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–+ servings
A person holds a Pork Burger with lettuce, sauce, and grilled toppings in a bun. Bowls of extra toppings and another bun are visible in the background.

Sesame Pork Burgers with Bacon Pineapple Jam

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Burgers are one of my family's favorite dinners, and these pork burgers are a delicious change from the usual. The buns are slathered in cilantro mayo, topped with sesame pork patties, an incredible bacon onion pineapple jam, and quick pickled cucumbers. A drizzle of gochujang sauce adds a bit of sweet and smoky heat, but you can swap it for some sriracha mayo if you'd like to kick up the spiciness.

Ingredients

Quick Pickled Cucumbers

  • ¼ cup hot tap water
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 pinch EACH: salt and pepper
  • 2 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced

Bacon Pineapple Jam

  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • ½ cup pineapple tidbits
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • Salt, to taste

Cilantro Mayo

Sesame Pork Burgers

Burger Extras

Instructions 

  • Quick-Pickled Cucumbers: In a bowl, mix the hot water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Add the cucumber and mix well. Set the bowl aside on your counter and stir it a few times while you prepare the rest of dinner.
    ¼ cup hot tap water, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 pinch EACH: salt and pepper, 2 mini cucumbers
    Image for recipe instruction: A white bowl filled with sliced cucumbers in a quick pickling liquid, with a metal spoon resting inside, sits on a white surface—an ideal refreshing side to serve with savory pork burgers.
  • Bacon Pineapple Jam: Add the bacon to a medium frying pan over medium heat and cook until the bacon is mostly crispy and has rendered its fat. Drain most of the fat from the pan (save it for the burgers, if desired), add the onion, and cook until it's tender, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and a splash of juice from the pineapple can, and cook until the juice has evaporated. Taste and add salt if needed.
    Image for recipe instruction: Chopped pineapple and diced bacon being sautéed together in a stainless steel frying pan with a black and yellow spatula—perfect as a sweet and spicy topping for pork burgers.
  • Cilantro Mayo: Mix the ingredients in a small bowl.
    ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup finely minced cilantro, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    Image for recipe instruction: A white bowl filled with a creamy, cilantro-flecked sauce—perfect for pairing with juicy pork burgers—sits on a white marble surface.
  • Pork Patties: Add the pork, sesame oil, scallions, and salt to a medium mixing bowl and mix well. Form into four patties. Preheat your grill or frying pan to medium-high heat. Oil the grates or add a splash of oil (or the reserved bacon fat) to the pan. Cook the burgers for 3-4 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
    1 ½ lb ground pork, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 3 scallions, 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    Image for recipe instruction: Four raw pork burger patties mixed with chopped green onions are arranged on a white plate, ready for cooking.
  • The Burgers: Warm up the buns on the grill or in the pan. Slather with cilantro mayo, then top with a burger patty, some of the bacon pineapple jam, cilantro, pickled cucumbers, and some gochujang sauce.
    4 Brioche buns, Cilantro, Gochujang sauce
    Image for recipe instruction: An open-faced Pork Burger topped with pickled cucumber slices, pineapple bacon jam, cilantro, and gochujang sauce sits on parchment paper with a bun and herbs nearby.
Serving: 1 burger, Calories: 820kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 56g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Monounsaturated Fat: 23g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 141mg, Sodium: 1717mg, Potassium: 698mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 213IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 111mg, Iron: 3mg