After a long day of doing absolutely nothing under the summer sun—or perhaps getting more active outdoors than you’ve been for months—you’ll probably want a straightforward dinner solution that’s both delicious and digestible for everyone. Thank goodness for the gluten-free burger! Your gluten-intolerant fellow diners will be thrilled by more than the mere fact that they can chew along with you— these days, gluten-free bread tastes good!
Gluten’s favourite hiding places
Abdominal cramping and discomfort are but two unfortunate symptoms gluten-sensitive folks may suffer after eating something that contains the ingredient, which is a grain-based protein found in wheat, oats, barley, rye, and triticale. It’s often hidden in all kinds of processed foods as well, including bread, pasta, pastries, beer, and glucose syrup.
Frequently used as a texturizing agent, gluten can be detected in the most unexpected of places:
- bouillon cubes
- commercial sauces
- packaged ham
- light dairy products
- ready-to-eat meals
- and so on.
Luckily today, the gluten-free product offering is bigger and tastier than ever!
A flavour-packed—but gluten-free—burger recipe
Wowing the people around your table does not have to mean spending hours in the kitchen. To take your burgers to the next level, all you need to do is add colourful, high-quality condiments and toppings that add flavour and dimension.
You can contrast salty, sweet, vinegary, spicy, and crunch with this gluten-free burger with kimchi recipe, for instance, and when you choose fresh or frozen grass-fed beef balls by 8Acres, it’s hard to miss the mark. Post grill, baste in gluten-free hoisin by Premier Japan, with its sweet, salty, and spicy melange of flavours. Then, place your delicious creation on Udi’s gluten-free bread and top with Tout cru kimchi mixed with a salad of kale, ribboned Lebanese cucumbers, and Picoudi microgreens. A dollop of mayonnaise and you’re done!
Even chips are on the table
Good news everybody: most chips are naturally lacking in gluten, being forged from ingredients such as potatoes and corn. Another point for team gluten-free! Terra’s blue potato chips with sea salt will draw you in with their gorgeously unique colour and keep you snacking with one-of-a-kind flavour. Plus, they contain less fat and salt that the most popular brands, so this gluten-free snack is totally guilt-free, too.
But what is a summer chip without an ice-cold drink, i.e., a refreshing beer. Good news announcement #2: Glutenberg has quite the selection of gluten-free options, so you can enjoy an award-winning blonde, IPA, pale ale, red, white, or stout.
Gluten-free bread: broadening your flavour horizons
The world of gluten-free products can really steer you in the direction of new culinary adventures. Breads that don’t contain the protein are made from cereals, grains, and other flours that you’ll rarely find in traditional recipes. For instance: buckwheat, brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, and ground flaxseed will all take you for a gustatory ride while still delivering the soft and chewy textures you’ve come to love.
Condiments: naturally gluten-free
From the traditional to the most over the top, many of the condiments used to enhance your burger tend to be free of gluten, meaning all kinds of ketchups, mayos, relishes, BBQ sauces, pickles, marinated peppers, pestos, chimichurris, caramelized onions, tapenades, and coleslaws will be safe for everyone to slip between a couple of buns. That said, always double check the packaging and the ingredients to make sure that there’s not a single trace of gluten—and you’ll know for sure when you spot one of the two well-known gluten-free certification logos.
Mustard alert: certain varieties and brands may contain traces of gluten.
Crumbling for breadcrumbs!
Adding breadcrumbs to ground beef is a popular way to make burger patties more tender and flavourful. If you’ve got a bit of stale gluten-free bread handy, you can make your own! First, cut it up in cubes and dehydrate in the oven at 275 °F (135 °C) until it’s completely free of moisture. Next, let your dried bread cool and then grind in the food processor, adding in dried herbs and spices that you fancy (think Italian seasoning), plus salt and pepper. Keep your homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs in a sealed container—that way you’ll have them ready when burger time inevitably rolls around. And don’t forget the egg, which will bind your patties and make them even more tender!
