LOS ANGELES _ Impossible Foods recently released its vegan burger "meat" in Southern California supermarkets as the start of a national retail rollout. It's the meatiest of the meatless meats on the market (though Beyond Meat's product isn't far off and may be arguably healthier), a reasonable choice to bring home if you're looking to eat less meat or if, like me and my kids, the threat of an impending climate emergency makes you want to think more about your eating choices.
After a few rounds of trial and error, I've nailed the formula for the most delicious homemade Impossible burger (and it'll work with the other meatless stuff in the market too). The key is to minimize its texture and maximize its flavor. Here's what you've got to do to make the best plant-based burger.
Use a skillet, not a grill.
You want to deeply brown the patties, so you need the whole patty to hit a hot surface. A grill's grates leave gaps on the patty, plus the "meat" is sticky and may fall apart when flipped.
Form thin patties.
Most restaurants serving Impossible burgers make the patties too thick: the non-beef texture doesn't feel quite right. Instead, pat a 3-ounce ball into a patty the same diameter as your bun. It'll end up one-quarter- to one-third-inch thick.
Sear them in oil.
Some package directions will tell you not to, but you want a deeply browned burger, and scorching-hot oil is the ticket to getting it.
Season after cooking.
This was the biggest revelation: salt releases the faux blood on raw Impossible "meat," causing it to steam in the pan and prevent a crust from forming. After you flip the patty, give the browned side a generous rain of salt and pepper while the other side cooks and the patty's still hot in the pan. You don't need to season the other side.
Lean into the condiments.
Special sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle, the whole shebang: The more texture and flavor you layer into that burger, the easier it is for the "meat" to recede into the pleasure of layers of textures and tastes.
