Teriyaki Burger with Grilled Onions & Pineapple

Today I was really craving a burger. Strange because I don’t really like hamburgers. The idea of all those cows mushed together kinda grosses me out. But tonight, I went with it for the sake of the Make Stuff Up Challenge.

I also had this very juicy pineapple that was so ripe I could smell it when I came in the front door. For those of you loyal few readers out there, you’ll remember I recently grilled pineapple for the first time and loved it (Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Pizza) so it seemed obvious what to make…

Teriyaki Burger with Grilled Onions & Pineapple
Hamburger:
– 1lb of Organic hamburger meat (helps me feel slightly less grossed out about the cow thing)
– 1 egg (kindof a misstep, see wrap up below)
– 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (misstep too?)
– 2 TBSP Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce
– small amount of salt and pepper

Mash all of this together with your hands and then form patties. Grill on high heat for about 7 mins per side. Put cheese on a few minutes before they are done.

Toppings:
– Sweet Onion: sliced, doused with a little olive oil & salt, grilled for 15 mins per side
– Pineapple: Sliced, sprinkled on both sides with Ancho Chili powder and salt, grilled for 15 mins per side.
– White Cheddar because that’s what I had, I would have preferred Swiss
– Mayonnaise

Bread:
– Grilled Pugliese

Once everything is grilled stack it all together and eat while it’s hot. Oh, cut the core out of the pineapples, makes it a little easier to eat. Also, the teriyaki sauce is IN the burger not ON the burger which I liked better for the more subtle taste and less gloppy burger.

WRAP UP:
Hmm, to egg or not to egg? Again, I am not really a hamburger kinda person so it was a bit of a guessing game. I did a little internet research prior to making the burger and THE juiciest burger claimed to have both egg and breadcrumbs. It did leave the burger very juicy but also a little mushy and too meatball-ish in texture. Maybe if I had cut both the egg and breadcrumb amounts in half it would have been better. Or maybe left it out entirely. An experiment for another day, likely months from now, when I want another burger.