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Barbecued Pork Burgers

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Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet. The seasoning sprinkled on top caramelizes on the grill to make the burgers even more delicious!

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek. The sponsors, Rainier Foods and Intensity Academy generously provided samples to participants to aid in the creation of the #BBQWeek recipes and prize packages to give away to the readers. However, all opinions are mine alone.

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet.  #BBQWeek

It’s #BBQWeek!! Me and my blogging friends got together to share some backyard barbecue worthy recipes for you to enjoy this grilling season! Yes, I know Memorial Day is a few weeks from now, but we wanted y’all to be prepared for the grilling seasoning. Because I have a sneaking suspicion that more people will get together this summer than in the past two. Call it a hunch.

A few weeks ago, a PR company contacted me about some samples for some grilling recipes. Of course, I enjoy a sample as much as the next blogger, but these samples seemed line up with #BBQWeek. So, I thought, “Hey! Why not? It never hurts to ask, right?” And that’s just what I did. I asked Rainier Foods if they had any interest in being a sponsor for #BBQWeek.

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet.  #BBQWeek

 

And, guess what? THEY DID!

Rainier Foods sent a generous four bottles of seasoning to those bloggers who wanted to use their products for #BBQWeek recipes. I was pleasantly surprised with their generosity. And with the flavoring of these seasonings and rubs! They’re super delicious. I can’t wait until y’all read about the Hawaiian Ham Kabobs. I’m still drooling over them to this day!

Rainier Foods is, you guess it, in the Pacific Northwest. They source quality herbs and spices for their seasonings and rubs. I love that their a family-owned company that prides themselves on providing the best seasonings and rubs possible. Oh, and they donate to the Washington National Park Fund, too. Just saying.

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet.  #BBQWeek

I made a few suggestions of flavors people might be interested in for this event. They were flavors I was interested in and thought others would be, too. For me, it’s all about the sweet, the spice, and the essentials for grilling rubs and seasonings. Oh, and the interesting. But I must wait to tell you about the interesting.

What are some tips for making the best burgers?

This is something I grapple with all the time. I usually fail at making burger patties. I just can’t seem to form them well, so they stay together when they’re grilled. Especially when I have mix ins to the burger mix. So, how do you make a good burger patty?

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet.  #BBQWeek

First, start with fresh meat. I know this seems like a no brainer, but don’t let the meat sit in the drawer for more than a day or two. After that, it just starts to taste interesting. I’ll leave it at that. Some of you are nodding. You know what I’m talking about. Not that it tastes bad, but just tastes not fresh. 

Do not, I repeat DO NOT, over mix your ground meat. For me it was interesting combining the ground pork which is softer with the ground beef which is a harder grind. Having the two come together and not have flecks of ground beef in the ground pork was a bit of a challenge. But nothing I couldn’t overcome. 

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet.  #BBQWeek

The trick is to treat the meat mixture like egg whites in a cake. You must gently fold the ingredients together. The more you handle the meat, the tougher your burger will be. So, be gentle with the meat and fold the mix ins gently into the ground meat.

When I form patties, I make sure they’re even thickness except in the center. I put a dimple in the center of the burger. It tends to swell up when it hits the grill if you don’t. So, putting a dimple in the center of the patty ensures that it will cook fairly evenly on the grill or the skillet.

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet.  #BBQWeek

 

Yes, I added an egg to my burger mix!

Hear me out on this one. The pork is a loose ground meat. The beef is a tighter ground beef. The barbecue sauce can make the mixture a little on the runny side. Adding an egg can bring everything together. It is a binder. Which we all know from making meatballs or meatloaf.

Yes, I know. Those things usually have more mixed in ingredients than a burger but adding mix ins to a burger can be challenging. Especially if you plan on grilling that burger. Adding just one egg is the perfect amount of a binder keeping the meat together and keeping it moist. Yes. I’m sure there will be backlash to this, but I did it, and it made my burgers delicious, moist, and kept them from falling apart when I cooked them.

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet.  #BBQWeek

 

How do you grill the perfect burger? 

After mixing the meat mixture and forming the patties, you should chill! The burgers that is. Burgers are best when grilled cold unlike steaks or other meats that like to be at somewhat room temperature. This helps the burgers stay together and as juicy as possible. The cold fat in the ground meat doesn’t melt as fast as room temperature fat. So, chill those burgers! 

Make sure your grill is clean and well oiled. Nothing is more frustrating than having charred parts of the other night’s dinner on your burgers. And having them stick to the grates so they don’t flip easily! When the burger sticks to the grates it’s so frustrating trying to turn them over. Just oil the grates already! 

Make sure to seasoning the outside of the meat. I added some of the seasoning mix to the inside of the burger mix. But I also made sure to sprinkle the outside of the burgers with the seasoning mix, too. This made the burgers full of flavor inside and out. And allowed for a deliciously sweet crust to form on the outside of the burgers from the rub. 

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet.  #BBQWeek

Cooking the burgers over a high heat makes for a quick sear and juicy burger. It makes that crust form on the outside sealing in all the juices and flavors in the meat. And don’t even think about pressing those burgers while they’re cooking. When you first put them on the grill, you can press them down a little bit. And when you flip them over you can press them a little bit. But that’s it! If you keep pressing them, you’re just squeezing out all the juices making your burgers dry. 

What do Barbecued Pork Burgers taste like? 

