Well, first of all 1/4 pound of bean sprouts is a LOT...probably close to 2 cups in volume.
Secondly....there's not a lot of taste in bean sprouts....so maybe it didn't matter much.
But with all that fresh ginger and 2 Tablespoons of oyster sauce.....that's a lot of flavor...and a pound of ground beef.
Did you do everything else as mentioned?
the oyster sauce and ginger alone should have done it.
Did you have any sauce? Egg rolls usually have a hot mustard and a sweet and sour for dipping....
Linda C

Do you think bean sprouts add that much tastewise? I mean, it was tasteless! I did everything else to a T. Oyster sauce and ginger. Actually, it was dry... too much "stuff", in the stuffing, I thought. I didn't have any dipping sauce. I was thinking, if it was too _______, fill in the blank, I could use "such and such" sauce to balance it. Maybe that's it. It's a blank slate waiting for whatever way a person wants to slant it? I am at a total loss here. They're not bad, just lacking.

Here's the recipe I used the last time I made them:

1 lb ground beef
2 tbsp ginger root
1 small onion (chopped)
5 mushrooms
1 bag bean sprouts
5 tbsp green onions, with tops
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
1 package egg roll wrappers
oil, for frying

Mine didn't have any cabbage at all, but you could substitute cabbage for part (or all) of the bean sprouts. I serve mine with a hot Chinese mustard, and so I didn't need to add more pepper or chili to the filling. If you want the instructions, I will post them later--they're in a format that does not allow copying to clipboard.

Lars

I use Soy, actually Tamari instead of oyster.
I like ground turkey, the dark meat.
I like to mince up carrot, celery, garlic and onion and saute til soft, but not brown. Couple of dashes of soy/tamari.
Then cabbage, napa or very finely sliced head cabbage.
Bean sprouts, a couple of good handfuls.
If you don't use the chopped onion or like onion flavor a few green onions sliced up, whites and greens.
Put everything together with a bit more soy/tamari and minced ginger. Don't forget the pepper. I like fresh cracked black pepper, but a few pinches of red flakes are good too.

Here's the recipe I use for Potstickers, which will work in egg rolls too, more the consistency of lumpia (meatball like).

Chinese Potsticker Dumplings
by Rick and Lanie Bayless
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions
1 small piece of ginger (about 1 1/2" long)
1 lb lean ground pork, chicken or turkey
1/3 of a small head of napa
2 T soy
2 T sesame oil
salt

Now that I type that recipe, sesame oil, may give you a flavor boost you are looking for..

And another thought..eggrolls aren't often super flavorful, because it's often about the dipping sauces.

Yes Lars, I'd like it if you posted your recipe. I didn't use any pepper or mustard. Maybe those would make it better.

Terri, I agree. My thought about the blank slate is really ringing in my head. I have this vision of something sesame in it. Maybe I should fool around with that a bit. Adding to Lars. Hm mustard+sesame....

I didn't use bean sprouts because I didn't have any on hand. I used chicken because I had it on hand. I may try again with some other meat and add the bean sprouts. I love those any how.

Here is the recipe I use. I like it because it uses phyllo and are baked not fried.

Chinese Spring Rolls - Rachel Ray Via Woodie

1 Tbl vegetable oil or olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper chopped fine
2 stalks celery from the heartc chopped fine
6 water chestnuts chopped fine
1/2 small onion chopped fine
1/4 Cup fresh bean sprouts,chopped
I(6-ounce) cans lump crab meat drained and flaked - or 12 Oz Cooked chicken (I use chicken)
2 Tbl dark soy such as Tamari
H1/2 Tsp dried thyme leaves
4 (13 by 17-inch) sheets defrosted, phyllo dough
3 Tbl melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Add oil to a preheated skillet over medium to medium high heat. Saute pepper, celery, water chestnuts, onion 2 to 3 minutes. Veggies should still have a little crunch. Transfer to a bowl.Add bean spouts, crab, soy and thyme. Combine well with a spoon.

