Building Global Hamburgers

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Use the "other" burger -- Pork -- as the basis for burger adventures enhanced with your favorite global flavors.

Pacific Burger
Top your burger with sunflower seeds, a grilled pineapple slice and honey Dijon-style mustard. Serve on sourdough bread.

Caribbean Burger
Add mango slices, hot pepper sauce, slices of red onion and chopped fresh cilantro; serve on grilled bun brushed with olive oil.

Mediterranean Burger
Top with a mixture of plain yogurt, chopped fresh dill and chopped cucumber; serve in a pita bread pocket.

Add the following mixes to one pound of ground pork or lean ground round:

Cajun Burgers:
Add 1/4 -teaspoon each crushed thyme, oregano and cayenne pepper.

Jerk Burgers:
Add 1/4- teaspoon each ground cloves, oregano and thyme.

Bangkok Burgers:
Add 1-teaspoon grated fresh ginger root and 1-teaspoon soy sauce.

Southwest Burgers:
Add 1/4-teaspoon each ground cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper.

Start with fresh, not frozen, ground meat. In addition to compromising taste, frozen meat may not hold together well on the grill. Fresh means two days or less in the refrigerator.
Cut fat by substituting a portion of meat with lightly sauteed or finely grated potato or carrot. Tomato sauce is especially useful to improve moisture content if you're using 95-percent lean ground beef.
Blend in seasonings such as garlic, basil, or onions gently with a fork. Careful with salt; over salting may result in tough patties because it dries out the meat.
Make a small indentation in the middle of your patties. Lightly press the center with fingers when making the patty. This helps prevent breaking and allows even cooking.
Don't mash the patty when cooking. This squeezes out the juices. The perception is that you're removing excess grease, which is not necessarily the case. Make a thin, flat patty, and move it to a paper towel after cooking to absorb excess fat.