Banh Burgers

By MaineDeb

Yields: 4 burgers

Can be made with ground turkey.

Author Notes: This burger, which is also great in slider form, was inspired by the Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich: a delectable combination of pork, pickled veggies, cilantro, and spicy mayo.

This recipe will make more spicy mayo than you’ll probably need for just the burgers, but that’s okay, because it's an amazing condiment that’s great on pretty much any sandwich you can think of (I love putting it on BLTs, in particular). I've no doubt you'll find a use for it. (less) - Sarah Woolworth

Food52 Review: Burgers go Vietnamese with this delicious, mouthwatering Banh Burger recipe. The succulent pork is enhanced and well-seasoned with the addition of fish sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and spring onion, and the burger itself is garnished with a spicy mayonnaise. The pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, and jalapeño cut through the richness of the pork and the spiciness of the mayonnaise. The whole burger provides lovely texture and flavor and is a pleasure to eat. (less) - Delwyn Cox

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons Sriracha, divided
• 1 green onion, finely chopped + 1 tablespoon chopped green onion (green parts only)
• 1/2 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 1/2 cup cucumber, seeded and cut into matchsticks
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Thinly-sliced jalapeño or serrano peppers
• Cilantro sprigs
• 4 Hawaiian King hamburger buns

Details

Adapted from food52.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. To make the spicy mayo, mix together the mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Sriracha, and 1 chopped green onion until well combined. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. For pickled veggies, combine the carrots and cucumbers with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the sugar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and put in a jar or bowl with the rice wine vinegar and enough water to cover them completely. Let sit while you prepare the burgers.

3. For the burgers, mix together the ground pork, fish sauce, sesame oil, garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped green onion (green parts only), 2 teaspoons Sriracha, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until fully combined. Shape 4 1/4 pound burger patties. Make an indentation in the center of each patty with your thumb in order to prevent the burger from puffing in the center while it cooks. Grill burgers until they reach desired degree of doneness.


4. To assemble, cut buns in half and put 1 burger on each bun. Top with pickled veggies, sliced jalapeño peppers, cilantro sprigs, and spicy mayonnaise.