Hillstone's Veggie Burger

When it comes to veggie burgers, flavorful isn’t usually the first adjective that comes to mind. Hillstone's (formerly Houston's) has long been the exception to this.

Photo Credit: DishBlogger.com

While meatless burgers have come a long way, they have yet to catch up to the chain's long-standing signature (the first time I tried it was 15 years ago). So mouthwatering an experience, it never occurred to me to try and replicate it myself. But thanks to my culinarily curious and talented fiancé Steve, I'm discovering the fun of broadening my home cooking horizons. What better way to do so than by attempting to recreate a favorite restaurant dish?

A quick Google search and I found a recipe on Food.com. At first glance, the main ingredients don’t seem like they would form a tasty mixture – brown rice, oat bran, beans, beets. Rest assured the whole is more delicious than the sum of its parts. What brings it all together and gives it the zing noticeably absent from most veggie burgers -- hickory barbecue sauce. I used Newman’s Own.

The recipe is rated four of five stars by users. It falls short in two areas – preparation time and execution. Food.com recommends egg whites for binding, and grilling burgers for only 2 minutes per side. I found that you really need the yolk to hold the patties together. It takes 10-12 minutes to sufficiently brown each side and give the patties a burger-like consistency. Definitely plan for more time in the kitchen than the stated 30 minutes. Between the longer grilling time and cooking the rice, it took me closer to an hour. Well worth it, though, for a delicious, guilt-free burger that does Hillstone’s proud.