Sweet and Sour Pork Burgers w/ Pineapple Slaw

This post is sponsored by the National Pork Board in conjunction with One2One Network. All opinions are my own.

What do temperatures going from from 0° to 70° in a matter of 7 days bring? Yes, flooding. But also, the flinging open of windows, the return of short sleeves, and the smell of outdoor cooking clinging to the air. The melting of the icy mounds that stood in my way of the garage door last week meant that it was time to wheel out the grill.

My husband volunteered (really) to check it over and gather all of the utensils while I made a quick trip to the store. Since I'll be partnering with the National Pork Board to bring you recipes and grilling tips over the next couple of months, I figured what way to kick off grilling season that with some pork burgers! I mean, burgers are simple to throw together, but you can customize them in all sorts of exciting ways—hello possibilities!

These pork burgers have a bit of an Asian-twist added to them by the addition of sweet and sour sauce. Any sweet and sour sauce will do. If you have a homemade version that you love, by all means, use it. If not, you can visit the international aisle at your local Walmart and find several options. Look for one that doesn't have chunks of fruit or veggies in it for this recipe, because we're going to add it to the pork and brush it on while the burgers are grilling to form a nice, glossy glaze.

While you're there, be sure to check out Walmart's great deals on all sorts of pork products that you can throw on the grill this summer. They've got everything from ground pork for these burgers to ribs, brats and brat burgers, and chops. Oh, and throw a bag of charcoal in your cart while you're at it. One-stop shopping for all your grilling needs!

I don't know about you, but the sunshine and warm temperatures also warrant some bright, fresh produce. I thought a nice slaw would enhance the sweet and sour burgers perfectly. To mimic the classic sweet and sour pork dish, I wanted to include fresh pineapple and bell peppers. To these I added a slaw must-have—cabbage. Slice everything thinly and toss them together just before you throw your burgers on the grill. To be honest, you don't even need a bun (but I won't stop you if you want one).

So, what about you—have you fired up the grill yet? Now is the perfect time to give it a good spring cleaning and put it to good use for the National Pork Board's "We've Got Your Grill Covered" sweepstakes! You could enter to win a year's worth of free groceries from Walmart simply by tossing some pork on the grill, snapping a photo and sharing it on Instagram with the hashtag #GrillPorkSweeps. You'll also need to fill out the sweepstakes form on GrillPork.org to complete your entry. But really, it doesn't get much easier than doing something you'll already be doing to enter a fabulous contest, does it? (No, it doesn't.) Enter anytime from right now through September 7th, and don't forget that hashtag, because aside from the contest entry, your tagged photo will also be uploaded to GrillPork.org.

While you're there, check out more recipes and grilling tips from chefs and BBQ pros, Moe Cason and Tuffy Stone (from TLC's BBQ Pitmasters). You'll find delicious ideas and inspiration for your next backyard barbecue, whether it's to celebrate graduation, father's day, the 4th of July, Labor Day...or the fact that it's Thursday night! Pork's got you covered. And so do I. Be sure to check back for more grilling with pork recipes this grilling season.

Sweet and Sour Pork Burgers with Pineapple Slaw

Grilled pork burgers in a sweet and sour glaze, topped with a fresh pineapple slaw.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12-14 minutes

Keywords: grill entree dairy-free nut-free

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

for the burgers:

• 2 pounds ground pork (80/20)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce, divided (such as La Choy)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

for the slaw:

• 6 ounces fresh trimmed pineapple, cut into thin strips
• 5 ounces trimmed napa cabbage, cut into thin slices
• 4 ounces julienned bell pepper (any color or a mix)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• kosher or sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your grill (gas or charcoal).

In the meantime, put the ground pork into a large bowl; add 2 tablespoons of the sweet and sour sauce along with the remaining burgers ingredients and mix with your hands to combine. Divide into 6 or 8 equal portions, then form into burgers. Set on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Let sit while you put the slaw together.

Toss all of the ingredients for the slaw together in a large bowl, adding a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside while you grill the burgers.

Lightly oil the grates of your preheated grill. Transfer the burger patties to the oiled grates. Cook for 12-14 minutes, or until the burgers register an internal temperature of 165° F on an instant read thermometer, flipping halfway through. Brush the remaining sauce on both sides of the burgers as you cook and flip them. Remove to a clean plate or tray.

To serve, pile the pineapple slaw into 6 or 8 equal portions (depending on how many burgers you made), and set a sweet and sour pork burger on top each one. You can eat with a fork, or serve it on a bun or lettuce leaf.

More tasty pork recipes to try:
Balsamic Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Grilled Chipotle Pork Chops
Piggy Burgers with Sundried Tomato Ketchup
Simple and Tender Barbecue Ribs
Szechuan Green Beans with Ground Pork