Pork Burgers with Caramelized Onions

Name: Pork Burgers with Caramelized Onions
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground pork; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary; 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 4 slices Muenster or Gouda cheese; 4 brioche burger buns; 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 medium sweet yellow onion; 1/2 tablespoon butter; 1/2 cup wheat beer

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These pork burgers with caramelized onions are a great way to celebrate with your favorite Oktoberfest beer!

Ground pork is mixed with the perfect blend of spices and then cooked on the stovetop until crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Simply top with sauce, cheese, and sweet onions that have been caramelized in beer.

pork burgers with Gouda and caramelized onions on a brioche bun on a plate.

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What should you watch or listen to this October?
What beer should you pair with this burger?
The ingredients and why they work so well together
How to make pork burgers with caramelized onions step-by-step
Tips & Variations
More burger recipes
Pork Burgers with Caramelized Onions

What should you watch or listen to this October?

We just finished up The Watcher. While I get that the intrigue of this being based on a true story is what probably had people tuning into this, I actually didn’t think it was that good.

As a true crime podcast listener, I have listened to way spookier stuff that would have made an even more intriguing TV series. That is why I say you should skip this series entirely and instead hop on your favorite podcast streaming service and list to Radio Rental. True stories told by the people who lived them.

What beer should you pair with this burger?

The beer: Oddtoberfest from Odd Side Ales

This has what you would find in a typical Märzen with even more to offer. I liked that it had what I felt was a rich caramel taste with a malty sweetness that I don’t think I’ve found in styles similar to this. This is one that will be going on my list of favorites for the season.

The ingredients and why they work so well together

Store-bought ground pork and spices. The burgers are made without breadcrumbs and just kept simple with the pork and a mixture of spices.
Muenster or Gouda cheese. Either of these cheeses works great on this ground pork burger recipe.
Sweet onions cooked in a wheat beer. Let the onions cook down in beer and slowly caramelize until they are golden brown.
Brioche buns. My favorite type of bun to use for virtually any hamburger recipe I make.
Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Combine the two ingredients equally for the sauce.

How to make pork burgers with caramelized onions step-by-step

For the onions to top this burger with, they will cook longer so you will want to start them first.

Cut a yellow onion in half then slice both sides.

Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to a pan and let it melt, place the onions in the pan.

Sautee the onions in the butter for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown.

Pour the beer into the pan, enough to cover the onions. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

sauteed onions in a pan with a beer about to be poured into the pan. onions caramelized in beer in a pan.

The onions should cook down and there should be little to no liquid left in the pan. Turn off the heat and let them sit in the pan until the burgers are done.

My favorite way to cook burgers of any kind is to make them into smash burgers and cook them in a pan on the stovetop.

Mix the meat with the seasonings in a bowl then form the meat into 4 balls of equal size.

Heat some oil in a large pan then add one of the balls to the pan.

balls of ground pork in a bowl. a pork burger in a pan with some oil. two spatulas pressing down on the burger patty.

Using two spatulas or a burger press, press down on the top of the burger to flatten the meat out. Repeat with the other 3 patties.

Cover the pan with a lid leaving a corner open for venting.

hamburger patties made with pork cooking in a pan. gouda cheese topped on pork burgers in a pan.

Cook over medium/high heat for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 more minutes.

Once the pork patties have cooked to the right temperature, remove them and add them to a paper towel-lined plate to let them drain off some of the greases.

Let the pan cool, then carefully clean the grease out of the pan with a paper towel. Place the burgers back into the pan and add the cheese on top. Cover with the lid, turn back on the heat, and let the cheese melt, for about 2-3 minutes.

What does the internal temperature need to be for pork burgers?

Make sure that ground pork is cooked to 160 degrees F.

The simple sauce that I use for this is equal parts of Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Mix together in a small bowl.

mayonnaise and mustard mixed together in a small glass bowl with a spoon in it.

Tips & Variations

For this recipe, I used ground pork and added my own seasoning, but you could use flavored brats and remove the casings instead.
If you do not want to braise the onions in beer, swap it out for chicken or vegetable broth.
Make your own quick brioche buns with this recipe from Kristine’s Kitchen Blog.

More burger recipes

Add the burger to the bun and top with the onions and sauce.

And here you are….

pork burger on brioche bun with waffle fries next to it on the place. descriptive text 'pork burgers with caramelized onions' and 'bottom left of the mitten'.

From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!