Name: Asian Pork Burgers
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 48 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 pound ground pork; 2 scallions, beards trimmed, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger; 1 large garlic clove, minced; 3 teaspoons avocado oil, divided; 1 teaspoon fish sauce; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage; 2 teaspoons rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon coconut aminos; Green leaf lettuce, romaine, or iceberg lettuce (for wrapping the burgers); Spicy mayonnaise (see notes)

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Beef burgers usually get all the attention, but these bunless Asian Pork Burgers put a delicious spin on the barbecue classic.

These burgers are paleo, gluten free, keto-friendly, and Whole30. That's a whole lot of boxes checked!

So let's get grilling, shall we?

Asian pork burger on a bed of lettuce and served with potato wedges

How to make great burgers

Naturally, I have a few tips on making great homemade burgers.

I'll save you a real slog through the weeds — maybe I'll tackle that in another post, another time.

But with a few simple tips, you'll be on your way to making awesome burgers, regardless of whether you use beef, pork, chicken, or fish!

Bunless pork burger topped with mayo and red cabbage

Let's dive in to the tips:

Don't overmix. This is a general rule with a few exceptions, but by and large if you mix the meat and spices too thoroughly, you'll end up with tough burgers. So mix with your hands just until the spices are incorporated, and call it good.
Let the mixed meat chill at least 30 minutes before making patties and grilling. I know, it adds a valuable 30 minutes to your prep time. But for flavorful burgers that actually stick together when you grill them, this step is essential! While the meat's chilling in the fridge, all the spices will marinate the meat, and you can happily prep the rest of the meal and preheat the grill knowing that you're making some damn good burgers.
Brush the patties with oil before grilling. I don't know why this was such a mind-blowing realization to me. Previously, I'd always oiled the grates before tossing anything on the grill. But then the grates smoke and drip oil, causing flareups. Instead, using a basting brush to apply some olive oil or avocado oil directly to the patties ensures they won't stick, even when you flip them.

Spices, toppings, and subs for Asian Pork Burgers

I want to give you options. First, let's go over the non-negotiables.

First and foremost, I wouldn't substitute anything in the patties themselves. We're talking pretty basic ingredients here: ginger, garlic, scallions (green onions), salt, pepper, fish sauce.

If fresh ginger is hard for you to find, you can try substituting ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger. BUT, don't go with ground ginger just because you've never bought fresh ginger — if it's available, use it!

And here's a bonus tip for you. You don't have to "peel" ginger. Chop it up finely enough, and the outer "skin" is completely unnoticeable.

The toppings are the area you can really play with things for these Asian pork burgers.

I made a super simple slaw consisting of purple cabbage, coconut aminos, rice vinegar. You can make it even more simple by tossing the cabbage in a couple tablespoons of Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Dressing (my favorite)!

I also decided to throw on a super simple "sauce" — Primal Kitchen Mayo mixed with a little paprika and chili powder.

No recipe for that one — just measure out ¼ cup of mayo and add the spices a bit at a time until it tastes phenomenal to you!

Those were my picks, but you can certainly take the reigns in the toppings department. Add a bit of pickled ginger, maybe a different kind of slaw. Used sliced red onion or jalapenos. Your choice!

More paleo grilling recipes

📖 Recipe

Asian Pork Burgers

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Author: Chelsea at DoYouEvenPaleo.net
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 48 minutes
Yield: 4 burgers 1x
Category: Entree
Method: Grilled
Cuisine: Asian

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Description

With simple ingredients and colorful toppings, these bunless Asian Pork Burgers make an excellent low carb meal! Whole30, keto, and paleo.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound ground pork
2 scallions, beards trimmed, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 teaspoons avocado oil, divided
1 teaspoon fish sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon coconut aminos
Green leaf lettuce, romaine, or iceberg lettuce (for wrapping the burgers)
Spicy mayonnaise (see notes)

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Instructions

Add ground pork, sliced scallions, ginger, garlic, 1 teaspoon avocado oil, fish sauce, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Using your hands, mix until the spices are just incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the red cabbage, rice vinegar, and coconut aminos in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (500-600 degrees).
Remove the meat mixture from the fridge. Divide into 4 equal portions and, using your hands, shape each section into a ¾" tall patty.
Brush each patty on both sides with remaining 2 teaspoons avocado oil. Add to the grill and cook for 8 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
To assemble the burgers, overlap a few large leaves of lettuce. Place a pork burger near the edge of the leaves and top with mayo mixture and cabbage slaw. Fold up the back of the lettuce leaves and sides. Serve with potato wedges, if desired.

Notes

To make your own Spicy Mayonnaise, measure ¼ cup Primal Kitchen Mayonnaise. Add paprika and chili powder ⅛ teaspoon at a time, tasting as you go, until it's spiced enough for your tastes.

Keywords: Asian pork burgers