Taste test: supermarket burgers vs homemade
Matt Brady takes on the supermarkets in a burger battle. Who won?
For our latest taste test, we decided to do battle with burgers. After a trip to the shops, team lovefood returned home with own-brand burgers from The Co-op, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Note that we got hold of the ‘mid-range’ own-brand; not the basic range, and not the 'extra special' range.
My challenge? To make my own burgers, and let the office decide which was best: the homemade patties, or the supermarkets’ ready-made versions.
If you want to see how mine were made, watch the video above.
The results
Tesco: 3/10
In last place came Tesco, with a very low score. A couple of people even gave these burgers a rating of 1/10, saying that they were gristly, tasted awful and that the texture was bad too. Some even questioned whether there was any meat in the burger at all. Not good going.
Sainsbury’s: 4.5/10
Sainsbury’s fared slightly better, with positive comments for the texture, but most felt they were a bit plain and overprocessed. The comment that they were ‘slightly grey-looking’ isn't great either.
Co-operative: 5.7/10
The best of the supermarkets, Co-op did alright with a score approaching 6. People liked the “full flavour” and colour, though some weren’t too keen on the texture and grease. Some also disagreed with the flavour comments, saying that it was actually quite bland.
Matt: 6.1/10
Not my finest burger hour. My patties were criticised for being dry, but most people liked the texture, with the notable exception of those who didn’t like onion. I did get some praise for the taste, but I’ll take the feedback and work on texture and seasoning for next time.
What's my excuse?
A tight time constraint did mean that I probably didn’t put all the care in the world into these four unlucky patties, at least that's my justification! But I have proven one thing: even with just five minutes of prep time, it’s possible to make better burgers than the supermarkets.
With a little more time and a few more ingredients, your own burgers will smash supermarket shop-bought for quality and taste.
Five burger recipes for you to try
Go for something different with these lamb burgers, seasoned with black pepper, fresh mint leaves and served in crunchy toasted ciabatta rolls. Top everything off with a dollop of guacamole (try making your own) and serve with marinated olives and a fresh green salad.
Beef chilli burgers
If you fancy a bit more of a kick, mix up beef with sweet chilli sauce, and serve with a bean salad; use any kind you like and season well. Personally, I'd take this a step further and add a light sprinkling of fruity habanero powder or dice up a green chilli to mix in with the meat.
African volcano burgers
If your spice cravings are not yet sated, these marinated burgers left to soak in a spicy, fruity blend of wine, herbs and spices might do the trick. These will take a little longer to make than the rest of the burgers here because of the marinating process, but the results are more than worth the effort.
Throwing the word 'ultimate' around shouldn't be done lightly, but these cheeseburgers look like they're more than up to standard. Gherkins, tomatoes, onions, lettuce and home-made cheese slices. A classic stack of feelgood food.
Veggie burgers
Though touted for kids, these vegetarian patties are as much fun for adults. Potato, cheese, thyme, basil and breadcrumbs make for a nutritious, healthy alternative to meat, and if you do have kids, they'll love helping to make these monsters.
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