Mortons Luau Burgers Recipes

SUNNY'S MAUI LUAU BURGER

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the pork, parsley, salt, garlic, 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce and some pepper. Gently mix, then separate into 4 balls and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
• In a shallow dish, add the pineapple rings in one layer, then on each ring, add 4 slices of onion. Brush the tops with the remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Pour beer in the side of the dish up to the level of the pineapple. Rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Heat an outdoor grill to medium high for direct and indirect heat (to cook on a griddle, see Cook's Note). Press the burgers into patties slightly larger than the buns. Place the burgers over the direct heat and cook on one side for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip to the indirect heat side of the grill and cook until the internal temperature reads 155 degrees F. Remove from the grill and lightly tent the burgers with loose-fitting aluminum foil for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, shake the excess marinade off the pineapples and onions. Grill the pineapple rings on one side until charred and easily released to be flipped; grill on the other side until grill marked. Using a grill pan, cook the onions until tender and charred, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Brush the outside of the buns with the butter and place them on the grill buttered-side down. Grill until toasted but still shiny, 1 to 2 minutes. Build each burger starting with a bottom bun, a patty, a pineapple ring, some onions, a handful of plantain chips and a top bun.

SUNNY'S SMOKEHOUSE BURGER

Steps:

• Roast the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil.
• In a large bowl, add the mushrooms, a generous drizzle of oil, Italian seasoning, paprika and red chile flakes and toss to coat. Spread the mushrooms out on the lined baking sheet. Bake until they shrink a bit and the moisture looks mostly wicked away, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and lightly season with salt. Allow to cool a bit on the sheet, then transfer to a bowl.
• Make the patties: In a large bowl, add the beef in chunks and sprinkle with the salt and plenty of pepper. With your less dominant hand, fold and mix the burger with your fingers stretched open like a pitchfork. Mix until just combined. Divide into 4 equal parts and make a ball out of each. Flatten to a size just a bit wider in circumference than your buns.
• Fit a baking sheet with a rack and set aside. In a cast-iron pan or griddle on medium heat, add a bit of oil, then the patties. Cook, flipping once, until desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to the baking sheet and top each with two slices of cheese. Tent with aluminum foil or cover with an upside-down metal baking dish for about 5 minutes.
• Make the onion rings: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Pour 2 inches of peanut oil in a tall pot and heat on medium-high heat until the temperature registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Fit a baking sheet with a rack and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour, the smoked paprika and a nice pinch of salt. Whisk in the beer until the mixture resembles a thick pancake batter. Drink the remaining beer. In a separate bowl, add and separate the rings of onion, then dust them with the remaining 1/2 cup flour, tossing with your hands to ensure that they are all coated.
• Working in small batches so as to not overcrowd the pot, dunk the flour-coated onions into the batter, then directly into the oil. Fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the onion rings to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven. Continue to fry the onion rings, allowing the oil to return to 350 degrees F before adding more.
• Assemble burgers: Place a patty on each bun bottom, then add some mushrooms, 2 to 3 onion rings and drizzle of your favorite barbecue sauce. Top with the bun tops.

MORTON®'S LUAU BURGERS

Steps:

• Mix ground beef with onion, 1/2 teaspoon Morton® Coarse Kosher Salt, pepper and three tablespoons sweet-and-sour sauce. Shape mixture into 4 patties; set aside. In small bowl, combine remaining sweet-and-sour sauce with hot mustard; set aside. Pour water into a 9-1/2x10-3/4x1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle Morton® Coarse Kosher Salt over water to form a solid layer of salt. Place patties on moistened salt.
• Bake at 350 degrees F until desired doneness (about 25 minutes for well done, internal temperature of 160 degrees F). Do not turn patties. Transfer burgers to plate and keep warm. Discard salt bed. In skillet, saute pineapple slices and green peppers in reserved tablespoon of pineapple juice. Stir in sweet-and-sour sauce/mustard mixture; cook until pineapples and peppers are hot. Place one pineapple slice on bottom half of bun, then burger. Top with peppers/sweet and sour sauce mixture. Cover with top half of bun; serve.