Paint half of a sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter and fold sheet in half. Pile a few spoonfuls of filling 2 inches from the bottom of sheet and leaving 2 inches at either side of sheet. Fold bottom flap up and side edges in, then roll up and over until you reach the top of the sheet. Your pastry will look like a spring roll. Touch the edges and sides of your roll with melted butter and place roll seam side down on a pastry sheet.

Repeat with the remaining sheets of phyllo dough. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden all over.

I've been using this recipe for years:

Shrimp & Vegetable Egg Rolls

2 Tbls vegetable oil
8 cups finely shredded green cabbage
2 cups coarsely grated carrots
2 & 1/2 Tbls soy sauce
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 Tbls ginger, finely minced
6 green onions (or scallions), cut into very thin slices
3/4 lb salad shrimp (can substitute chopped, cooked, chicken or pork)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely slivered fresh basil
Salt - to taste, if needed
12 egg roll wrappers (10 oz)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 & 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1. In a large, heavy pot, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the cabbage and carrots; cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until cabbage is wilted and bright green. Stir in soy sauce.
2. Add the garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in green onions, shrimp, cilantro, basil and (if desired) salt.
3. When working with egg roll wrappers, cover them with a damp kitchen towel so they donÂt dry out. Stuff wrappers one at a time: Place one tip facing you like a diamond shape on a flat work surface. Place 1/3 a cup of filling 1 inch from the bottom point and across the wrapper to within 1 inch of each side. Fold bottom tip up over filling and roll away from you halfway up. Brush egg over exposed edges with a pastry brush. Fold in 1 inch side tips and finish rolling TIGHTLY (very important - or egg rolls will absorb more oil and taste ÂgreasyÂ). Place on a plate seam-side down. Repeat procedure with the rest of the wrappers. Keep finished egg rolls covered with a damp towel.
4. Heat 1 & 1/2 cups of oil in a 10 inch skillet until it begins to bubble a bit on top. (To test for temperature, drop a cube of bread into oil; it should brown within one minute). [I use my deep fryer - @ 370 degrees - drop in 3 or 4 egg rolls - cook 1 minute and turn and cook for another minute, or until golden brown.]
5. Add 3 or 4 egg rolls at a time to the oil and fry for 2 to 2 and 1/2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve immediately.

My mother made fairly mild eggrolls, but they sure were tasty. They included ground pork cooked with a little bit of minced ginger, cooked diced shrimp, chopped green onions, chopped water chestnuts, blanched bean sprouts, salt, white pepper, and the secret ingredient...PEANUT BUTTER, enough to hold it all together! She never used cabbage because she thought it was used for filler, not for flavor.

We always deep fried them in corn oil, but they do taste better cooked in peanut oil. And we ate them with a runny paste made with Coleman's mustard, a little water, and a little soy sauce.

You used ground chicken instead of beef? What, breasts?

You need to season the meat or tofu with salt and pepper.

Ground chix is dry and bland.

Ground pork/shrimp makes a better filling.

I have finally found THE recipe. It's a pound of ground turkey, pound of veggies (small bag of coleslaw), and a teaspoon each of garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper, held together by an egg. Taht's it. Big difference in the spices though. It only took four years to find the right one!!!! Thank you for your help and shifting me towards more spices/flavor.

That sounds pretty good, but I'd add fresh ginger, too. Seems like it might be a little bland without it.

Interesting, the older I get the more I'm figuring out that simpler is usually better. I have to avoid odd sounding spices or it will totally ruin a dish for me. I'm making a copy of your very simple, and I'm sure delicious recipe for egg rolls. I will use ground pork though as I prefer it over ground turkey.

olychick, it isn't, but I too thought I'd add ginger next go around and maybe a bit of oyster sauce. But it's also really good just like it is.

She was trying to make it healthier, and honestly, it's good with the turkey. It'd probably sinfully good with pork. Mmm. Ooo, or seafood. Hm. Now my mind is cranking!