Mouthwatering Aloha Pork Smashburgers Recipe

Directions

• Make the Teriyaki sauce by combining soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, and garlic powder in a small saucepan. Heat it up over medium-low heat, stirring, until it reaches a low simmer. Separately, stir the cornstarch into the cold water until dissolved. Then stir cornstarch slurry into the Teriyaki mixture. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground pork with 1/4 cup of the Teriyaki sauce. Mix and fold the sauce into the meat until it’s fully incorporated and the meat is somewhat sticky. Then weigh out the meat mixture into 3-ounce portions, and roll each one into a meatball.
• Make Teriyaki mayo condiment by combining 1/2 cup of mayo with 2 Tablespoons of the Teriyaki sauce. Stir to incorporate, and refrigerate until ready for use.
• Grill pineapple rings over medium heat, turning regularly. After there are some good grill marks on both sides, begin brushing the top sides with Teriyaki sauce after each turn. Continue grilling until the pineapple slices are tender (but not falling apart). Some char is good, but take care not to burn them. Once the rings are removed from the grill, brush them one more time with Teriyaki sauce.
• Melt some butter and brush it onto the insides of the hamburger buns. Lightly toast on the grill over medium heat.
• With the griddle flat-top heated up over medium-high heat, lay down a pad of butter and allow it to melt. Then place two meatballs down on the griddle and immediately smash. Use a large spatula or a burger press with some parchment paper to keep the utensil from sticking to the meat. Press the meat as flat as possible and hold it for 5 seconds. Remove the parchment paper.
• Immediately season the top side of the burger patties with BBQ pork seasoning (or just use some salt and pepper). Once a nice crust has formed on the bottom, flip the patties over (it does not take long – only a minute or so).
• After 1 minute, lay 2 slices of Swiss cheese atop one of the patties, and then stack the other patty atop that. Repeat the smashburger process for as many burgers you need to make.
• Build the burger. On the bottom bun, lay down a bed of leafy lettuce. Then set the double-stacked patties atop it. Then add a pineapple ring and some sliced red onion. Finally, spread Teriyaki-mayo on the top bun, and set in place.