Truffle’s – Beef and Bacon DIY

 Just the right amount of Truffle adds such incredible flavour, but too much and it becomes pungent.  Read on to see how truffles and cheeseburgers got on together in a triple header review…

The Bun: 17/20

We found the buns a little heavy when we first opened the package.  They are simple large, white bun with no seeds and the consistency of a dinner roll.  However, once buttered and fried as the instructions called for they really came to life.  Great flavour and were a light lighter in texture, but still held up to the juices and condiments without disintegrating.  

The Toppings: 8/10

The only topping is a generous portion of their crispy shallots.  I thought they were really good with no greasy feeling at all, although I must admit that I would have had no idea they were shallots and not onions.   Added a nice crunch to the final product.

The Condiments: 6/10

A rather unique pairing here with fig jam and truffle mayonnaise.   I love figs, tamarinds and dates so I was very excited to try this, although I wasn’t sure how it would go on a burger. On its own it was a lovely smooth jam that had a great balance between sweet and tartness.  I had some with crackers and cheese and it was fantastic so was excited to see how it balanced the meat in the final product. The truffle mayo had mixed opinions.  In small doses I think everyone liked it, but the general opinion was the truffle flavour was just too overpowering.  Instead of a subtle taste you pick up gently as you chew, it was more of a sledgehammer that hit your olfactory nerve the second the mayo bag was cut open.  If you love truffles this might work for you though.  

The Cheese: 8/20

The kit came with thin, dry slices of raclette cheese.  It comes where in between brie and swiss on the taste scale and I have had it before in Switzerland where it is famed for its creamy texture when melted.  I am not sure if it was the portion size, or the packaging (folded into wax paper) but it did not melt the way I expected and the flavour was absolutely lost in the final product with truffles, onions, meat and fig jam all blowing it away.  

The Patty: 16/20

I must admit that when I opened the kit, I was grumpy there was no bacon included.  Took me a minute to realise it’s not a beef patty with bacon on top but an actual beef and bacon mince blend.  The meat comes in a bag and you have to make the 122g (4.3 oz) patties yourself.  Mostly beef, perhaps 80-90%, with just enough bacon mixed in to give it a more pinkish colour than its redder all beef cousin across the counter.  They cooked very nicely, even if they were a little small.  I thought there might be more splatter but it was pretty clean and they had the sort of flavour you would expect.  The beef was a little gamy but the bacon flavour did mitigate that a little bit for me.  

The Taste: 14/20

I found the overall combination of flavours to be just too strong and out of balance.  The bun was excellent here, truffle mayo absolutely overpowering, onions good and with a nice crunch, cheese weak, beef/bacon blend was decent but a little lost, and the fig jam valiantly tried to cut through with a hint of sweetness to balance out the savoury and saltiness of other flavours.  I think a good cheeseburger should work towards being one harmonious flavour and this one was more of a battle in your mouth. See where truffle feature in our Top Burger Hit List here

Our Verdict: 69/100

If you are a fan of exotic flavours, this is worth a go, especially if truffles are one of those flavours.  Or, if you have a foodie friend who thinks cheeseburgers are boring.  But it won’t be a regular occurrence for me.  The beef and bacon blend was creative and I hope I get a chance to try again.  Likewise with the fig jam, I think it could have been a better fit for a saltier burger with more cheese and without the truffle flavour.  I do admire the envelope being pushed though!

You can try the Truffle Beef and Bacon Burger here