Y’all these Barbecued Pork Burgers are some delicious burgers! Depending on the barbecue sauce you use, it could be anywhere from sweet to smoky to spicy. These are sweet and smoky. Not just because of the Smoky Sweet Rainier Foods seasoning, but also from the barbecue sauce. I had a nice honey barbecue sauce that was so delicious. And combined with the Smoky Sweet seasoning made for a delicious burger. 

The combination of the ground pork and ground beef make deliciously moist Barbecued Pork Burgers. This combined with the barbecue sauce and the egg adds moisture and flavor to this burger. Then there’s the crust created by a sprinkling of the Smoky Sweet seasoning on the outside of the burgers. I know that burgers and sweet are usually not in the same sentence, but with the barbecue sauce in the background, it totally works! Top it with a sharp cheddar and you can round out all the delicious burger flavors.

AKHA Signature

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet. #BBQWeek
Yield: 4

Barbecued Pork Burgers

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Barbecued Pork Burgers not only have barbecue sauce, but also a Smoky Honey seasoning bland that makes them smoky and sweet. #BBQWeek

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons Smoky Honey seasoning, divided
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 3 ounces sliced sharp cheddar cheese (4 slices)
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • Sliced onions and tomatoes, lettuce, and other burger toppings of choice

Instructions

    1. Preheat grill to medium high.
    2. Combine the ground pork with next 5 ingredients (ground beef through black pepper) and 2 tablespoons of the Smoky Honey seasoning
    3. Using your hands, fold the mixture until combined.
    4. Form into 4 patties.
    5. Sprinkle the remaining Smoky Honey seasoning on the burgers.
    6. Grill on medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes then flip and cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155.
    7. Remove from the grill and top with the cheese. Tent with foil to allow the burgers to rest and the cheese to melt.
    8. Combine the mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce and stir until combined.
    9. Toast the buns and spread each with the mayonnaise mixture.
    10. Place the burger on the bottom and drizzle the remaining barbecue sauce over the burgers before placing the toppings of choice on the burger.
    11. Serve with kimchi slaw and macaroni salad

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 921Total Fat 50gSaturated Fat 19gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 26gCholesterol 231mgSodium 1219mgCarbohydrates 59gFiber 2gSugar 24gProtein 58g

Did you make this recipe?

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Welcome to the third annual #BBQWeek hosted by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We are excited to have 15 bloggers sharing over 50 recipes this week as we head toward grilling season. The amazing sponsors have donated some great prizes for the #BBQWeek giveaway. The giveaway is below, but make sure to read about the prize packages and our generous sponsors!

Intensity Academy Saucy Queen Prize Package

BBQWeek Giveaway Logo

The Intensity Academy Saucy Queen has competed in the fiery food industry for over 15 years. Her all-natural gourmet hot sauces have more than 55 national awards. In 2019, the Saucy Queen earned the Tampa Bay Businesswoman of the Year in Manufacturing, Business Leader’s Woman Extraordinaire and Working Women of Tampa Bay’s! Not only does she sell amazing sauces, spice mixes, and dips, but she has anchored her career in service and non-profit organizations and helping local companies take their products from recipe to store shelves.

A prize package of 4 popular sauces:

  • Carrot Karma – A mild hot sauce made from a blend of carrots, habaneros, and a touch of lime.
  • Garlic Goodness – An essential garlic hot sauce! Each batch contains over 100 pounds of slow roasted garlic.
  • Honey Hype – A blend of crystalized honey natural rub. The crystalized honey melts perfectly over meats and veggies.
  • Chai Sweet Chili – A light sauce made with peppers and organic Chai tea that won the 2012 Golden Chile award.

Rainier Foods Prize Package

Rainier Foods

Life’s too short for boring food, spice it up with Rainier Foods. Rainier Foods is a family company located in the shadow of Mt. Rainier. They have a dedication to provide premium quality food products. Rainier Foods can source the best ingredients available to help you create delicious meals which sets them apart from other companies. All their products are made locally ensuring their products are the best that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. A portion of all sales are donated to the Washington National Park Fund.

A prize package of a meat thermometer and trio of spice mixes:

  • Meater+ wire-free meat thermometer – monitor your cooking from a phone or tablet. Monitors internal and ambient temperature at the same time.
  • The Essentials Seasoning – Salt, garlic, and pepper are the essentials of most seasonings. Three different types of sea salt blend with garlic and pepper in this delicious seasoning.
  • Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub – Made with Pacific Northwest clover honey, Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salt, and Smoked Paprika. This seasoning blend creates a deliciously sticky and sweet flavor on anything you grill.
  • Gochu (Go-Choo) Seasoning & Rub – Gochugaru Chilis combine with sea salt and pepper along with a few other spices makes this blend unique adding an unmatchable flavor profile to everything you cook.

Monday #BBQWeek Recipes

Starters and Sides

Main Dishes

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18 Comments

  1. I don’t think I’ve made a burger with both pork and beef…meatloaf, yes but not burgers. I think I should change that and I love that seasoning!

  2. My guys love pork and get tired of eating it in chop form. They’re big burger fans and I know they’ll love these!

  3. I love pork so I’m all in for this. Lately I’ve been debating the whole egg in your burger issue, so I’m going to give that a try!

  4. Christie, this burger with pork and beef sounds delicious, great combination!! A little caramelization on top from the fantastic Smoky Honey Seasoning sounds dreamy!! I would have to have a little extra honey bbq sauce with mine too!! 😍🍔

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