Pork Chorizo Burger
Pork Chorizo Burger and Lime Jalapeno slaw was an intriguing idea but something totally new to me. I love burgers, but I have always defaulted to a beef patty, maybe with some bacon in the mix. Grilled burgers are my standard and that’s the method I used here. Good ol’ charcoal gives such great flavor but I’m not against a cast iron method with a good crispy edge and juicy middle. Either way, this recipe is great.
This new venture into an all pork patty was well worth the gamble. And the understated toppings were just enough. I didn’t dream this Pork Chorizo Burger up. It’s not even altered, I stuck to the recipe in Weber’s New Real Grilling. I will make a few adjustments next time but, it’s not necessary. If you know me, that’s quite an accomplishment. But, Weber does a great job and since this is new territory, I thought I’d better keep it simple. I even stuck to the recipe for the accompanying slaw which is a perfect side dish for this meal. A little touch of floral spice from the jalapeno with some cooling creamy crunchy freshness.
We used a fresh chorizo from our favorite local butcher shop that’s very lean and not too spicy. I wouldn’t use those tubes of chorizo that are super greasy and finely ground. Those are great with eggs but it’s not going to make a firm patty for your grill. For the pork we ground our own but fresh ground, lean pork from the butcher will be perfect.
This is a great weekend meal that can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Throw all of your ingredients together before running errands and you’ll still have a great meal to throw on the grill later.
Pork Chorizo Burgers
Equipment
- Grill
- Instant read thermometer
Ingredients
Burger Patties
- 14 oz lean ground pork
- 10 oz fresh chorizo
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 tbsp shallot, minced
- 2 tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- 8 thin slices of tomato
- 4 lettuce leaves
- Mayonnaise
- olive oil
Lime-Jalapeno Slaw
- ¾ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- 12 oz green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 med carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
Instructions
Patties
- In a large bowl, gently combine the patty ingredients until thoroughly blended. With wet hands, form four loosely packed patties, each about 4 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Don't compact the meat too much or the patties will be tough. Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of each patty. This will help the patties to cook evenly and prevent them from puffing up on the grill.
- Place in a single layer on a plate or platter, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours
Slaw
- In al large bowl, whisk the cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, and chili powder. Add the cabbage and carrot and toss to mix. If time allows, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. Remove from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving (the slaw will taste better when it's room temperature).
Cooking the Patties
- Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350-450 degrees)
- Lightly brush the cut side of each bun with oil.
- Grill the patties over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, about 5-6 minutes on each side, until an instant read thermometer inserted in the center of the patties registers 145 degrees, 12-13 minutes total. Looking at the patties will not be an accurate measure of whether they are done since chorizo stays pink when cooked.
- During the last minute of grilling, toast the buns, cut side down, over direct heat.
- Spread mayonnaise on the cut side of each bun, add lettuce, a patty, and two tomato slices.
- Toss the slaw to redistribute the dressing and serve alongside the burgers.
