It’s been a good three years since I’ve picked up a burger product from Dr Praeger’s. The last I sampled, the California Veggie Burger, really wasn’t my cup of tea. In fairness that particular product was aimed more at those with restricted diets. This burger however leans into the modern pea-protein world of plant-based foods. It also comes with a fairly massive claim. Perfect Burger huh? Lets see.
Cooking: Pan fry, grill, bake, I even air fried one. Given the patties firm texture (see below) I’d be happy to throw one of these on the Summer BBQ, they’d hold up very well. No risk of falling part. I should note the product recommends cooking a great deal longer than competing brands, albeit that’s from them coming frozen.
Taste and texture: Very good. These are strikingly reminiscent of an earlier Beyond Burger – before they started studding the patties with little nuggets of fat. The tear and chew of the meat, the unmistakable pea protein flavors, its all here. The mouthfeel is great. Top these with your favorite burger fixings and you’re in for a treat.
Overall: I was pleasantly surprised by this burger, it exceeded my expectations greatly. I’d happily order them again in fact. The cooking time is a little longer than perfectly convenient – but you could just throw them in the microwave first to defrost then cook. The neutron is definitely worth a second glance too – these are somewhat healthier than similar products competing in this space. These stack up handsomely in our overall list of the best plant-based burgers.
Dr Praeger’s Perfect Burger nutrition and cooking
-
Overall
Are Dr Praeger’s Perfect Burgers any good?
Given the hyperbole of the name – these are surprisingly good. Based off a pea protein base, they’re reminiscent of an early Beyond Burger from a couple years back.
Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows.
I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen. Follow along on Instagram too!
WARNING! Do not buy the drive-thru burger It is a thinner and nasty version of the Perfect burger, which is in my opinion a perfect Veggie burger.
When they cut the Perfect Burger in half the moisture disappeared leaving a dried up gnarly pattie, which is, yes, reminiscent of a nasty drive-thru burger joint.