In the past year, plant-based diets have grown in popularity. People are eating less red meat and more plant-based proteins in their place. This is for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common is that people are switching to a plant-based diet for health reasons. Leading medical organizations recommend we eat less red meat and instead lean towards other sources of protein such as beans and peas. And while it might seem like a strange trend, the increase in plant-based diets is good news for our long-term health. There is no right way to be vegetarian or vegan – what matters most is your philosophy behind this lifestyle choice and how you implement it into your everyday life.
How To Beat Your Meat In A Paper Towel Roll
- Start with a good piece of meat. The key to an authentic vegan burger is using good quality, preferably organic, ground beef. You don’t want to use the cheapest cuts of meat or even something like a veggie burger or veggie patties. What you want is high-quality, grass-fed beef that is not overly processed and has not been overly seasoned. Think about what you might put on your hamburger bun: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mustard for example.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 175 degrees Celsius). This will help the burgers cook evenly and more quickly.
- Lay out all of your ingredients in order on paper towels or towels in a bowl:
- Take the meat out of the fridge and let it sit for 20 minutes so it can warm up slightly – this will speed up cooking time by about 20%. If you are using pre-ground meat make sure to let it warm up to room temperature before you start cooking.
- Take your oven-safe baking dish and line it with aluminum foil – this will help the burgers cook more evenly since they will be sitting on the foil as opposed to directly on the pan.
- Take your meat out of the fridge and pat it dry with paper towels so that any water has been removed from its surface.
- Place a small amount of oil on a plate, add the burger patties and then use your hands to gently press them into the oil, coating them well on all sides. Once you have coated them all evenly, place them back in your fridge for 10 minutes to let any excess oil drain off – this will help prevent sogginess when you cook them later on in step 9. If you are using pre-ground meat make sure to let it warm up to room temperature before you start cooking as well as pat it dry with paper towels so that it.
- Put the meat in a bowl and mix in your seasonings: salt, pepper, spices (garlic powder, onion powder, or whatever you are into), and any other seasoning you prefer or have on hand.
- Take the desired amount of meat from the bowl and form it into a patty that is about 1/2-1 inch thick.
- Place your patty onto the foil-lined baking dish and put it in the oven for about 15 minutes – flipping once during this time so both sides cook evenly. If you are using pre-ground meat make sure to let it warm up to room temperature before cooking since those cuts of beef will be cold when they go into the oven.
What’s The Difference Between A Vegetarian And Vegan Diet?
- Take one piece of your meat and make a patty about a half-inch thick. You can also buy pre-made patties if you are in a rush, but it’s better to make your own as they tend to be more authentic tasting and will be less processed.
- Take one piece of bread – preferably whole wheat – and tear off a small piece that is about an inch in diameter (if you don’t have whole wheat bread use white bread instead). Put the piece on the countertop and take your meat patty out of the fridge and place it on top of it so that the patty is centered between the two pieces of bread. The idea is to create a barrier between the patty and any excess moisture in your oven or microwave so that it doesn’t get soggy from moisture as it cooks. You’ll want to press down on both sides to help hold everything together for cooking.
- Take your pre-ground beef and form it into a patty about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick – this will help the burgers cook faster and more evenly. If you are using pre-ground meat, you can skip this step, but keep in mind that the burger will not brown as well if you skip this step.
- Place your burger on the baking dish, making sure to push it down so that it is completely flat on the pan – this will help with cooking evenly and more quickly. You may want to do this in two batches to avoid overcrowding your pan or making too much food at once if you are only making one or two burgers at a time (this can be done with a smaller baking dish).
- Place the baking dish on a cutting board or another sturdy surface so that it is sitting at a 45-degree angle from horizontal – this will help keep the burgers from sitting upright on their grease surface.
- Take your breadcrumbs and set them aside.
- Take a large spoonful of the meat and place it in the middle of the paper towel roll – make sure you have about ½ cm (or about 1/4 inch) on both sides of the meat so that it doesn’t get too compacted or dough-y when pressed down. You should be able to fit about 2 tablespoons into each paper towel roll. You can do more or less depending on how big your rolls are, but don’t make them any bigger than they need to be!
- Using a pastry brush, coat one side of each piece of meat with some olive oil (make sure it is not too much – you don’t want them to be dripping in oil). This will help with browning, but also add flavor to the burgers as well as help keep them from sticking together during cooking time.
Why Should You Go Plant-Based?
- Start by making a patty: take a heaping tablespoon of each ingredient and place them in the center of your palm.
- Form your patty into a ball and gently flatten it out with your hand so that it is about 3/4 inch thick. You can also use a rolling pin or even the palm of your hand if you don’t have any other utensils to help you with this step.
- Place the patty on the aluminum foil-lined baking dish and make sure that it is not touching any sides of the pan – this will help prevent sticking from forming on the bottom of your burger as it cooks (this is also why you want to line your pan with aluminum foil).
- Take one piece of lettuce, one slice of tomato, one slice of onion, one pickle, and some vegan mayonnaise (optional) and place them in a row on top of each burger patty so that they cover all sides evenly. Make sure not to overlap anything when doing this or it will just taste like bologna! For example: If there is only enough room for nine burgers in your pan, then you should make seven burgers plus two surfaces. This will help with the cooking process and will also help the burgers cook more evenly.
- Take your baking dish and line it with paper towels – this will absorb any excess grease that might drip out of your burgers during cooking.
- Take your meat patty and put it in the middle of the paper towel-lined baking dish – you want to make sure the patty is not touching any other ingredients, so make sure you have extra space around it. This will prevent the burger from sticking to any other ingredients, which can affect its overall consistency and taste.
- Take a small handful of bread crumbs and add them to the center of each patty – use as little as possible because you don’t want a lot of bread crumbs or they might get soggy later on in cooking time. If you are using pre-ground meat, then simply add them directly to the center of each patty before putting it into the oven-safe baking dish for cooking time.
Tips For Making The Switch
- Take a handful of your favorite buns and flatten them out with your hands to make an even layer on the pan.
- Take a handful of your favorite toppings – lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mustard for example – and place them in the same fashion as you did with the buns so that they are piled on top of one another in an even layer.
- Take your meat out of the fridge and pat it dry again with paper towels so that any water has been removed from its surface. This helps the burgers cook faster and more evenly since they will be sitting on top of the toppings instead of directly on top of the foil-lined pan (which would cause them to steam).
- Put a few pats of butter or olive oil on both sides of each burger (about 2 parts per burger) so that each side is well-greased when it goes into the oven to prevent sticking. Put each burger onto one side at a time, making sure to press down firmly as you go so that it isn’t too loose or too tight (this will also help ensure your burgers are surface.
- Add any additions to your meat: onions, pickles, mustard, lettuce, tomato, and ketchup (if desired).
- Now you are ready to cook your burgers! Divide the meat into even-sized portions – the size of each burger will depend on the size of your baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until you see that they have turned a nice golden brown color. Flip them over and bake for another 20 minutes or until they are cooked through. It might take longer depending on how large your portion is and how much moisture is in it from the condiments you added to it.
- Remove from oven and serve warm with any condiments you prefer (mustard, ketchup, etc.).
Conclusion
Going on a plant-based diet is easier than ever before thanks to modern advancements in food technology and eating styles. You can get all of the nutrients you need from a plant-based diet, and you can eat a wide variety of foods while still being healthy. It’s important to plan your meals and make sure you’re getting enough protein, and you can also take supplements if you’re worried about getting enough protein. Making the switch to a plant-based diet can be a challenge, but the benefits can be worth it.