Try out this grilled BBQ ground pork burger recipe! They turn out juicy, tender, rich with flavor, and have caramelized edges just like Grandpa used to make!
Grandpa’s pulled pork sandwiches come with simple ingredients of ground pork, sweet BBQ sauce, and toasty buns. The few ingredients mixed together just right create a flavorful dinner the whole family will enjoy.
I love this recipe because it’s easy to make in a pinch if you prep them the night before.
It takes 6 hours of freezer time, but only 15 minutes to cook up the next day. This is the perfect recipe to follow if you have a few extra hours on a Thursday and know you’ll need a quick dinner Friday.
I also have a similar recipe to this one for BBQ pork burger sliders. There’s no freezing involved and it’s all baked in the oven!
Grandpa’s BBQ Pork Burgers Ingredients
- Ground Pork
- Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce (or your favorite BBQ sauce)
- Hamburger Buns
What To Serve With BBQ Pork Burgers?
You may be thinking this list is much too easy, and you should serve something else with it. One of the best sides of pork sandwiches is coleslaw.
You can do this so many ways and add almost anything you want into it. One of my favorite ways to eat coleslaw is with crisp green apples and crunchy walnuts.
These earthy flavors will really compliment the sweet sauce on Grandpa’s BBQ pork burgers.
Toppings For BBQ Pork Burgers
If you need some ideas for toppings, here are some ideas you can’t go wrong with. Certain spicy and earthy flavors will help bring out the taste of the sweet sauce and the pork. Try out these for a bit of a kick on your sandwich.
- Grilled Onions While you have your patties on a grill, throw some onion in a tinfoil bin and roast them too.
- Melted Mozzarella If you’re going to grill onions, add some melted mozzarella cheese. I promise you that the combination is well worth the effort. I do this with my BBQ pork burger sliders that’s very similar to this recipe and it’s mouthwatering just thinking about it!
- Grilled Peppers Bell peppers are a more earthy flavor that will help bring out the meat’s tenderness.
- Yellow Mustard If you need some extra sauce or moisture, you can add yellow mustard on top to bring out the flavor of the sweet pork.
- Spicy Mayo I happen to find this my favorite topping on these burgers. It gives it a little kick and has delicious flavor that compliments the BBQ pork flavors.
- Coleslaw Some people LOVE coleslaw on top of pork sandwiches. It will help marry the flavors to create a mouth-watering bite.
Freezing Tips
In this recipe for pulled pork sandwiches, you will need to freeze your patties for six hours. For some people, the best way to do this is overnight, or make them first thing in the morning to be ready for dinner. Either way, here are some of the best tips to follow for freezing pulled pork patties:
- Do not thaw them prior to grilling.
- Use grill mats for the absolute best sear on your patty. This will leave caramelized flavor around the edges.
- Freezing them will help them stick together better, and be sure to place layers of parchment or wax paper in between layers otherwise they will stick.
When you cook food with sauces or marinades on the mats, they leave caramelized edges that are rich with flavor and these burgers are perfect for that!
Recipe For BBQ Pork Burgers
- Mix together the pork and BBQ sauce.
- Form into patties around ½“ thick.
- In between each layer of patties, place parchment paper.
- Store them in an airtight container in the freezer. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
- Heat up the grill to medium-high heat.
- Take out your freezer patties once the grill is hot.
- Place the grilling mat on the grill and add the patties.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes on one side. It’s important that one side is cooked very well before flipping to prevent them from breaking apart. The extra sauce in the meat can make them fragile, unlike a regular burger patty.
- Flip each burger and cook until 160° Fahrenheit, about 5-6 additional minutes.
- Place each patty onto a bun and enjoy!
Final Thoughts
Though the ground pork burger recipe takes time to freeze, it is ultimately one of the best dinners. You can take this dish to a friend’s house for a potluck or sit outside by the barbecue and eat with your family.
No matter what you choose to do, Grandpa’s BBQ pork burgers are heavenly to munch on.
Try these other delicious pork recipes!
- BBQ Pork Burger Sliders
- BBQ Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos
- Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
- Pork Medallions
- Smoked Pork Belly Kabobs
Grandpa’s Grilled BBQ Pork Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Pork
- ¾ cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce, or your favorite BBQ sauce
- 5 Hamburger Buns
Instructions
- Mix together ground pork and BBQ sauce, then form into thin patties about ½" thick.
- To freeze the patties, place a sheet of parchment paper between each patty, and store them in an airtight container. Freeze overnight.
- When ready to grill the patties, remove them from the freezer just before placing them on the grill.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Either use grill mats (only place them just before cooking) or oil the grates on the grill to prevent sticking.
- Place frozen patties on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes until they are seared nicely on one side before flipping. It's very important not to move them until they are seared nicely on one side otherwise they will fall apart.
- Flip carefully and cook for 5-6 minutes more. Pork should be cooked until pork is 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the center for safe consumption.
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