Umami Beef & Pork Burgers

Juicy beef and pork burgers recipe, made with ground pork and beef, seasoned with miso and seasonings for some extra umami flavor

Burgers are simple to make and can satisfy all sorts of cravings but there are many different ways to make them and everyone has a preference when it comes to how they like it. There's no such thing as a perfect burger because everyone's idea of perfection is different. Here's my favorite way to make beef and pork burgers at home!

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR BURGER?

• Flavor - Some like their burgers simple with a bit of salt, and some like it with a bit of spice. Neither is right or wrong as long as you enjoy it. I enjoy it both ways, but for the recipe, I use a bit of spice and condiments in the meat to give it umami and a bit of flavor. Regardless of how a burger is flavored, one thing you shouldn't skip out on is salt. Depending on how you salt and mix the meat, the texture can vary as well. For this recipe, instead of using salt, I use miso as the salt.
• Texture - Burger textures can vary from soft to chewy with crumbly with crispy edges. For this recipe, the burger has more of a chew to it with crispy edges. We get this chewy texture by adding the salt (miso) directly into the meat and overworking it by mixing it a lot. Salt binds the proteins together and basically produces meat gluten - so the more we mix it the chewier the burger will be. If you want a less chewy texture burger, don't overwork/mix the meat. Once you add the miso in and mix it together with the meat, don't mix it anymore. The less you mix the meat, the less chewy it will be.

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS FOR BEEF AND PORK BURGERS

• Beef/Pork - I use lean beef and medium-fat pork. The fat from the pork is what will give the burger its juiciness. Do not use extra lean pork. This will produce a very dry and tough burger.  That being said, you can definitely use fattier ground beefs as well, it would only give it more flavor.
• Miso - This is the magic ingredient for this burger recipe. I use miso as a form of salt, as well as giving it umami. You can use any type of miso (white, yellow, or red), but if you are new to miso you should use white for a milder flavor. The salt from the miso acts as a binder for the burger as well - vigorously mixing the meat with the miso (salt) brings out the meat glutens which creates a chewier textured burger that doesn't fall apart when cooking it. You definitely should not skip or omit this ingredient.
• Mustard - This is the other magic ingredient in the burger. It adds a lot of flavor to the patties and cooking it with the meat makes it smell incredible as well. Definitely don't skip this ingredient.
• Spices - Garlic and onion powder add a wonderful flavor to this burger and the Worcestershire sauce brings it to another level. Mix and match or use them all!
• Egg (Optional) - Using an egg is optional for this recipe, it gives the burger a more silky texture almost meatball-like. If you don't plan on adding salt into the meat or pre-mixing the meat, it will help with binding the meat together so it won't fall apart as well.

WHAT KIND OF TOPPINGS CAN I USE FOR A BURGER?

I find that keeping the toppings simple is best, however, you can fancy it up with caramelized onions and mushrooms or fancy mustards and mayo if that's what you are feeling that day!

I usually like to use processed cheese instead of the more expensive cheeses for my burgers because they are a lot easier to melt into that wonderful gooeyness.

My personal favorite toppings are ketchup, mustard, sweet relish, diced onions, and processed cheese.

THE BEST WAY TO COOK BURGERS?

To be honest, there is no right or wrong answer for this. This will depend on what tools you have, and how you enjoy your burger. For this recipe, I use a cast-iron pan skillet over a stove, but you can use the cast-iron pan over the bbq as well. I'll list a few different methods that you can use to make this burger and you can decide what you think will be the most delicious for you!

• Cast-iron pan method - This is my favorite method of making burgers. The flat surface combined with the high heat of the pan gives more of a crust. Since it is a pan, I can also splash a bit of water before I cover it with a lid to steam it as well to keep it juicy. Cooking it on a pan also prevents the juices from dripping away which also keeps it a bit moist as well. I actually love using a cast-iron pan over the bbq in the summer and make smash burgers with this recipe.
• Directly on the grill or bbq - When I"m pressed for time, or I don't feel like cleaning a cast-iron pan, I will use the grill to make these burgers. You lose a bit of the juice and 'dome' it with a bit of water to steam it so the burger is not as juicy as the cast-iron method but it is just as tasty and has more of a charbroiled, smokey flavor.

