For Better Beyond Burgers, Marinate The Patties Like Meat
A common misconception about switching to plant-based diets is that you can't enjoy many of the same flavors you did before. The Beyond Burger disproves this. Made of pea protein, coconut oil, and rice protein, this veggie burger mimics the taste and look of beef, down to the beet juice that allows it to "bleed." Since it acts like a real burger, why not marinate it like one?
Beyond Burgers come frozen and pre-shaped, so the natural thing to do is to thaw, season, and then cook the burgers right away. While they're certainly delicious with only a few basic spices, marinating gives them a deeper flavor. Once they thaw, it's easy to break the patties apart, remold them into whatever you want them to be, and season them in between. After breaking them up, load them with the herbs, spices, and marinades of your choosing. Marinate them from 30 minutes to a few hours and then cook them on the grill or stovetop as normal.
Here's how you should marinate your Beyond Burgers
Thaw the patties and then coat them in a marinade of vegetable oil, cayenne, and chili powder to recreate our Hawaiian BBQ Beyond Burger recipe. Use some reserved marinade to brush slices of pineapple, avocado, and poblano peppers and saute them over medium heat. Cook the burgers after marinating for half an hour and serve with a side of crunchy purple cabbage salad.
If you're fond of smash burgers, break the patties apart and mix the "meat" with minced onions, a sprinkle of cheddar, onion powder, paprika, and thyme. Mold them into round balls and let them sit in the fridge for about an hour. While they're marinating, prepare herbed roasted root vegetables as a savory side.
For restaurant-quality patties, marinate burgers in red wine. Add the vino and sugar to a pan to make a red wine reduction. When it cools down, place the patties in a container and pour the wine over them. Let them sit in the fridge for about an hour, and serve with caramelized mushrooms, onions, blue cheese, and a side of truffle fries.