We are peeking around the corner at grilling season, and so I’m kicking off this month with a burger recipe – pork adobo burgers to be exact, to get all our mouths watering.
It’s been a bit quiet in the kitchen these days since I’ve been zig zagging around the globe the last month, but I’m ready to cook up some goodies for us both before I take off again in a few weeks.
Vamos, España!
Until then, we’re culinarily heading to the Philippines with this burger. I made chicken adobo ages ago, but it’s so flavorful and so easy that I just needed to resurrect it, in burger form. My favorite kind of form.
What is adobo?
According to Bon Appétit, the word adobo simply comes from the Spanish word meaning “to marinate.” Given the broad reach of the Spanish back in the day, adobo can elicit thoughts of, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Spanish or Filipino cuisines. Despite the vast differences in each of these flavour palates, the one ingredient that seems to weave its way into most adobo marinades is vinegar.
Vinegar? What’s that you say? That’s right – the main liquid in this sauces comes from a hearty helping of vinegar, and the acidic nature of vinegar is meant to help soften meat. In the Filipino slant that inspired this recipe, our burger sauce is a vinegar combined with Asian flavours – for a true zing with every bite.
While traditional adobo often contains rice vinegar, a stroll around Zingerman’s Deli had me reaching for this Gingras XO apple cider vinegar. It’s aged, so it’s a bit more delicate, less fruit forward, and less acidic than traditional apple cider vinegar. The sweet nature of apple cider vinegar, especially when compared to white vinegar, makes it a great substitute for the rice vinegar. And the perfect base of my burger au jus, as it were.
What do I need to make pork adobo burgers?
Nothing too funky I assure you. Here’s the rundown:
- Coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, jalapeño, pepper and bay – all for our sauce.
- Your favorite buns, toasted with butter. I picked up these rolls at the Deli.
- Ground pork
- cabbage salad, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, honey, fresh ginger, more garlic, chilli flakes and sesame seeds – for our sweet slaw topper.
What else do you need to know about this burger?
Besides the fact that it’s fabulous? The tangy adobo sauce soaks into the burger bun, and that combined with the sweet slaw and fatty pork makes for the most delicious burger. Paired with salt & vinegar chips, of course!
(It also serves as a reminder to use pork in burgers more often…Remember that Liptauer burger? MMM. Zingerman’s has you there too, in case you don’t feel like whipping up your own cheese spread.)
This post was sponsored by Zingerman’s Deli. Head over there for their annual vinegar sale to stock up on your favorites – such as the Gringas XO ACV featured here (and to try something new!) Because you KNOW you’ll want to make some balsamic barbecue sauce for your grillin’ times this summer!
Pork Adobo Burgers
Ingredients
For the adobo sauce
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- ½ cup apple cider or rice vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 12 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno minced and de-seeded
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 5 bay leaves
For the burgers
- 1 pound ground pork
- ¼ cup diced green onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
For the slaw
- 1 cup coleslaw or chopped cabbage mix
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 TB rice wine vinegar
- 2 TB honey
- ½ TB soy sauce
- ½ TB fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 TB toasted sesame seeds
For the rest
- 4 burger buns, slightly toasted
Instructions
Make the adobo sauce
- Combine all the ingredients for the adobo sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and continue cooking until the mixture had reduced to about 1/2.
- Remove the bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, blitz until smooth. Set aside.
Make the burgers
- In a medium bowl, combine the pork, green onions, garlic, salt and pepper (to taste). With your hands, combine well and form into 4 uniform patties.
- Grill about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and the inside reaches 160F. Once they are cooked, set aside to rest about 5 minutes.
Make the slaw
- In a medium bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. Mix well. Add the coleslaw, and toss until the dressing is completely covering the cabbage.
Assemble the burgers
- To each bun, pour enough adobo sauce on the bottom side until the bun is wet, but not sopped through. Top with a burger and then 1/4 of the slaw.
- Repeat with remaining burgers.
- Use any leftover adobo sauce as an au jus, to dip.