Whether you're grilling an Impossible burger, or making the newest style of meatless burger on your stovetop, let's talk about everything related to this fancy edible science creation!
What is an Impossible Burger?
You've likely heard of Impossible Meat, which came on the scene in a big way in 2019 after launching in 2016, and is said to work "just like real beef". That means you don't need to worry about it like you do other meat alternatives — which you know what I mean if you've ever exploded a veggie dog while cooking!
What's the Best Way to Make an Impossible Burger?
To begin with, I take the Impossible burger ground meat out of the fridge and dump it into a large mixing bowl. Then, add a little salt and pepper to the mixture, and combine. It does feel squishy like real meat, and smells a little weird like real meat does, so you can choose to use a spoon here, or your hands. Divide the meat into four equal amounts, and roll into a ball. You'll need to use your hands here, but try to get over the texture, at least it's just plants!
This is for the simplest type of burger, of course. You can add other seasonings before shaping your burgers, but I find these burgers really don't need much jazzing up.
Then, use a flat spatula to press the burgers down into a patty shape before grilling. If you're using the stovetop method, leave them in balls and smash them later. Check out my Instagram reels to see the process of making an Impossible burger in action!
How to Grill an Impossible Burger
Just like grilling beef, it's easy to make a nice, simple burger on the grill. Just get your grill hot (we use charcoal, and don't have a thermometer, I just have my husband tell me when it's ready), and grill for two minutes on each side. Flip with a metal spatula. If you're adding cheese, move the burger off of the flame, add the cheese on top, and let rest in the residual heat of the grill for an additional 60 seconds.
Remove from heat and prepare your burger. As you can see from this cross section, the Impossible burger meat looks like it's cooked medium. However, it is cooked and warm all of the way through and is safe to eat. Also, eating a burger this tall, cut in half is hard.
Cooking an Impossible Burger on the Stovetop
To cook an Impossible burger indoors, you'll need a non-stick frying pan or skillet, a little oil, and a timer. Put the oil in the pan (a very small amount — I like to use a quick blast of Trader Joe's avocado oil spray here), and heat the pan over medium high heat. Once it's nice and hot, put your burger ball on the pan and use a flat spatula to press it down into a patty.
Get the timer going for two minutes to cook the first side, then flip the burger and cook for an additional two minutes on the other side. If you're adding cheese, turn off the heat, add the cheese, and let sit for one minute. If you want extra gooey, melty cheese, cover the pan with a tight fitting lid for this minute.
Remove from heat and prepare your burger. I like mine with lettuce and tomato, Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes. Have you tried an Impossible burger, whether at home or a restaurant?
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