What is the "spice" in spice burgers

rubadub

Anybody have a recipe or at least know or guess some of the herbs & spices that are in Walsh's spiceburgers? The smell is very distinctive but I haven't a clue what it is. (and yes I know it is junk and many despise the smell!)

The ingredients have meat, breadcrumbs and just "herbs & spices", no listing of what anything is.



http://www.walshfamilyfoods.ie/chilled_spiceburger.html

oblivious

MSG:D

Sorry its been a while since I have had one

the beer revolu

I'd imagine the spices used are something like what are used for spiced beef (I've never had a spice burger but for some reason that the taste is something similar)
Here's the ingredients for spiced beef.

• 2½-3 kgs (5-6 lbs) eye of the round, topside or silverside of beef
• 75g (3 oz) brown sugar
• 25g (1 oz) black peppercorns
• 12g (½ oz) allspice berries
• 25g (1 oz) juniper berries
• 12g (½ oz) ground cloves
• 12g (½ oz) salt
• 12g (½ oz) saltpetre (available from pharmacies)

You could probably leave out the saltpetre and juniper berries

Am I close??

Tree

not by a long shot i'd reckon. spiced beef doesnt taste like spice burgers. spice burgers are mostly bready yokes, very nice in a roll w/ butter

Frisbee

Tree wrote: »

not by a long shot i'd reckon. spiced beef doesnt taste like spice burgers. spice burgers are mostly bready yokes, very nice in a roll w/ butter

Agreed!
Dont know anyone besides me but my mam who likes them though...

rubadub

oblivious wrote: »

MSG:D

No MSG in them actually!

They are not much like spiced beef, but thanks for the tip.

Spice burgers are in nearly every chipper, I am always surprised at the amount of people who have never had them, yet if you ask if they ever had a batter burger it's "of course I have!"

They stink the fridge out too if not wrapped up right after opening. Many presume they are veggie since there is no blood and they do look like stuffing.

I think a stuffing recipe is the closest you could get, that is what they most remind me of, proper stuffing with sausage meat, though they use beef.

Must be one or 2 herbs that make up the bulk of the taste, might have to start raiding the press and sniffing out herbs.

Alun

Count me as one whose never even heard of them let alone eaten one. I've never had a batter burger either, I value my health too much

I'd imagine the spices are there to cover up the fact that were it not for them, it'd taste like warmed up cardboard.

_blank_

Next person to dis the awsomeness of Spice Burgers is banned.

They are particularly nice in a fry.

The Sweeper

I always thought spice burgers were meat-free? Or at least any of the ones I've ever had at a chipper were basically like a stuffing cake, flattened, egg-washed and crumbed and then deep fried.

_blank_

[QUOTE=Minesajackdaniels;57304672]I always thought spice burgers were meat-free? Or at least any of the ones I've ever had at a chipper were basically like a stuffing cake, flattened, egg-washed and crumbed and then deep fried.[/QUOTE]

So did I, until I tried to give them to my veggie gf, she pointed to the ingredients.

rubadub

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

I always thought spice burgers were meat-free? Or at least any of the ones I've ever had at a chipper were basically like a stuffing cake, flattened, egg-washed and crumbed and then deep fried.

I had a veggie mate who thought they were too, it is right there on the pack, no secret and in the link I gave, they come from the one company, I have never seen a chipper make their own, but perhaps some might. It is a narrow thick burger with red breadcrumbs, some cut them in 2, the pack says to cut them in 2 and fry.

They are about 60% meat I think, so it is like proper christmas stuffing with sausage meat. This is why I think it odd more do not like them, some I know would point blank refuse to try them! It is just like a stuffing burger I suppose.

oblivious

rubadub wrote: »

No MSG in them actually!.

Now that's a surprise

rubadub wrote: »

They are about 60% meat I think, so it is like proper christmas stuffing with sausage meat. This is why I think it odd more do not like them, some I know would point blank refuse to try them! It is just like a stuffing burger I suppose.

