Bourbon Teriyaki Burger: smokey, sweet, and a little bit of heat

What happens when you mix bourbon whiskey, teriyaki sauce and pineapple then turn it into a burger? Read on to find out!

I've never been one to shy away from a challenge. This burger was born one night when I happened to be in a particularly inventive mood. This is probably the single best burger I've ever had, and I've had a lot of burgers! My coworkers agreed after I made these for one of our end of the month lunches

The best burger I've had in a long time! - Kerry G.

Is there anything better than teriyaki and pineapple on a burger? Try bourbon teriyaki and grilled pineapple on top of bacon and a fresh ground beef patty all with a slice of swiss and sriracha mayo squeezed between a freshly baked bun. Yes, please!

Bourbon Teriyaki Burger

Serves 6

Ingredients

Bourbon Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1/2 cup tamari

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger ,minced

• 1 teaspoon garlic ,minced

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 3 tablespoons bourbon

• 1/4 cup water mixed with 3 teaspoons cornstarch

Burgers:

• 1 1/2 lbs. of chuck roast

• 1 lbs. of boneless pork ribs (country style)

• 6 slices of thick cut bacon

• 1 pineapple cut into rounds about the size of the buns

• 6 slices of swiss cheese

• 1/3 cup of Kewpie mayo

• 1 1/2 tablespoons of sriracha chili sauce (more to taste)

• 1 batch of Bludhound's Burger Buns

• head of green leaf or butter lettuce

• salt

• pepper

Method:

1. Combine all of the teriyaki ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Grind the chuck and pork to a coarse grind. Form into loose 6 ounce balls on a small cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to cook.

3. Cook the bacon (I like mine mostly crisp, but cook to your liking) and grill the pineapple, I use a cast iron griddle/grill to get the nice grill marks.

4. While the bacon is cooking, prepare the lettuce, and mix the mayo and sriracha in a small bowl.

5. Time for the magic! Grab the meat from the fridge and form in to rough patties. Season well, get a cast iron pan screaming hot and throw them bad boys down. I like mine with a good amount of pink inside so usually go for about 2-3 minutes per side baste some of the teriyaki sauce on each patty after you flip it add the cheese after the first flip. Remove from the pan and let rest for a few minutes. Note: For safety make sure the internal temp reaches at least 135°F (this is the high end of medium rare, it will cook a bit more while resting usually to a medium).

6. Cut the buns and toast to a nice golden brown. Spread some of the sriracha mayo on the bottom half. Place the patty next and spoon on a bit of the teriyaki. Then add the bacon and pineapple, lay down a leaf or two of lettuce, and top with the crown of the bun smothered with more of the sriracha mayo. Enjoy!

This makes great meal with some fries or potato salad. Please feel free to leave comments below. I can answer any questions and would love it if you would share your own experience in preparing this recipe.