How to Make Pork and Pineapple Burgers

Pork burgers are an excellent alternative to beef and can be flavored in a variety of ways. These pork and pineapple burgers took a barbecue/Hawaiian route and they were juicy and absolutely delicious. I used a grill pan indoors because well, it’s freezing outside in New Hampshire in February. If you’re lucky enough to have grilling weather all year round, these will be fantastic on the grill (everything always is, isn’t it?) I had to get a little creative with the burger buns as well since I forgot to pick them up at the store. Instead, I used halved sub rolls and they worked just fine.

Next time I might even try to up the pineapple factor and add some crushed pineapple to the pork mixture. If you decide to go this route, you may need to add a bit more panko so the burgers don’t fall apart, but just use your judgment. Feel free to experiment with the spices added to the burger mix – you could easily give these more of an Asian flair with the addition of sesame oil, soy sauce, and ginger in place of the smoky paprika and barbecue sauce. Have fun with them!

Pork & Pineapple Burger

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork
¼ cup scallions, sliced thin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue sauce
4 fresh pineapple rings
4 burger buns
Toppings: cheddar cheese, lettuce, more barbecue sauce

Directions

Using your hands, mix the pork, scallions, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, panko, and barbecue sauce in a large bowl. Don’t overmix.
Form four equal patties and make an indentation in the center of each to help with even cooking.
Prepare your grill or grill pan on medium-high direct heat. Coat the grill grates with a nonstick grill spray. Cook the burgers for 5-7 minutes (if using a grill, close the cover). Flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the burgers are cooked through. Let the burgers rest for 5 minutes.
While the burgers are grilling or resting, cook the pineapple rings for 3-5 minutes– you want nice grill marks on there. Flip, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Serve the burgers with your choice of toppings. I went with cheddar, lettuce, and barbecue sauce. Some other nice ideas are slices of deli ham, tomatoes, bacon, or caramelized onions.

We served up these pork and pineapple burgers with some delicious oven fries – a healthier alternative to the usual greasy fries. A great accompaniment to a great burger!

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