Double Pork Jerk Burger with Mango Salsa

Pairs well with:

Pinot Grigio

You won’t need a bouquet of flowers when you share our Pinot Grigio. This crisp wine with floral aromas is a wonderful way to make an entrance.

I love jerk seasonings and Caribbean flavors in general.I tried this recipe originally with chicken, but found that pork made it more flavorful and interesting, especially when you add that additional bacon! Like they say, everything is better with bacon! My family gave this recipe a unanimous thumbs up, it’s a great burger to serve during the warm months paired with a crisp Pinot Grigio.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 pounds ground pork

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons finely minced Serrano pepper

2 teaspoons fresh lime zest

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic

1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons coarse grain Dijon mustard

1 cup peeled and diced ripe mango

1/2 cup diced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

12 slices thick cut bacon

2 tablespoons vegetable oil for grill rack

6 ounces pepper jack cheese

6 cornmeal crusted kaiser rolls

3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

To make the patties, in a large bowl mix the ground pork, green onion, thyme leaves, Serrano pepper, lime zest, kosher salt, fresh garlic and ginger. Divide into 6 equal portions and shape into round patties about 1 inch thick.

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over both sides of the prepared

patties, press the rub in slightly to adhere. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

In another small bowl stir together the mayonnaise and coarse grain mustard, set aside.

In a medium bowl toss together the diced mango, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and pepper, set aside.

Heat a large, heavy nonstick fire-proof skillet on the grill until hot. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the grill; cook approximately 4-5 minutes per side, turning once until done through (160 degrees). Place the cheese slices on the patties during the last minute of grilling, close the cover to melt the cheese. Remove the patties from the grill and let rest. Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly, remove.

To assemble the burger, spread equal amounts of the mayonnaise mustard mixture on the bottom of each bun, top with 1/2 cup shredded lettuce, place the cheese topped patties on top of the lettuce and top each patty with 2 slices of bacon and then equal amounts of the mango salsa, add the bun tops and serve.

Serves 6