At last! A homemade cruelty-free burger with the appearance, flavor and texture of real ground beef hamburgers! This recipe yields 6 burgers.
For burgers with a uniform appearance, you will need a 3 and ½-inch ring mold. The burgers can also be shaped free-form if desired.
Technique:
Place a stainless steel wire rack on a baking sheet and line the rack with parchment paper. This will provide a layer of air between the rack and the baking sheet which will prevent the bottom of the burgers from over-browning.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Stir together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
To shred the onion, cut the top and bottom from a large onion and peel away the outer layer. Shred the onion from the top or bottom end (which helps keep the rings from separating), using the largest holes on a box grater. Shred enough pulp to fill ¼ cup, including as much of the onion liquid as possible. Add the wet pulp to the other liquid ingredients in a separate bowl or measuring cup and stir.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir just until the ingredients are combined. Do not overwork the dough as the dough will become elastic and the burgers will be difficult to shape. The dough will be soft, wet and at saturation; this is necessary for producing the proper texture.
Divide the dough in the bowl into roughly 6 equal portions (divide the dough in half and each half into thirds).
Pick up a piece of dough and form it into a ball in your hands. Lay the ring mold on a work surface and press the ball of dough to fill the ring. If you don’t have a mold, simply press and shape the burgers free-form with your fingers.
Place the burgers onto the parchment paper and cover the baking sheet with foil. Crimp the edges to seal the foil around the baking sheet and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet and let the burgers cool with the foil cover in place. When sufficiently cool, remove the foil and transfer and stack the burgers on the foil. Fold to create a package and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, or for up to 10 days, before grilling. Chilling will firm and enhance the burger texture. The burgers can also be wrapped in the foil between layers of wax paper or parchment paper and frozen for up to 3 months; just be sure to thaw the completely before grilling.
To grill the burgers on the stove, oil a non-stick skillet or grill pan and place over medium heat. Brush the burgers with liquid smoke or your favorite sauce, if desired, and pan-sear them until nicely browned. For outdoor grilling, brush the burgers with cooking oil and then liquid smoke or your favorite sauce, if desired. Grill over hot embers or a medium gas flame until grill marks appear. Avoid overcooking. Serve with your favorite condiments.
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