Say Aloha to the Hawaiian Burger!

The other day I had the inspiration to create a Hawaiian burger. Not that it’s never been done before, but I’ve never had one nor seen (or looked for) a recipe. My thinking was to give the burger some sweet notes via grilled pineapple and to infuse the flavors of teriyaki and onion throughout. I also wanted a little bit of spice, so added some sriracha chile sauce into the mayo. The result was delicious, and perfect for a summer evening. Give it a try, and tell me how you liked it!

This recipe makes 2 burgers but can easily be multiplied for bigger parties. The recipe from start to finish should take you about a half hour to make.

Ingredients for the burgers:
2/3 pound ground chuck or lean ground beef
3 Tbsp dried onion soup mix
1 tsp dried ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp brown sugar
salt & pepper to taste
brioche buns

Mayo:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
sriracha to taste (I use about 1 tsp)
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp pineapple juice (from the can of fruit)

Garnishes:
2 slices red onion, about 1/4″ thick
4 pineapple rings from a can, or 2 fresh cut to match the size of the burgers
vegetable oil
Iceberg lettuce leaves

Glaze:
2 Tbsp each of teriyaki and soy sauces plus 1 tsp brown sugar

For the burgers, mix the beef in a bowl with the grated onion, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Form into 2 patties. Heat a grill to high heat.

While the grill is heating, mix together the mayonnaise with the sriracha, soy, teriyaki, brown sugar and pineapple juice in a small bowl. Taste and adjust as needed. In a separate bowl, mix together the teriyaki, soy and brown sugar for the glaze.

Brush the pineapple rings and onion slices with vegetable oil. When the grill is ready, cook the burgers on one side for 6 minutes over direct heat. When you flip the burgers, brush with the glaze, and add the onions and pineapple to the grill. Brush them with glaze also. In 3 minutes, check the onions and pineapple…turn and brush with glaze. Cook additional 3 minutes (remove the onions and pineapple when nicely grilled), and burgers will be done. Glaze the burgers one more time and remove from the grill. Turn down the heat to low and toast the buns.

To assemble, place the bottom half of the bun on a plate and brush on some of the mayo. Top with lettuce leaves, some red onion, then the burger. Top the burger with the grilled pineapple. Brush more mayo on the top half of the bun, and place atop the burger. Repeat for the other burger. Take a bite and say aloha to the flavors of Hawaii!

Bon appetit!