16 Burgers of Summer: BBQ Pork Burger

Good evening everyone! Labor day unofficially marks the end of summer - which SHOULD have marked the end of our burgers of summer series. Of course, life happens and even the best laid plays go astray. As a  result, today's burger entry is number 13 in our burgers of summer series. We've got another recipe on tap for this weekend and we'll look to close out our series NEXT week with two other burger recipes.

A week off isn't too bad in the big picture...right?

Either way, the series continues today with a take on a classic. I saw a recipe for a pulled pork sandwich last weekend that got me to thinking...why can't I turn a pulled pork sandwich into a burger? Now, I knew I couldn't just make a pulled pork sandwich and call it a burger. That'd be cheating by the very strict definition of what a burger really is...so, as I am often accused of doing when I hit the kitchen - I improvised. The result? A delicious take on a culinary classic!

The Recipe: BBQ Pork Burger
This is an Out of the Culinary Original Recipe


What You'll Need:

1 Pound Ground Pork
1 Cup Prepared Coleslaw
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce


Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest recipes. In trying to duplicate a pulled pork dish, I decided to embrace the elements that make the sandwich great - mainly pork and BBQ sauce. I've seen fresh coleslaw used as a topping on BBQ pork sandwiches, so I wanted to add that element as well - after that, I decided to keep it simple.

To begin, work the pork with a pinch of salt and pepper until well blended. Break the mixture into 4 separate balls and work the balls into smaller, equally sized patties. Like we've done with every burger we've made this summer - pop the patties onto a plate and allow them to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before moving them to the grill.

Speaking of the grill, preheat it to 500 degrees, clean the grates and reduce the temperature of one burner to 300 degrees. Prepare the burgers over this burner.

Cook the burgers for 3 minutes per side. Once each side has developed a nice crisp outer edge - pour on a helping of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and spread it evenly with a basting brush. Allow the burgers to sit over heat for 1 minute (so the sauce "bakes" onto the surface) before flipping and repeating the process. Once the burger has developed a nice even sauce glaze, remove them from the grill and place them atop a bakery fresh bun. Serve with a helping of fresh coleslaw and enjoy!

The Results:

The simplest recipes have always been my favorite. This dish simply shines by keeping it simple. The blending of grilled pork with a sweet yet savory BBQ sauce duplicates the all day flavor of pulled pork nicely. The addition of the fresh coleslaw adds a bright element to the burger that standard lettuce simply couldn't bring to the table.

This simple dish is a surefire way to spice up any weeknight meal. Give it a try yourself!

That's all we have for you this evening. Maggie will take to the kitchen tomorrow night with a brand new recipe and I'll close out the weekend with a brand new burger of my own. Until then,

~Cheers