Comments on: The Ultimate Umami Burger

By: Hsin

Hsin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:57:56 +0000

Just discovered this fantastic blog! It makes up for my Gourmet subscription that the publisher cancelled.
I love fish sauce but didn’t think of putting it in burgers.
But I have been using anchovy paste as a stealth ingredient in all sorts of other dishes, so now I know I’m on the right track.

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:43:39 +0000

Yes, I’ve been using fish sauce instead of salt for years. It adds a certain depth to my dishes that plain cooking salt can’t equal.

By: White on Rice Couple

White on Rice Couple — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:23:19 +0000

Kim – Yeah my Viet sista! we all love fish sauce!

By: White on Rice Couple

White on Rice Couple — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:20:55 +0000

Scott – oooh, turkey burgers marinated in fish sauce, sounds like a winner!

By: White on Rice Couple

White on Rice Couple — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:19:56 +0000

Seanna- wonderful! Glad you had a last minute (literally) change of plans and tossed the meat back! Fish sauce definitely makes all the difference in the world.

By: White on Rice Couple

White on Rice Couple — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:16:25 +0000

Lynn- just add soy sauce!! This will give nice umami depth too.

By: Seana

Seana — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:01:56 +0000

I read this awhile ago and thought “hmm…interesting”. I was making burgers a couple of weeks ago and remembered the fish sauce after I’d already made the patties, and went back and forth re: should I toss all the meat back after making these perfectly sized and shaped patties, and add the fish sauce or not? I am SO glad I opted to do so! I wasn’t sure how much to put in so I just winged it. Didn’t share with dh what I’d done but while he was eating his burger, he said “wow, this meat is REALLY good, isn’t it?”! I eventually told him what I’d added and now this is the way I’ll prepare burgers all the time. Definitely fantastic and makes all the difference in the world! Thank you!

By: Dale

Dale — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:48:14 +0000

I’m looking at a bottle of Lea & Perrins Worchestershire sayce, a very common burger sesasoning in the USA and the UK.
The ingredients are: vinegar, sugar, salt, ANCHOVIES, tamarind, etc.
I can’t WAIT to try fish sauce on my next burger!

By: HerbyN

HerbyN — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:31:49 +0000

this looks lovely. what a great post. i’m happy that i stumbled across your blog and look forward to monitoring it going forward. and i gotta say a bit about fish sauce… it has been my personal “secret ingredient” for some time. i have some dear friends that are filipinos and they introduced me to this wonderful condiment, and ever since i basically use it instead of worcestershire sauce. i think it has more depth and bite and richness of flavor. a big fan… i also now used many other traditionally asian condiments in my “western” recipes with great success. looking forward to reading more of you “fusion” cooking techniques…

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:23:14 +0000

I have done the same process with Turkey burgers and it was fantastic. I was looking for something to boost the turkey flavor and had decided a umami punch was the answer. I went back and forth between soy and fish sauce, but decided on Fish sauce due to the mild nature of the turkey. I haven’t tried the soy yet, but I will try it in the ground beef.