezer for emergencies.
posted by LadyOscar at 9:42 PM on June 8, 2022

I love portobello mushrooms, fried or grilled in olive oil with garlic, Italian herbs, pepper and salt. Simple as can be, and works very well.
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:22 AM on June 9, 2022

I happen to like the Impossible burgers made as is. Put it on a bun with some onions and some of your favorite hot sauce and good eating ensues.

I am also partial to a shrimp burger. Shrimp, spices, garlic, a small amount of breadcrumbs or something to bind it and grill. Delicious.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:42 AM on June 9, 2022

I also eat the Morningstar Farms Buffalo Chickn burgers on a bun. Add a slice of onion, some blue cheese and some pickles and enjoy.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:44 AM on June 9, 2022

I don't know how they'd hold up on a grill - they were a little on the fragile side - but I made these bean cakes with chard from the Rancho Gordo site the other night and they were delicious.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:06 AM on June 9, 2022

A few people have mentioned Impossible Burgers. My wife and I have done taste-testing, and we both think that Beyond Burgers taste much better. We buy them in boxes of eight patties, which often seem to be on sale at Wegmans. I like them on an Artesano bun with a bunch of grilled red onions and a good dose of A1 steak sauce. My wife prefers them the traditional way, with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard, and relish.
posted by alex1965 at 4:54 AM on June 9, 2022

Getting a little further afield: grilled watermelon with goat cheese.

I've done this recipe and it works. However, back off on the amount of orange-fennel dressing the recipe indicates. It's way too much.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:22 AM on June 9, 2022

I make outrageously delicious shrimp burgers with a cilantro lime dressing. I’m generally too lazy to bust out the food processer for any prep but this one is worth it. Just don’t over process. I usually whack em in a cast iron pan. You’re welcome!
posted by pmaxwell at 10:15 PM on June 10, 2022