On Episode 22 of Season 25 of America’s Test Kitchen, Test Cook Lan Lam prepared Mushroom-Beef Blended Burgers for Host Julia Collin Davison.
Why This Works: A blended burger is a great option for those who want to eat less beef but still want the experience of eating a deeply savory, juicy, meaty-textured patty because it replaces a portion of the beef with mushrooms. Our version started with 12 ounces of inexpensive and readily available white mushrooms. We processed them to a paste and microwaved the paste to remove enough excess moisture to allow the burgers to cook up juicy but not wet. We then used a food processor to combine the mushroom paste with 80 percent lean ground beef, which was important to ensure that these burgers tasted meaty. (Beef fat contains the aromatic compounds that give the meat its characteristic flavor.) Adding salt to the beef and then mixing it with the mushrooms in a food processor developed a sturdy myosin network that held the patties together. Cooking the patties to 135 to 165 degrees ensured that they had a firm — not floppy — texture.
Before You Begin: We strongly prefer 80 percent lean ground beef for this recipe; the fat adds beefy flavor. In step 4, if all of the patties do not fit in the skillet, start by cooking three patties until they shrink slightly, about 2 minutes, before adding the remaining patty. To achieve the tender, cohesive texture of an all-beef burger at your preferred level of doneness, cook these 10 degrees higher than you would an all-beef patty. Serve with your favorite burger toppings.
Makes 4 Burgers
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed
1 pound 80 percent lean ground beef, broken into rough 1½-inch pieces
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
½-2 teaspoons pepper
1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
4 slices American, Swiss, or cheddar cheese (optional)
4 hamburger buns, toasted
TO PREPARE
STEP ONE. Process mushrooms in the food processor until smooth paste forms (paste will resemble thick oatmeal), scraping down the sides of bowl as needed, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and cover, (DO not wash out processor bowl.)
STEP TWO. Microwave mushrooms until liquid released begins to boil, about 3 minutes, stirring halfway through. (Do not walk away during final minute; mushrooms could boil over.) Transfer mushrooms to large fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Using spatula, press on the mushrooms to extract ½-cup liquid (of more than ½ cup is removed, stir extra liquid back into mushrooms). Discard liquid and return mushrooms to bowl. Refrigerate mushrooms until room temperature, about 20 minutes.
STEP THREE. Return mushrooms to processor bowl. Add beef and salt and process until mixture is uniform and begins to pull away from sides of bowl, about 20 seconds. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties that are about 4½ inches in diameter. Sprinkle both sides of each patty with pepper. (Patties can be refrigerated overnight or tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month; if frozen, thaw before cooking.)
STEP FOUR. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Transfer patties to skillet and cook until well browned on both sides and burgers register 135 degrees (for medium-rare) or 155 degrees (for medium-well), 6 to 10 minutes. If using cheese, place 1 slice on each burger 1 minute before burgers finish cooking. Transfer burgers to plate and let rest for 5 minutes, then transfer to buns and serve.
