White Barbecue Sauced Veal & Pork Burgers With Fried Green Tomatoes

White barbecue sauce is my new favorite for summer grilling. The fried green tomato on the burger makes for a tangy, crunchy element to compliment the juicy burgers.

Serves: 6 Regular-Sized Burgers

INGREDIENTS:

Burger:

• 2 Pounds ground veal
• 1 Pound ground pork
• 1 Teaspoon pink sea salt
• 1 Teaspoon white pepper
• 6 Slices white cheddar cheese
• 6 Round brioche rolls, split
• 3 Teaspoons soft, unsalted butter
• 6 Crisp lettuce leaves

White Barbecue Sauce:

• ¾ Cup mayonnaise
• ¼ Cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons Limoncello
• 2 Tablespoons shallot, finely chopped
• 2 Teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 Teaspoon preserved lemon, finely minced
• ½ Teaspoon hot sauce
• ½ Teaspoon onion powder
• ½ Teaspoon celery salt
• ½ Teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ Teaspoon white pepper

Fried Green Tomatoes:

• 2 Green heirloom tomatoes
• 1 Egg + 1 egg yolk
• ¼ Cup heavy cream
• ½ Cup flour
• ½ Cup cornmeal
• ½ Cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 Teaspoon white pepper
• 2/3 Cup solid vegetable shortening

INSTRUCTIONS:

Burger:

1. Heat grill to high heat
2. Gently combine veal, pork, sea salt and white pepper in a bowl; form into 6 burger patties and set aside
3. Whisk together all barbecue sauce ingredients
4. Cut tomatoes into 6 slices (3 per tomato), discarding ends
5. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, and cream together in a (pasta) bowl
6. In a separate bowl, stir together the corn meal, breadcrumbs and white pepper; sprinkle both sides of the tomato slices with the flour to absorb excess moisture
7. Dip each slice into the egg/cream mixture then dredge with cornmeal/breadcrumbs
8. Melt shortening in a large cast iron skillet (on the grill) and fry tomatoes for a minute on each side until crisp and golden brown – then drain on a paper towel
9. Lower grill heat to medium heat and grill burgers for about 5 minutes per side (internal temperature should be no more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit for medium cooked burgers). Baste burgers with the white barbecue sauce while grilling
10. Melt cheese onto each patty
11. Spread rolls with butter and grill for about 30 seconds

Assemble:

12. To assemble burgers, place a lettuce leaf onto the bottom roll (this prevents the bread getting soggy) followed by a burger patty, then a friend green tomato slice and the top of the bun