What Are Pork Burgers?

For many, pork burgers are an economical alternative to beef hamburgers, and some insist that a burger made with pork is also healthier than one made with beef. Pork has long been used in hamburger recipes to add extra flavor but, over time, more cooks and diners began to appreciate burgers made entirely of pork. Usually, a pork burger is made with lean, ground pork, whether store bought or home ground. Burgers made with pork are very versatile, and can be made using a variety of seasonings, toppings, sauces, and buns. Almost anything that can be done to a beef burger can be done to a pork burger.

There are countless recipes for pork burgers available, and even the recipe for a basic pork burger can differ from one cook to the next. Typically, one starts with lean, ground pork. While ground pork can be bought in a store, it is often cheaper for a cook to grind the pork himself.

Simple, basic seasonings, like salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder are added to the meat. Other ingredients that might be found in basic pork burgers are bacon, chicken or beef bouillon, eggs, and bread crumbs. The pork patties are cooked thoroughly, either on a grill, in the oven, or in a pan, until they have an internal temperature of 160°F (about 70°C). After cooking, the pork burgers can be placed on hamburger buns and topped with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, ketchup, and mustard.

Barbecued pork burgers can be prepared and cooked quickly and easily. Some recipes call for barbeque sauce to be added to the ground pork before cooking. The pork patties are grilled for about five minutes on each side until done, making sure they reach an temperature of 160°F (about 70°C). While pork burgers need to be cooked thoroughly, overcooking will dry out the burgers. A minute or two before cooking, the burgers can be topped with slices of cheese, so by the time the pork burgers are done, the cheese has melted.

Pork burgers are versatile, and they can be successfully matched with a variety of sauces, toppings and seasonings. Hawaiian pork burgers can be made by adding soy sauce, brown sugar and ginger to the meat. After cooking, top the burgers with barbecue sauce and a slice of pineapple. For an Indian pork burger, use coriander, curry powder, cayenne pepper and scallions. To give pork burgers a Spanish flavor, the cook could use olive oil, olives, paprika, spicy peppers, and Monterey Jack cheese.