Pork and pickle burgers
- Prepare
- overnight
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Makes 2 burgers
Italian fennel pork sausages form the basis of these oozing burgers that are stacked two patties high.
Ingredients
For the pickles
- 300ml/10fl oz white wine vinegar
- 200g/7oz caster sugar
- 1/2 tbsp ground turmeric
- 10g/1/3oz fresh dill, chopped or sprigs left whole
- 250g/9oz cucumbers, cut into 5mm/¼in thick slices
For the burgers
- 300g/10½oz coarse Italian fennel sausages, skins removed and meat crumbled
- 4 sesame seed buns
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 60g/2¼oz scamorza cheese, cut into 4 slices
- 40g/1½oz onion, finely chopped
- 60g/2¼oz iceberg lettuce, shredded
For the burger sauce
- 200g/7oz mayonnaise
- 100g/3½oz soured cream
- 4 tsp American mustard
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed with a pinch of fine sea salt
- ½ tsp onion granules
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- 75g/2¾oz pickles (see above), coarsely grated or very finely chopped
- large pinch fine sea salt
Method
Make the pickles a day in advance of the burgers. Place the vinegar, sugar and 200ml/7fl oz water in a sterilised airtight container. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved, then add the turmeric and whisk again.
Put the dill and cucumber slices into the container.
Cover with a sheet of baking paper, using the lid as a stencil, and press it down onto the liquid’s surface to keep everything submerged. Put the lid on and chill in the fridge for 24 hours before using.
To make the burgers, divide the sausage meat into four equal pieces and roll each portion into a ball with your hands.
Cut out eight 20cm/8in squares of baking paper. Press each of the balls of meat between two baking paper squares with your hands. Spread the meat out into patties that are about 25% larger than the burger buns.
Pop them in the fridge, still between the paper.
To make the burger sauce, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
To continue making the burgers, cut two of the burger buns in half to create the tops or “crowns” and the bottoms or “heels” of the burger. Slice off and discard the tops and bottoms of the other two burger buns, leaving two decent middle sections or “clubs”.
Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium–high heat and toast the inside of the crowns and heels and both sides of the clubs. Remove and set aside.
Wipe out any breadcrumbs from the pan and heat the oil in the pan over a high heat.
Peel off the paper from the patties and place in the pan. Fry for 3 minutes until deeply caramelised. Do not try to move them too soon as they might stick.
Flip the patties over, add the cheese on top and fry on the other side. The cheese will melt while the second side cooks. Check the patties are cooked through.
Smother the toasted side of the heels and the tops of the clubs with most of the burger sauce and put a little on the inside of the crowns.
Pop the burger patties on the heels and clubs and sprinkle with the onion.
Place three pickle slices on top of each patty and cover them all in lettuce. Stack the clubs on the heels, pop the crown on and give them a gentle squish! Serve immediately.
Recipe tips
The remaining pickles can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Any remaining burger sauce can be stored in the fridge for a week.
