Pork and pickle burgers

These oozing pork and pickle burgers pack Italian fennel sausage meat into two caramelised patties stacked two-high on toasted sesame buns. Tangy turmeric pickles, creamy scamorza and a zesty burger sauce bring sharp, smoky and creamy notes to every bite, making this pork and pickle burger a satisfying, indulgent treat.

This pork and pickle burger likely lands around Nutri-Score E because it uses coarse Italian fennel sausages, mayonnaise, soured cream, scamorza cheese and burger buns with turmeric pickles. The pork and pickle burger is rich, indulgent and high in fat and sugar, so treat it as an occasional treat rather than an everyday meal. The egg-free, nut-free and pregnancy-friendly tags make it suitable for those avoiding eggs and nuts while enjoying a satisfying pork and pickle burger.[/p]

Estimated nutrition (per serving, 2 burgers): kcal ~920–1020, fat ~52–58g, saturated fat ~18–22g, carbs ~62–70g, sugars ~28–34g, fibre ~2.5–3.5g, protein ~32–38g.

Method

Make pickles overnight (prep ahead: 24 hours)

1. Whisk vinegar, sugar and water until sugar dissolves. Place the white wine vinegar, caster sugar and 200ml/7fl oz water in a sterilised airtight container. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved, then add the turmeric and whisk again. This creates your tangy turmeric pickle brine for the pork and pickle burger.
2. Add dill and cucumber, then chill 24 hours. Put the dill and cucumber slices into the container. Cover with a sheet of baking paper, using the lid as a stencil, and press it down onto the liquid’s surface to keep everything submerged. Put the lid on and chill in the fridge for 24 hours before using. Making pickles a day ahead gives your pork and pickle burger proper tang and crunch.

Shape pork patties (prep ahead: fridge)

1. Divide sausage meat and roll into balls. To make the burgers, divide the coarse Italian fennel sausage meat into four equal pieces and roll each portion into a ball with your hands. Four balls make two pork and pickle burgers with two patties high.
2. Press meat into patties between baking paper. Cut out eight 20cm/8in squares of baking paper. Press each of the balls of meat between two baking paper squares with your hands. Spread the meat out into patties that are about 25% larger than the burger buns. This helps your pork and pickle burger patties stay firm and cook evenly.
3. Fridge patties between paper. Pop them in the fridge, still between the paper. Chilling sets the pork and pickle burger patties so they hold their shape when frying.

Make burger sauce and toast buns (prep: 5 mins)

1. Mix all burger sauce ingredients. To make the burger sauce, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. The mayonnaise, soured cream, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, onion granules, paprika and pickles create a zesty, creamy burger sauce for your pork and pickle burger.
2. Cut buns into crowns, heels and clubs. To continue making the burgers, cut two of the burger buns in half to create the tops or “crowns” and the bottoms or “heels” of the burger. Slice off and discard the tops and bottoms of the other two burger buns, leaving two decent middle sections or “clubs”. This double-patty stack makes your pork and pickle burger extra indulgent.
3. Toast bun surfaces in a heavy pan. Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium–high heat and toast the inside of the crowns and heels and both sides of the clubs. Remove and set aside. Toasting adds crunch and prevents the pork and pickle burger buns from getting soggy.

Fry patties and melt cheese (cook: 6 mins)

1. Heat oil and fry patties 3 minutes. Wipe out any breadcrumbs from the pan and heat the vegetable oil in the pan over a high heat. Peel off the paper from the patties and place in the pan. Fry for 3 minutes until deeply caramelised. Do not try to move them too soon as they might stick. Caramelisation gives your pork and pickle burger patties a rich, smoky crust.
2. Flip, add scamorza and cook through. Flip the patties over, add the scamorza cheese on top and fry on the other side. The cheese will melt while the second side cooks. Check the patties are cooked through. Melting scamorza on the pork and pickle burger creates an oozing, creamy finish.

Build and serve burgers (finish: 3 mins)

1. Smother toasted buns with burger sauce. Smother the toasted side of the heels and the tops of the clubs with most of the burger sauce and put a little on the inside of the crowns. The sauce binds your pork and pickle burger layers and adds tangy creaminess.
2. Layer patties, onion and pickles. Pop the burger patties on the heels and clubs and sprinkle with the onion. Place three pickle slices on top of each patty. The turmeric pickles cut through the pork and pickle burger richness with sharp tang.
3. Add lettuce, stack and squish. Cover them all in lettuce. Stack the clubs on the heels, pop the crown on and give them a gentle squish! Serve immediately. The squish holds your pork and pickle burger together for easy eating.

Helpful tip: Make the pickles a day in advance for the best pork and pickle burger tang. The 24-hour chill lets the turmeric and dill infuse the cucumbers properly.