My son is allergic. Any good recipes out there that can be a substitution for hamburger?

Question

My son tested allergic to beef and pork, his favorites. Ground turkey and chicken just doesnt seem to be a good replacement in the recipes. Is there something I am doing wrong or is there a way to spice these up better to make them taste better? Any suggestions or recipes would be great. We are on a limited budget, so please keep that in mind. We already do eat alot of chicken, but I am looking for ways to make chili's, hot dishes, etc. as well. Thanks,

Answer 1

My family actually likes the ground turkey better in chili and spaghetti sauce - the meat really seems to absorb the flavor of the sauce better. Ground turkey can be difficult to make a meat loaf with - but it can be done. When I mix up my ground turkey for meatloaf I add 2 eggs instead of one and I add grated Parmesan cheese, a little bit of tomato sauce and oatmeal or breadcrumbs (but I think the real secret is the grated Parmesan cheese). With ground turkey you just have to work with it till you discover what works best for your adjusted recipe.

You can also buy ground lamb (but lamb has a very strong flavor - so it may not go over well with your son - but it is worth a try - maybe even mix ground turkey with the ground lamb and see how that works)

I will search around for some recipes and post them here in a bit for you.


Turkey burgers - (this recipe looks pretty basic for a plain hamburger patty - I have seen a lot of recipes for "doctored up" ground turkey burgers. You can find alot of these "doctored up" ground turkey burger recipes on the internet. What I think about the following recipe is that it is a good basic one - that will come up with a patty that will hold together)


Actually Delicious Turkey Burgers
Submitted by: Trudi Davidoff
Photo by: Allrecipes
"This is a simple and delicious recipe. After making them the first time my husband said 'no more' to beef burgers. These are really good - any cooking method may be used, and they freeze very well. The recipe can also be used for meatballs or meat loaves."

Original recipe yield: 12 burgers.

Prep Time:
15 Minutes
Cook Time:
15 Minutes
Ready In:
30 Minutes
Servings:
12 (change)

INGREDIENTS:

* 3 pounds ground turkey
* 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* 1/4 cup finely diced onion
* 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, seasoned bread crumbs, onion, egg whites, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Form into 12 patties.
2. Cook the patties in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).
http://maindish.allrecipes.com/az/ctllyDlicisTrkyBrgrs.asp

Also try these websites (they are turkey producer recipes - and I am sure they are good, researched recipes)
http://www.butterball.com/en/index.jsp
http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/
http://www.jennieo.com/

PS - when cooking your chili and spaghetti sauce - season well and let simmer for a good while - I promise that the ground turkey will really absorb the good flavors of your suace if allowed to simmer together long enough.

Answer 2

there is meat substitute out there that are just as good as regular hamburger. Morning star products in the frozen department of the store has this. We eat alot of substitute sausage and bacon and they are just as good as the real thing. Like you we too are on a fixed budget. Also you can use some stuff like olive oil and other seasons that might spice it up. beside salt but watch your salt intake.
Now ground chicken and turkey can make good chili and different casserole. I used it when I make a macroroli casserole dish. so hope this helps

Answer 3

Other than another meat I do not believe that there is a true substitution for either beef or pork. Your son will just have to grow accustomed to eating turkey, chicken, and even tofu.

Answer 4

How does he test for fermented soy product like soy sauce (real stuff, not caramel with flavourings) or Miso. These products are used in Asian cooking to give a meaty flavour to foods. A bit of miso in the mix might make the difference (be cautious, these products also tend to be quite salty) A Little goes a long way even if it seems expensive by the pound. You also get it much cheaper and good in Chinese super markets with better selection.

Answer 5

In your grocer's freezer check for veggie burgers. They are made of soy. If you grill them they taste great and you could defrost them and use break them up and use as a meat substitution.

I too have a severely allergic child. While he isn't allergic to any meat or poultry. He is allergic to fish and anything that you would usually use to season with.
I feel for you and the challenges you are facing. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Try venison, goat or possum. If these aren't favorable...try adding some better spices to the chicken and turkey to make it better! I make a chicken chili that no one has ever noticed was not beef....ground your own chicken and turkey too...no lips n toes are in it! hahahaha

Answer 7

We use turkey in chili all the time, oh wait we use pork my bad. Hmmmm sorry I have no suggestions, gosh I hope you can get some good hints here, cooking must be impossible for you right now. If I get any ideas I'll be sure to let you know.

Answer 8

you can use turkey for burgers...ground turkey with some minced onions, adn maybe mix some basic salt and pepper in when you are forming hte patties. the onion works wonders. you could always mother it in ketchup and pickles to make it taste just like a beef burger :)

Answer 9

Try Lick's brand or President's Choice brand veggie burgers (you can thaw them out and crumble them up like ground beef). Also veggie ground round or another kind of textured vegetable protein work very well.

Answer 10

The veggie burgers are actually really good. You can cook them on the grill and make them like you would a regular hamburger. They are a really healthy alternative. I never wanted to try this kind of stuff, but my friend is a vegetarian and got me to try one. I was surprised how good it really was. Try the gardenburger brand.