Jalapeno Cheddar Pork Burgers + BBQ Sauce
I promise...
This is my LAST post where I complain about Christmas being over. I'm getting a little, okay a lot, annoyed with myself, honestly. I mean, I'm just making myself more devastated by ranting about it constantly.
But... I'm slowly getting into the summer mood.
Slowly.
Like I still have one last Hallmark Christmas movie recorded that I haven't watched yet... And I do plan on watching it soon.
One reason I'm easing into the idea that it's probably not socially acceptable to drink (peppermint) hot chocolate anymore, is because school is coming to an end.
And right now, I am so, so ready for that.
The other reason is that it's been 80º every day here in Mississippi, and I really have no choice.
From now on, instead of talking about how much I love the Holiday season, I'm going to talk about my love for rain.
Most people probably don't enjoy rainy, groggy weather, but I LOVE it! Every single time there's even a tiny percent of chance of rain, I get super happy! And pretty much everyone in my school knows it. I say this because the minute it thunders/lightenings/just rains in general, I make some sort of noise and get insanely excited. I'm not joking. Just ask the 20 something people in my class. I probably irritate a lot of them with my overjoyed happiness that I spread on these days, but I don't care. I love it. Not to mention, I also get the BEST night sleep when it rains...
Onto these burgers...
So, these burgers came to be because- I basically experiment when I cook, and my brother usually has to eat my experiments for dinner. Well, a while back I cooked dinner 4 nights in a row- which I never do- and he finally complained on the third night, "Why can't you just make something normal?" I had made paella with shrimp, but basically with Fideos instead of rice one night, falafel, jadra, hummus, and greek salad the next (which he complained that it had no meat in it//because of Lent), and
Shrimp + Lemongrass Coconut Rice Bowls
the day after. He didn't like that because of 1. lemongrass, and 2. he's not a shrimp person- so the fact that I fed him shrimp 2 nights close together made him a little mad. These were all just experiments at the time, so they weren't really all that amazing, anyways.
Just when he thought he had a break from my dinners, I decided I needed one more night to cook. But this time, I cooked a meal I thought he'd actually like.
The first things that came to mind when I was coming up with what I was going to make were: meat, more meat, jalapeños, fries, more meat, and mushrooms.
Yes, he's obsessed with mushrooms.
So, bacon wrapped Jalapeño Cheddar Pork Burgers and fries it was. (Plus mushrooms drenched in butter & wine...)
This recipe leaves the bacon out of it, but if you want to shoot for a bacon wrapped burger (or even just putting some crispy bacon on the burger), go for it!
I also only got pictures of the barbecue sauce- so not a very appealing post, but definitely a tasty one!
Jalapeno Cheddar Pork Burgers
Makes 4
1 lb. ground pork
1 sweet onion- diced
2 cloves garlic- minced
1 jalapeno; finely diced w/ seeds + 1 for topping (optional); deseeded & cut lengthwise
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. salt & black pepper
2 oz. pancetta
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika + cumin
Sauté the onion, garlic, and finely diced jalapeño in olive oil, salt, pepper, and spices until fragrant, over medium-high heat. Once softened, remove from heat, and place in a food processor with cheese, pancetta, and Worcestershire; process until smooth.
Mix into ground pork until combined. Separate into 4 equal parts, and form into burger patties. IF too large, make 5-6 burgers.
Either grill or pan-fry the burgers (I panfried them).
Pre-heat oven to 375º.
Heat a large, heated skillet over medium-high heat with 2-3 tbs. olive oil, and sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes or until color starts to show, and it unsticks itself from pan. Finish in oven until internal temperature reaches 165º. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve with:
-Toasted Potato Buns
-Roasted/Grilled Jalapeno slices (optional)
-Bacon
-Sharp Cheddar slices
-Barbecue Sauce (recipe down below)
Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Makes 2 cups
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbs. molasses
3 tbs. dijon mustard
1/4 cup chili sauce OR chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder
In a saucepan, mix ketchup with brown sugar until dissolved over medium heat. Add all other ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil, and then simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
XOXO
-Cecilia A.