Asian Burger Recipe - Eating Richly (2024)

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Asian Burger Recipe - Eating Richly (1)

Umami. Say it with me…Oo-mom-ee. That’s right, the oh so desirable savory taste that needed it’s own Umami International Symposium in Hawaii to ensure it’s recognition as one of the basic tastes. Once the subject of controversy, it’s now widely accepted and is available in so many natural forms. This Asian burger recipe uses 3 different umami ingredients, and I’ve actually been told more than once that this is the BEST burger recipe ever! It’s the perfect way to celebrate summer holidays in your backyard.
There are a lot of umami burger recipes, in fact there’s umami burger restaurants and they even have an umami burger truck! Umami burger ingredients vary from one recipe to another, but the good recipes all have one thing in common, quality ground beef. I like my burgers fat and juicy with a strong beef flavor that is enhanced by the other ingredients mixed in rather than covered up. We buy our beef in bulk from a local farm which means we get all natural grass fed beef for just $3 a pound, that’s ground beef and tenderloin steaks!

I can’t buy ground beef in the store anymore because it just doesn’t taste as good! BUT, if you are using store bought ground beef for your homemade burgers, adding some umami CAN help up the flavor factor.

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I like to mix in fish sauce, miso paste and tomato paste when I’m making a hamburger. All three are very strong sources of savory goodness. Fish sauce is easy to find at any Asian grocery store. Just make sure to get a lighter colored sauce, the dark ones are poor quality. Three crabs is a great brand.

Miso paste can be a little tougher. It took me a while to find because the labels were never in English. Asking an employee can help, but if you’re desperate you can always buy miso paste online. I’ll be sharing more miso paste recipes in the future, it’s for more than just soup! Don’t worry, if you can only get fish sauce and tomato paste, skip the miso paste and you’ll still get a tasty burger.

This past Monday we had a GREAT time at the City of Auburn’s July 4th Festival. I was in charge of the multicultural stage and we had some amazing singing, dancing and instrumental performances by Japanese, Ukranian, Russian, Latino, South American, Samoan and Filipino groups. I had such a fun day and was so honored to emcee the event.

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These adorable girls were part of the Seattle Matsuri Taiko group. They kicked the day off with an incredible drumming demonstration.

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The beautiful ladies here are a part of the Samoan community in Auburn.

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Several of them did some amazing dances at the Festival. The heart of this island girl was filled with joy and homesickness as I watched them.

Okay, I’m curious, what are your favorite burger toppings?

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Yield: 4-5 burgers

ASIAN UMAMI BURGER RECIPE

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Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 TBS miso paste
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 TBS tomato paste
  • 1 tsp agave syrup (or honey)
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, use your hands to mix all the ingredients together.
  2. Divide into four to five patties.
  3. Grill 5-8 minutes on each side until internal temperature is 140-150. (Or pan fry on high)
  4. Serve on hamburger buns or dinner rolls with your favorite condiments.

Notes

Approximate cost/serving: The beef was $3, with all the other ingredients it came out to just $3.70 for 5 small burgers. That’s not including the bun or condiments. With those it cost me only $5. It helps that I make my own pickles and grow my own lettuce. So as a meal it was just$1 per serving.

Gluten Free:Some miso paste contains barley or wheat. If the ingredients aren’t in English try asking an employee if wheat or barley are listed. Or you can skip the miso paste to be safe and add another tsp fish sauce. Just make sure to serve on a gluten free roll!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 330Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 383mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 32g

Nutrition information is an estimate only.

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Nutritional and cost information is for estimating purposes only, and subject to variations due to region, seasonality, and product availability.

Asian Burger Recipe - Eating Richly (2024)

FAQs

What is the perfect burger ratio? ›

What you are looking for when you purchase your meat is a good fat ratio. The golden rule of burgers is in the vicinity of 70/30 meat/fat to 80/20. Just ensure there is a good amount of visible fat.

Is it better to grill or pan fry burgers? ›

Pan-frying: If you're looking for a rich-tasting, perfectly seared burger, using a skillet to cook your burger is the best bet. While you won't get the smoky flavor of a grill, a pan-fried burger will have a lot of caramelization and a better beef flavor from the direct heat of a skillet.

How to make burgers taste better? ›

Look for the Perfect Ratio of Meat to Fat

For well-cooked burgers, go with 75% meat to 25% fat, because they'll be cooked longer and you don't want a tough burger. For most people, an 80% / 20% balance is just right. Using a charcoal grill delivers delicious flavor.

What makes a burger so tasty? ›

The best burgers offer a combination of tastes and textures – sweet, sour, salt – with a bit of crunch. The patty needs to be juicy, the bun soft but sturdy, and you want the meat/bun/accompaniment ratio to be even from first to last bite. Then you can add to your heart's content.

What is the 5 6 7 rule for burgers? ›

Cooking Your Burgers

The 5-6-7 rule is basically as follows: Rare burgers only require around 5 minutes on each side. Medium-rare burgers with a red and warm center will take about 6 minutes on each side. Medium-done burgers usually require approximately 7 minutes to achieve that pink, warm center.

What is the 80 20 rule for burgers? ›

It's usually ground chuck at a ratio of 80% lean beef to 20% beef fat. That ratio is ideal for making homemade burger patties because it has enough fat to keep the burgers moist without falling apart or causing flareups on your grill.

Do you put eggs in burgers? ›

Egg yolk acts as a binder and adds flavor

After forming it into a patty, he explains that the egg actually helps bind the meat together, and adds an incredibly rich flavor to the burger patty. As a good rule of thumb, it's best to add one yolk per pound of ground beef.

How does Guy Fieri cook his burgers? ›

Heat a flat-top grill or cast iron pan over very high heat. Form the ground beef into a tight ball and season with salt. Place hamburger ball on grill to sear for 45 seconds, then flatten with a heavy spatula to about ⅓ inch thickness. Cook for 90 seconds to develop a crust on the first side of the bottom.

Is it better to cook burgers fast or slow? ›

Constant turning will toughen and dry out the meat, and if you flip too soon, burgers will stick. Cook two minutes per side for rare, three minutes for medium-rare, four minutes for medium, and five minutes for well-done.

Does Mcdonalds grill or fry their burgers? ›

McDonald's burgers are made of 100% ground beef, formed into hamburger patties, and then quickly frozen at our suppliers to seal in great fresh flavor. We add salt and pepper to our burgers when they are cooked on the grill at our restaurants to bring out all that great beef taste. * Weight before cooking 4 oz. (ea.)

What is the best skillet for burgers? ›

Burger chefs and aficionados can likely agree on one thing—a cast iron skillet is the best tool for making diner-style smash burgers at home. The key to a great burger is the Maillard reaction: this is the chemical process that gives well-browned foods their delicious flavor.

What is the most important thing in a burger? ›

Get the meat to fat ratio right

It's literally the most important aspect of a good burger. Ideally your meat will have an 80 percent meat to 20 percent fat split – that's the magic ratio for burgers that melt in your mouth without falling apart in your hands.

What makes a burger stand out? ›

Great burger restaurants use high quality ingredients. Sauces and other ingredients have lots of flavor that can make up for less flavorful low quality meats, making it tempting to cut corners. However, using good meat and the right spices can enhance every burger even if it's lathered in a million flavorful sauces.

What not to do when making burgers? ›

The less you handle your ground meat, the better. Mushing it causes the proteins to get worked up, and that makes your burgers less tender. So for the best burgers, don't do ANYTHING to it before you shape the meat it into patties. Don't dump it in a bowl to add seasoning — not even salt and pepper — and mix it around.

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