Chef notes
It’s burger season, baby! To celebrate this warm weather staple, Chef Matt Adobo generously shared his recipe for the Pig Beach Burger from his famed restaurant of the same name, Pig Beach. Smothered in a tangy sauce and layered with cheese and pickles, this burger is a comfort meal tailor made for grilling season.
While this ingredient list may look intimidating, the final result is totally worth it. All it takes is a bit of prep work, but the burger comes together in minutes. Start by making the all-purpose barbecue seasoning which incorporates spices like oregano, fennel seeds, paprika and cayenne. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and can be used for so many other preparations, like grilled ribs or chicken.
Pig Beach makes their own mustard blend which then gets incorporated into the burger sauce. The burger sauce gives a nod to Thousand Island dressing combining mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickles and that special seasoning. Every burger needs to balance the fat with acid, and here quick pickles are enlisted to do the job. Thinly sliced cucumbers sit overnight with vinegar, garlic, salt and sugar before they’re ready to be used.
If all of those components weren’t enough to make this a standout burger, Chef Matt recommends using brisket short rib burger blends for the most flavorful burger around.
Technique Tip: Grilling burgers is a classic summertime pastime, but don’t worry if you’re stuck inside — you can still make these burgers on the stovetop.
Swap Option: To save on time, store-bought pickles, mustard and barbecue sauce can be swapped in.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sweet paprika
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons granulated onion
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard, preferably French's
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce, preferably Frank's Red Hot
- 1½ teaspoons All-Purpose Barbecue Seasoning (recipe above)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1½ cups ketchup
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- 1½ cups Pig Beach Mustard Sauce (recipe above)
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon All-Purpose Barbecue Seasoning (recipe above)
- 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- nonstick cooking spray
- 6 (4-ounce) brisket short rib burger blend patties
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 slices white American cheese
- 3/4 cup Pig Beach Burger Sauce (recipe above)
- 1 cup Pig Beach Pickles (recipe above)
- 6 potato rolls
Preparation
For the All-Purpose Barbecue Seasoning:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and then transfer to a food processor and pulse until evenly incorporated. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. It will last for 3 months in the pantry.
For the Pig Beach Mustard Sauce:
Combine all ingredients with an immersion blender and let sit overnight. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
For the Pig Beach Burger Sauce:
Combine all ingredients and chill overnight. Keep refrigerated.
For the Pig Beach Quick Pickles:
Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive container and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The following day, mix and serve.
For the burgers:
1.Preheat the grill to high heat. Scrub the grates using a metal grill brush to remove any debris or food bits. Spray the grates with nonstick cooking spray.
2.Season the burgers to taste with salt and pepper and arrange on the grill. Cook for 2 minutes and then flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes with a slice of American cheese on top of each burger. By the time the cheese is fully melted, the burger will be cooked to about medium-rare. Continue to cook the burgers to your desired doneness. Transfer the cooked burgers onto a cooling rack and let rest for 1 minute.
3.While the burgers are resting prepare each bun with 1 tablespoon of Pig Beach Burger Sauce on the bottom bun along with 6 to 8 pickles. Place the cooked and rested burger patties on the prepared buns and dollop another tablespoon of burger sauce on top of each if desired. Finish with the top buns and serve immediately.
