Bahn Mi Burger
A delicious change of pace. If barbecuing, use a grill plate or pan. See the full blog posting for alternate ingredients. Buns and optional breadcrumbs can be gluten-free.
Servings
4-5burgers
Servings
4-5burgers
Ingredients
  • 1pound Lean Ground Pork
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4cup Packed Fresh Basil Leaves
  • 2 – 4 cloves Garlic to taste
  • 3 Green onions
  • 1 lime Juice and zest
  • 1Tbsp Fish sauce(or soy sauce)
  • 1/2tsp Sesame Oil
  • 1Tbsp Packed Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 – 1tsp White pepper to taste
  • 1tsp Kosher salt or 1/2 tsp table salt
  • 13 inch piece Lemongrass tough outer leaves removed
  • 1heaping Tbsp Grated Fresh Ginger
  • To Serve Fortified Mayonnaise(see recipe)
  • Quick Pickled Vegetables(see recipe)
  • Lettuce and tomato
  • Sliced Green Onion and Whole Cilantro Leaves
Instructions
  1. Break up the pork in a bowl. Sprinkle with baking soda, as if it was salt. Toss to distribute. Set aside.
  2. Prepare remaining ingredients: rough chop garlic, cut green onion tops in 1-inch pieces, juice and zest lime, peel and roughly chop lemongrass core. Place all ingredients in a blender, and process until very finely chopped. Alternatively, pulverize in a mortar and pestle.
  3. Combine seasonings with pork by hand. Mixture should be soft and quite sticky. If the pork mixture seems very wet or soft, add dry breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved. Rest between additions to allow breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
  4. Using wet hands, form the mixture into 4 or 5 patties, about 1/2 inch (1cm) thick. Place them on plastic wrap or parchment paper. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
  5. Spray or brush patties lightly with oil. Grill on a pre-heated grill plate or in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat until well browned on both sides and no longer pink in the middle, about 4-6 minutes per side in total. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the burgers.
  6. Serve on a bun with Fortified Mayonnaise, Quick Pickled Vegetables, lettuce and tomato. Garnish with thinly sliced green onion tops and whole cilantro leaves.