Maybe they where a little dubious on the source/type/quality of the meat in them

rubadub

oblivious wrote: »

Maybe they where a little dubious on the source/type/quality of the meat in them

I would say half them don't know there is meat in them! Even if they do they would have no problem eating stuffing with equally dubious sausage meat in them.

I think it is more that they look like junk food (and are TBH, but so is stuffing so), but maybe more that appear for kids, or just too cheapy for their "high class tastes". My sister refuses to buy ketchup yet eats it on the sly all the time. I remember her having a BBQ and having no ketchup out, all these fancy ballymaloe and M&S sauces were out, I brought the heinz ketchup out and all her mates were lashing into it, much to her disgust!

oblivious

You have to have ketchup at a BBQ, I do like ballymaloe relish but ketchup is a must

the beer revolu

Tree wrote: »

not by a long shot i'd reckon. spiced beef doesnt taste like spice burgers. spice burgers are mostly bready yokes, very nice in a roll w/ butter

Well, if anyone fancies making spiced beef???

oblivious

the beer revolu wrote: »

Well, if anyone fancies making spiced beef???

Christmas is coming:p

rubadub

oblivious wrote: »

Christmas is coming:p

hmmm, stuff the auld turkey with a couple of 6 packs of Walsh's Finest :pac:

Tree

genius, absolute genius. throw a load of butter in though, they can get a bit dry

Phoenix3

Not sure where 60% meat content comes from in earlier thread (don't know how to quote)

I always assume they are a healthier option than sausages not that that makes them good for you.

Roll on Sat. morning for brekkie!

rubadub

Phoenix3 wrote: »

Not sure where 60% meat content comes from in earlier thread (don't know how to quote)

do you also think they are veggie?

Just read the packet!, there is no secret! there is definitely meat in walshes brand spiceburgers, and it clearly states the % of meat on the ingredients list. I have never got a non-walshes spiceburger in a chipper, but of course some could possibly make them.

rubadub

Bumping this now they are no longer available. Surely somebody has some idea?

Carawaystick

I'd assume it's similar spices to white pudding, probably with more pepper.

Red Sleeping Beauty

Does anyone know the state of play with their recipe ? Do they have some kind of patent or copyright on it ? Will they/could they sell the recipe on ?

rubadub

Alan Rouge wrote: »

Does anyone know the state of play with their recipe ? Do they have some kind of patent or copyright on it ? Will they/could they sell the recipe on ?

It is patented, and my brother heard on the radio that Big Als might make them, sounds the perfect choice as both brands have very similar products. But big als is all frozen I think. I think Walshes did have packs of frozen spiceburgers in recent years.

Red Sleeping Beauty

Are Big Al's Irish ?
I'd prefer non-frozen ones to be honest but I wonder was that part of the cost of them ? Cause they were fairly pricey for a 6pack in comparison to other similar foods that were frozen. But on the upside, every few months there'd be a sale on near-out of date ones.

Zamboni

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106594881312

CJhaughey

rubadub wrote: »

My sister refuses to buy ketchup yet eats it on the sly all the time. I remember her having a BBQ and having no ketchup out, all these fancy ballymaloe and M&S sauces were out, I brought the heinz ketchup out and all her mates were lashing into it, much to her disgust!

LOL, thats brilliant, A dinner partay BBQ.

jdivision

Neither a spice burger nor a batter burger has passed these lips. Feel like I missed out on spice burgers having read the thread. Will never eat a batter burger. Sick.

Snowie

i never noticed anything in them to be honest they where'nt that nice... dry peace's of sausage meet i thought.

admiralofthefleet

Des wrote: »

Next person to dis the awsomeness of Spice Burgers is banned.

