The Ultimate Pork Burger

The Ultimate Pork Burger. Recipe below, or visit https://www.iowapork.org/community/re...

THE ULTIMATE PORK BURGER
Servings: 4 burgers

Burger sauce
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder

Burger
• 1 pound ground pork
• Salt
• 4 hamburger buns
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 4 cheddar cheese slices
• 8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp
• 4 tomato slices

Directions
1. Combine all burger sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Divide the pork into 4 portions and gently shape each into a patty. Season both sides of the patties with salt.
3. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Grill the burgers until the center registers 160 F and remove from the grill.
4. Build the burgers in this order: bottom bun, lettuce, burger patty, slice of cheese, two bacon slices, burger sauce, slice of tomato and the top bun.
5. Enjoy warm!

Tips for tender, juicy pork burgers
• Salt the patties after they’re formed (don’t mix salt into the meat as it’ll bind the proteins, making a tough, less juicy burger)
• Don’t overwork the ground pork; handle gently for tender burgers.
• Press a thumb into the center of the patty for even cooking (this will make it less likely to puff up in the middle and cook unevenly)
• Use a thermometer and cook until the pork is just 160 F. Overcooking will dry the burgers out.

Other notes
• Burgers can be cooked on the grill, flat-top or in a skillet.
• Choose whatever toppings you’d like!