WHY DO I STEAM MY BURGERS?

I adapted this technique by watching diners cook burgers. Once a crust forms on the burger patty, they use a metal lid and squirt a bit of water under the lid to create steam and steamed it for 1-2 mins to help keep the moisture in the burger, and to cook the meat evenly and all the way through so you have less of a chance of a raw middle. Putting a slice of cheese right after you steam the burger also melts it into its wonderful gooeyness.

TIPS AND FAQS FOR MAKING BEEF AND PORK BURGERS

• Can I double or triple this recipe? Yes, you can! If you are doubling or tripling this recipe, make sure to double and triple everything on the ingredient list including the spices.
• Can I use different kinds of meat for this recipe? You most definitely can. Depending on my mood, I will sometimes use all ground beef or all ground pork. You can even mix in a bit of ground lamb for something different. Just make sure some of the ground meat you are using have some fat to it so that the burger turns out juicy.
• Can I use extra lean meat for this burger recipe? You can, but I wouldn't. Using only extra lean meat will make a tough and dry burger.
• If you are going to make a cheeseburger, the best time to put it on is right before the burger is done cooking while it is on the pan or bbq. The heat from the meat will melt the cheese slightly, for that gooey cheese taste.
• To get that nice brown crust, you want to touch the burgers as little as possible. You only need to flip the burger once - 2 times max.
• To prevent your burgers from curling up, make a small indent in the middle of each patty!
  

LOOKING FOR MORE BBQ RECIPES? TRY THESE!

• Grilled Thai Coconut Chicken Skewers
• Nem Nuong (Grilled Vietnamese Pork Sausages)
• Grilled Halloumi Cheese
• Chicken Satay Recipe with Peanut Sauce
• Roasted Okra Recipe
• Grilled Coconut Curry Chicken Wings

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Recipe Card

Umami Beef & Pork Burgers

A juicy beef and pork non-traditional burger, filled with umami flavours cooked in a cast iron pan in a non-traditional way.

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Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

6 Burgers

4.94 from 29 votes

Made with ♡ by Joyce | Pups with Chopsticks

Recipe Notes

• I have tested this recipe with extra lean pork and I do not recommend using it. The extra lean pork did not have enough fat to make this burger moist and juicy and it turned out very dry and tough in texture.
• If you want a less chewy texture burger, don't overwork/mix the meat. Once you add the miso in and mix it together with the meat, don't mix it anymore. The less you mix the meat, the less chewy it will be.

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Ingredients

 

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• ▢ 250 g ground beef
• ▢ 250 g ground pork
• ▢ 1 egg (optional)
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoon miso
• ▢ 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder  (not onion salt)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, combine the beef, pork, mustard, egg (optional) Worcestershire sauce, miso, garlic powder and onion powder and mix together.
• Take approximately ½-3/4 cup of meat and shape it until it is approximately 1cm thick. (Don’t worry, when the meat cooks it get thicker as it shrinks inwards). Make a small indent in the middle of each patty so that the burger keeps it shape and doesn’t curl up during the cooking process.
• Use small pieces of parchment paper between the burgers to stack them up until you ready to cook them.
• Let the patties sit for 30 minutes
• In a cast iron pan, set the stove to medium heat and add a bit of oil. Wait until the pan is very hot.
• Add in the burger and let it sear for 1-2 minutes. Don’t touch it or flip it!
• Add ¼ cup of water to the pan and quickly put a lid over it and let it steam. (Careful, the steam is hot!) Let it cook for about 2 minutes, or until the water has evaporated away
• Remove the lid and flip the burger and let it cook for another 2 minutes to brown the other side.
• At this point, if you are adding cheese to your burger put it on now and put the lid over it for another 30 seconds or until the cheese has melted
• Serve it on a bun and some toppings and enjoy!!

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg

*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*

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