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Smash burgers are all the rage these days, but you know what’s always delicious? A thick burger patty served on a bun with a savory sauce and delicious toppings. And this Pineapple Burger is just that. It’s thick, juicy, beefy and so dang savory thanks to the epic miso mayo sauce and charred pineapple slices. If you’re looking for a unique, restaurant-quality burger, this is it.
I’ve been working with the Iowa Beef Council for more than 5 years now to bring you delicious, elevated and approachable beef recipes. And these pineapple burgers hit all three marks. Everyday ingredients come together to create a totally unique burger that will impress.
Ingredients for Pineapple Burgers
- Ground Beef: these burger are thick. For four burgers you’ll need 1 ½ pounds of ground beef. And for the best flavor, seek our 85/15.
- Mayonnaise: the base of the savory burger sauce. Use whatever brand you prefer (I like Hellman’s Olive Oil Mayo).
- Cilantro: you’ll need one small bunch for this.
- Whole grain mustard: I don’t recommend substituting with stone-ground. Whole grain is ideal for texture and mild flavor. Maille is the brand I use.
- Dark miso paste: if you can’t find dark, light will also work. The sauce will be slightly milder.
- Pineapple: you’ll only need about half a pineapple for the burgers. Serve the rest on the side or save for something else.
- Pepper Jack slices: I like the meltability and mild spice pepper Jack adds.
- Brioche buns: buttery and fluffy, these are ideal for this burger. For more of a Hawaiian nod, use King’s Hawaiian burger buns.
- Iceberg lettuce: nothing beats a thick slice of iceberg lettuce on a burger. Don’t skip this or you’ll miss the crisp, crunch!
How to Make Grilled Pineapple Burgers
- Make the burger sauce first thing then set it aside until you’re ready to assemble. All you have to do is stir together the mayo, cilantro, mustard and miso.
- Remove the crown and skin of a large pineapple then thinly slice, crosswise, into ⅛-inch to ¼-inch thick rounds.
TIP: an easy way to remove the tough core of the pineapple from the slices is to use a small round cookie or biscuit cutter. If you don’t have one, carefully use a pairing knife to do so.
- Form the burger patties by dividing into 6-ounce portions and flattening into 5-inch-wide patties.
TIP: for easy grilling, layer the patties between small squares of parchment.
- Lightly coat the pineapple with some oil then grill the slices until charred on both sides; this will take about 6 minutes but be sure to flip them every 2 minutes so they don’t burn.
- Place the burger patties on the grill grate and grill, without touching, until charred and naturally release from the grate, about 4 minutes. Flip, place a slice of cheese on each patty, and continue grilling for 1–2 more minutes (depending on desired doneness).
- Toast the buns for a minute or two, cut side down, until golden brown.
- To assemble, spread about 1 tablespoon of the burger sauce on each cut side of buns. Place burger patties on bottom buns, top each with two pineapple slices, a slice of iceberg lettuce, finish with top bun and serve.
TIP: for thick slices of iceberg lettuce, cut a head of washed lettuce, top to bottom, into thick slices. Keep the slices intact as best you can, removing outer rings of lettuce if it’s needed to fit on the burger.
Tips for Making Hawaiian Burgers
- Fat percentage of beef: for the most flavor and juiciest burgers, use 85/15. Any fattier and you risk flareups on the grill and more shrinkage of the burger. Any leaner and the burger will likely be pretty dry.
- Make large, wide patties: the key to a thick, juicy patty that doesn’t shrink in on itself is to make a big patty (6 ounces) and flatten it out into a wide (5-inch( patty. No middle indentation needed.
- Don’t over-work the meat: these burger patties are just beef. No breadcrumbs, no seasonings, no egg. This is intentional—you don’t want to work the meat more than you need to. Overworked ground beef = tough burgers. Simply divide into 6 ounce portions, roll into balls and flatten into patties.
- Cook over high heat for a short amount of time: searing the all-beef patties over high heat and cooking them for a short amount of time chars the exterior while locking in the juices and keeping the centers juicy.
- Season well: similar to how I make smash burgers, I don’t season the interior of the beef patties but I do season the exteriors well with salt. Right before placing the patties on the grill, season one side with kosher salt. Place the salted side down on the grill grate then season the second side.
- Don’t press down on the burgers: these aren’t smash burgers! Keep them tall and thick, and don’t you dare press out their flavorful juices!
What Temperature to Cook Burgers to
The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160ºF. If you prefer a more rare doneness, here are the corresponding temperatures to cook beef patties to.
Use an instant-read thermometer to quickly check doneness.
| DONENESS | TEMPERATURE |
|---|---|
| Medium-Rare | 120–125ºF |
| Medium | 130–135ºF |
| Medium-Well | 140–145ºF |
| Well-Done | 150–155ºF |
Storing and Make-Ahead Tips for Pineapple Burgers
Prep ahead: the burger sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The burger patties can be formed and stored in the fridge, covered in plastic wrap, for up to 1 day.
Storing leftovers: store leftover cooked burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low or in the microwave, on 30-second intervals, until warmed through.
Serve Hawaiian Burgers With
Pineapple Burger Recipe
Description
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Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 2 ½ tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 4 teaspoons dark miso paste
- 1½ pounds 85/15 ground beef
- ½ pineapple, peeled and cut into ⅛-thick slices
- Splash avocado or vegetable oil
- 4 slices pepper Jack cheese
- 4 brioche buns
- ½ head iceberg lettuce, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
Instructions
- Heat a gas grill over high for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup minced cilantro, 2½ tablespoons mustard, and 4 teaspoons miso; mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Form beef into four 5-inch-wide and ½-inch thick patties (6 ounces each). Place on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Remove crown and skin from pineapple, then cut eight ⅛-inch thick slices of pineapple rounds. Using a small round cookie cutter, or carefully with a paring knife, cut out tough core from each slice. Arrange slices on a separate baking sheet and lightly coat with a splash of oil.
- Over high heat, place pineapple slices on grill grate and grill until char marks form and pineapple is softened, 6–8 minute, flipping every 2 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet and set aside.
- Season one side of burger patties with 1 teaspoon kosher salt (about ¼ teaspoon each); place patties, seasoned side down, on grate. Season tops of patties with another teaspoon of salt (¼ teaspoon per patty) and grill until charred and easily release from grate, about 4 minutes. Flip patties, place a slice of Pepper Jack on each patty and continue grilling until cheese is melted and burgers register 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 135°F (57°C) for medium, 1–2 minutes more. Transfer burgers to a large plate.
- Toast buns, cut side down, on grill until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- To assemble burgers, spread about 1 tablespoon of sauce onto each cut side of both top and bottom buns. On bottom buns place a burger patty followed by 2 pineapple slices and 1 slice of iceberg lettuce. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
This sponsored post is in partnership with the Iowa Beef Council. As always the thoughts, opinions, recipe, photos and content are all my own.
