Spicy Pork Burgers with Sriracha Mayo
Step up your burger game with these tender spicy pork burgers with a sriracha mayo
Ingredients
For the Burgers
For the Sriracha Mayo
Method
Tear 1/2 a slice of white sandwich bread into pieces and add to a small bowl along with 2 tbsp/60ml. Let the bread soak for 5 minutes, then gently mash with the back of a fork to form a lumpy paste.
In a large bowl, combine the pork with the milk and bread mixture, finely chopped red chilli, ground cumin, ground coriander, onion, and chipotle in adobo sauce. Crush in the garlic, season with salt, and mix everything together by hand until well combined (you might want to use gloves, as the chilli can irritate your skin).
Divide the meat mixture into 4 even pieces, then roll each piece in to a ball and press down with the palm of your hand to flatten in to a patty shape.
Heat the grill/bbq or griddle pan, then cook the burgers for around 5 minutes until nicely browned or charred on the bottom, then turn over, add a cheese slice if using, and cook for a further 5-8 minutes until fully cooked through.
If you have a meat thermometer the internal temperature should reach 71C/160F
Brush the inside of each brioche bun with a little olive oil and cook until lightly toasted, remove from the heat and set aside until you're ready to build your burgers.
For the sriracha mayo, put the sriracha and mayonnaise in a small bowl, and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and mix everything to combine.
Once you are ready to construct your burgers, start by spreading a little sriracha mayo over the inside of the bottom bun, then add a gem lettuce leaf, then a slice of tomato. Add the pork burger on top of the tomato, then 4 halves of cornicons if using (or pickles/gherkins). Finally coat the inside of the top of the burger bun with some more sriracha may and place on top to complete your burger. Serve with spicy potato wedges, a salad or a side of your choice.
Notes and Information
About My Spicy Pork Burgers
I find the trickiest part of making pork burgers is keeping them tender, because pork tends to dry out when cooked over a grill or bbq flame. In this recipe I start by making a panade (a mixture of bread soaked in milk) which helps keep the moisture in - you can do this with meatballs and koftas too! - then add this mixture to the meat mix, which results in a beautifully tender burger.
For this recipe, I've added fresh red chilli and a small amount of chipotle in adobo paste, essentially a mix of smoked jalapeños, tomato paste and herbs and spices, which adds a bit of smokiness to the burger. This along with the sriracha mayo definitely gives these burgers a bit of kick, so you should adjust to your heat preferences. If you can't find chipotle in adobo paste you can add some smoked paprika and tomato puree/paste instead.
Finally, I've added plastic cheese slices and cornichons (small picked cucumbers/gherkins) which add a nice crunch, but I realise these two ingredient choice might be a little more controversial. If you want to you can leave them out, but a fresh coleslaw would work well as a substitution, adding both creaminess and texture.
When building a burger, it helps to think about placement order and how each ingredient contributes. The mayo forms a barrier to stop the bread getting soggy. A layer of gem lettuce goes on top for some crunch and to protect the bun from the tomato. Then comes the burger, cheese, and finally a topping to add more texture, I've used cornichons but a fresh slaw, or even crispy bacon would also work well. Once you've mastered the base recipe, get creative and make it your own.
Finally, remember these are your burgers, so adjust to your own taste and enjoy!
FAQ
What is chipotle in adobo paste?
Chipotle in adobo is essentially a mixture of chipotle chilli peppers (smoked jalapeños) in a spiced tomato sauce. It adds a smoky flavour ideal for a dish like this. If you can't find any, you can substitute with 1 tsp of smoked paprika, tomato puree / tomato paste and a little extra chilli.
How hot is a red chilli pepper?
When it comes to ingredients I get that "red chilli pepper" is a little vague, however, it's really just a medium heat chilli, but it definitely adds a kick. You can of course use any red chilli here, or even chilli flakes or chilli powder, just remember to adjust the quantity depending on the heat of the chilli pepper you're using.
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