Several years ago the Mushroom Council started a campaign to encourage mixing mushrooms with ground beef, turkey, or lamb to create a "Blended Burger".
The idea is to mix the ground meat of your choice with chopped mushrooms in the ratio of your choice. The suggested ratio is 1/4% chopped mushrooms to 3/4 % meat. The mushrooms can be roasted or sauteed before adding to the mix. The "movement" gained celebrity status when the James Beard Foundation held a chef's competition for the best "Blended Burger". The entries were amped up and fun - black garlic aioli or charred ramp mayo, anyone? The recipes are online if you are looking for inspiration. A personal favorite was the "Goomba Burger". I was a judge in Sutter Home's "Build a Better Burger" contest one year and it definitely opened my mind to extravagant burger possibilities. This year is the 30th anniversary of that contest and you can check out those entries online for inspiration as well. The blended burger is a great idea! It has the benefit of additional savory umami flavor. The burgers are juicier and the amount of meat consumed is reduced. Mushrooms are an earth-friendly, renewable crop. They need very little space to grow and very little water. We have Mycopia Mushrooms in Sebastopol, so you can buy local. I have well-sourced information that this recipe works perfectly as an Impossible Burger/Slider too. That should cover everyone's options!Blended Grass-Fed Beef Sliders with McEvoy Ranch Smoky Sweet Tomato Jam
Serves 8 as sliders, 4 as burgers
Ingredients 1/2 pound mushrooms, I used Baby Bellas 1/8 tsp. Kosher salt 2 Tbsp. McEvoy Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 pound grass-fed beef, Stemple Creek is a good local option 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground 4 oz. Pt. Reyes Farmstead Toma, shredded 2 oz. baby salad greens 4 Tbsp. McEvoy Ranch Smoky Sweet Tomato Jam 8 slider buns or Focaccia cut into 4" x 4" squares Directions- Roughly chop mushrooms or pulse in a food processor.
- Saute chopped mushrooms in olive oil with salt until moisture is reabsorbed and mushrooms are aromatic. Set aside to cool.
- Mix cooled mushrooms gently with ground beef, salt, and pepper.
- Form into 8 - 2.75 oz. sliders.
- Grill or saute until the internal temperature is 160 F.
- Grill or toast buns.
- Place 1/2 Tbsp. tomato jam on the bottom of each bun, top with burger, add cheese and lettuce, and the top of the slider bun.
