Vegan Burger Binder - Looking for Ideas

[Traces2757]

Yesterday, after deciding that I could save money by making my own vegan burgers, I started experimenting. The results of my first experiment were delicious! In my blender (I really need to get a food processor), I mixed together black beans, garbanzo beans, sunflower seeds,a little dijon mustard, cumin, chili powder, a touch of tabasco, salt, pepper and just a pinch of allspice. The resulting "batter" was like a paste. I let it sit in the fridge for a few hours, then made a patty out of it and fried it in olive oil.

The taste is awesome. But...and you can probably guess what's coming next...during cooking and after cooking, it doesn't hold together very well at all. Does anyone have any ideas for a binder I can add to the batter to make it firmer? I thought of adding a little banana (seriously) to see if that would do it, but haven't tried that yet.

I would love any suggestions!

Tracy

[harpy]

Hello - somebody posted about this site a couple of days back - it has a choice of binders for loaves so perhaps you could try using some of them:

http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html

It's a while since I made a veggieburger but I seem to remember that the advice was to shape the mix into burgers and then chill, it rather than the other way round - I think the idea is that if it chills in burger form it's more likely to hold together, no idea if that actually works though.

[Purple]

Sounds yummy!

Try adding some rolled-oats into the mix, that's what we do.

1 x Mashed tin of kidney beans
Big squirt of tomato puree
Dash of tamari / soya sauce
Tea spoon of smoked paprika (or chilli powder if you don't have it)

Mix all that up in a bowl / paste

Then add some rolled oats until the consistancy is thick and doesn't stick to your hands.

Make burger shapes out of it using your hands then roll them in some flour (we use Rye).

Sorry I don't have more precise measurements :)

Hope the oats help!

[Traces2757]

Thank you for the responses! I don't have any oats but I think I'll pick some up tomorrow. That could work. And I'm off to read that other thread.

Tracy

[johnb]

How about trying some ground flaxseed , if you whisk 1 tablespoon with 3 tablespoons of water in the blender it takes on a consistency very similar to beaten egg. I use it in most of my baking and it works great. I never tried it for binding though but worth a try maybe?

[Daffodil]

http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html


thanks for that link... i've got a lovely recipe to try tomorrow now...can't wait !:-)

[Traces2757]

How about trying some ground flaxseed , if you whisk 1 tablespoon with 3 tablespoons of water in the blender it takes on a consistency very similar to beaten egg. I use it in most of my baking and it works great. I never tried it for binding though but worth a try maybe?


I did end up trying the ground flax seed because I have some. I didn't try mixing it with water first though. I'm going to do that next time. Thanks!

[jennyfedei]

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-prepare-vegan-spicy-black-bean-burgers-166358/

I just found this video recipe online and she even shows how to cook them! They look like they hold up pretty well too!

[Cherry]

I use breadcrumbs in mine.

bean burgers (http://www.parsleysoup.co.uk/getrecipe.php?section=maincourses&recipe=bean_burgers)