They are particularly nice in a fry.

cut them in half and deep fry them they taste even better then

What exactly IS a batter burger? I have never been curious enough to actually order one.

oblivious

[quote=[Deleted User];60882901]What exactly IS a batter burger? I have never been curious enough to actually order one.[/QUOTE]

A burger (meat) in batter!

neuro-praxis

If you're going to try a batter burger, go to the East End takeaway in Lucan for one. They're amazing. And kind of gross. :pac:

rubadub

oblivious wrote: »

A burger (meat) in batter!

Yep, just like a fish in batter, or a batter sausage is the same idea. You can get fresh batter burgers in tesco now, €2 for 6, really nice but loaded with fat.

My local Chinese does batter burgers & batter sausages, the batter is the same they use on chicken balls, and the sausage is more like white pudding.

It even recommended slicing spice burgers in half on the pack, or if deep frying at least cutting deep into them. Dunno why they were not sold ready sliced or just half as thick with twice as many (i.e. coating all around them, not just sliced)

joseph brand

rubadub wrote: »

I would say half them don't know there is meat in them! Even if they do they would have no problem eating stuffing with equally dubious sausage meat in them.

I think it is more that they look like junk food (and are TBH, but so is stuffing so), but maybe more that appear for kids, or just too cheapy for their "high class tastes". My sister refuses to buy ketchup yet eats it on the sly all the time. I remember her having a BBQ and having no ketchup out, all these fancy ballymaloe and M&S sauces were out, I brought the heinz ketchup out and all her mates were lashing into it, much to her disgust!

The shops were obviously all out of Chef sauce. I suppose Heinz will suffice in this instance.

A spice burger on toast with ketchup and a cup of tea, Get It Down Ye! Throw in a soft fried egg and you're ready for the day.

Red Sleeping Beauty

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2009/0703/1224249968829.html

Spice burgers back on the menu due to popular demand
PAUL CULLEN, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

THE HUMBLE spice burger, one of Ireland’s few original contributions to world cuisine, has been saved.

After an extraordinary outpouring of support for Walsh Family Foods, the sole manufacturers of the product, it started making spice burgers again yesterday, just a fortnight after the Finglas-based firm closed with the loss of 50 jobs.

Its demise provoked a huge show of sympathy from disappointed fans after the news was revealed in The Irish Times last month. Newspapers and Facebook groups campaigned to “save our spice burger”, while internet forums were filled with nostalgic recollections of the product’s unique place in Irish food history.

The publicity also stoked the interest of catering distributors and retailers, who have placed sufficient orders with the company to justify a resumption in production.

“The level of interest has been extraordinary,” said Reg Power, finance director of Walsh Family Foods. “Mothers have called to say how disappointed they were that they couldn’t get spice burgers anymore for their kids in the local chipper. Three of the multiples have been on to place orders. Well-known companies have said they’re interested in the brand.”

For now, receiver Kieran Wallace of KPMG is allowing production for just two days a week and 20 workers have been re-employed.

“We’ve got to walk again before we can run,” said Mr Power, “but if we can pull this off, we have other products we’d like to bring out.”

Spice burgers, invented in the early 1950s, were the first product manufactured by Walsh Family Foods. Its founder, pork butcher Maurice Walsh, developed the product at his shop in Glasnevin and production later moved to Poppintree industrial estate.

From modest beginnings, the firm expanded into burgers, garlic mushrooms and onion rings.

It patented the recipe for spice burgers, which it describes as “a delicious blend of Irish beef, onions, cereals, herbs and spices coated with traditional outer crumb”.

Takeaways report that even those who normally preferred vegetarian food were sometimes tempted.

The Walsh family sold the company to a management buy-in team in 2000 and production and exports grew for some years. Recently, however, the firm sustained heavy losses caused by the weakness of sterling against the euro and tough competition from UK rivals.

Enterprise Ireland offered financial support but the company was unable to find the required matching private equity and had to go into receivership, according to Mr Power.

Now that it has been given a second change, he wants everyone to know about the spice burger: “It’s a beautiful product that has stood the test of time and hasn’t changed over time. There’s nothing like it.”