CATEGORY

Wheat and Whole Grain White Hamburger Buns

2007 CHEFSBEST® AWARD FOR BEST TASTE WINNER

Sara Lee

What Makes a Great Whole Grain or Wheat Hamburger Bun?

No matter how perfectly you grill a burger, it won’t get very far without a good hamburger bun. Wheat and whole grain white buns give a more robust flavor to your burgers while adding some fiber to your diet. Pack a few bags for picnics, cookouts and camping trips, or keep a few bags stored in the freezer for last-minute get-togethers.

Our chefs define high-quality wheat and whole grain white hamburger buns as being round, intact, evenly sliced and having a light to medium-brown crust color. For white wheat hamburger buns, the interior is expected to be an evenly distributed cream color. For whole grain hamburger buns, the interior should show visible grain parts, like bits of bran or oats.

White wheat hamburger buns should have a low wheat aroma that delivers a moderate level of complexity. Whole grain buns should have a somewhat higher wheat aroma with nutty and sweet notes. Fermentation notes should be very low, but there may be aromas from other ingredients such as butter or other fats, sugars or eggs. There should be no inappropriate aroma or flavor off notes from packaging, processing or unwholesome ingredients.

Hamburger buns are in taste balance when a low-to-moderate sweetness is the most dominant basic taste, followed by a very low saltiness. Sourness can be present at very low levels, and bitterness, if present, should not be more noticeable than the sourness.

Whole grain and wheat hamburger buns should deliver a certain amount of wheat flavor intensity, with whole grain buns delivering more wheat flavor than white wheat buns. The fermentation flavor—lactic acid, yeastiness and enhanced flavor of the grain—should be clearly perceived. When these flavors are in harmony, with none being too high or low, the product is in flavor balance. The complex character of the bun should deliver toasty flavors from the grain, along with the discernible flavors of the other ingredients.

At first bite, buns should be tender, providing just the slightest bit of resistance. When chewed, a bun should stick slightly to the teeth. Eventually, it should come together into a chewable mass, but the bun should not get overly cohesive or gummy. Without being too damp, some moisture should be delivered, allowing the bun to dissolve on the palate at a relatively fast rate. Finally, there should be almost no discernible graininess in the texture of a white wheat bun, though the whole grain buns should have additional graininess from the bran and wheat components.

Product Category Definition

The product judged was defined as wheat and whole grain white hamburger buns for the consumer market, excluding white hamburger buns, hot dog buns and sliced bread.

Other Leading Brands:

Wonder, Pepperidge Farm, Oroweat