Try something different this burger night with these Pork and Apple Burgers. Lean and moist burgers with a hint of sweetness - pork burgers make a nice change from beef burgers and they take less than 20 minutes to make.
Pair with some homemade sweet potato fries and a salad for burger night with a difference. They are great on the BBQ too!
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When we think of burgers, we probably think of beef burgers. Whilst they are great too (have you tried our Hidden Vegetable Beef Burgers?), it's nice to have something different and these Pork Burgers tick all the boxes a burger should and it's a good pork mince recipe.
Moist, succulent, tonnes of flavour and just a few simple ingredients. You don't want to over complicate the burger patty itself. Get creative with the toppings if you really need to.
If you are looking for some more burger recipes, then why not try our easy Air Fryer Burgers, spicy Lamb Burgers, delicious Cajun Chicken Burgers or our really easy Salmon Burgers.
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Why You Will Love Them
- A new and tasty burger to try - Bored of the same burgers and want to quit that takeaway habit? The flavours in this are amazing!
- Easy to adapt with different flavours - We have given lots of ideas below on how you can adapt these pork mince burgers.
- Cooks great on a BBQ grill - Hello BBQ season! This pork and apple burger recipe has to be featured on your BBQs this summer.
- Really quick and easy to make - Homemade burgers are made quicker than you can probably get the the McDonald's drive-thru and back. Unless you live next door to one I guess.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Apple - This might seem like a strange addition to a burger, but it just works, especially with pork. Traditionally you would serve apple sauce with roast pork, so why not put it in a pork burger too. You can peel the apple if you want, or leave it on.
- Pork mince - This is a great pork mince recipe. We used lean pork mince to keep this burger lighter. Using a higher fat percentage will give you juicier burgers.
- Garlic - Freshly crushed garlic, almost into a paste so it is evenly distributed in the burgers.
- Breadcrumbs - These absorb excess moisture and help the burgers form their shape. If you have a gluten intolerance, you can use gluten-free bread crumbs.
- Burger Buns - We love a brioche bun because they are light and buttery. Go for ones with sesame seeds for that classic burger look.
- Cheese - Burger cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, we have lots of suggestions of different cheeses to use below.
- Gherkins - They are a must on a burger in our opinion. We like the thinly sliced burger gherkins you can buy.
- Rocket lettuce - We like to add some greens to our burger and rocket (arugula) has a lovely peppery flavour to it. You could use iceberg instead, which adds a nice crunch. Watercress it nice too.
- Burger sauce - The best sauce for a burger. Why not try making your own with our BEST Burger Sauce Recipe.
Variations
Pork and apple are a delicious flavour combination - you only have to look at roast pork with apple sauce. But they also pair beautifully in a burger too. Pork mince doesn't get too dry in a burger, but mixing some grated apple into it keeps it really moist, and adds a nice touch of sweetness too.
If you want to go all out with the apple in these burgers, then put some slices of apple on top of the burgers in the bun. It will add lots of extra texture. Definitely one for the real apple lovers amongst you.
Add some extra flavour to these burger with some herbs. Woody herbs like rosemary or thyme work well. Finely chop them and mix them in with the pork before making the burger patties.
When it comes to the cheese on top of the burger, use can either use a mature cheddar, or some mozzarella. Stilton goes really well with pork and apple too.
How to Cook Pork and Apple Burgers
- Step 1: Grate the apple and then put in a clean tea towel and squeeze out any excess liquid.
- Step 2: Put the grated apple in a bowl with the pork mince, garlic, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper and mix well.
- Step 3: Form the burgers into two patties.
- Step 4: Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and then add the burgers. Cook for 6-7 minutes each side, until they are cooked through and no longer pink inside.
Once the burgers are cooked, grate the cheese on top and melt.
- Step 5: Put the burgers on the buns with rocket lettuce, gherkins and burger sauce. Serve with salad and fries.
Cooking on the BBQ Grill
Burgers are a staple when it comes to a BBQ, and these will really impress your guests who are probably just expecting a beef burger. To cook these on the BBQ, make sure you oil the grill rack before putting the burgers on and then cook for 4-5 minutes each side.
Serving Suggestions
These burgers are pretty epic, so you could totally just stick to a burger and be full and satisfied. But, just like pork and apple are a perfect match, so are burger and fries.
We served this with our Baked Sweet Potato Fries. Burger and fries is the perfect combination. But why not try our Air Fryer Chips, Masala Chips, Peri Peri Fries or Air Fryer Potato Wedges.
You could go with a Mexican Coleslaw or Sweetcorn Salsa instead. These are great topped with our Pickled Red Onions.
Storage
Store: Once the pork burgers are made up with the buns, sauces and toppings, they need to be eaten straight away. However, you can make extra of the burger patties themselves and store those. You can wrap them up and store them in an air tight container in the fridge for 2 days.
Freeze: The same goes for freezing. You can't freeze the made up burger, but you can freeze the pork and apple patties. Wrap them in cling film and then put them in a freezer bag and they will keep for up to 3 months.
Defrost: You can defrost the burgers in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: You can reheat them in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes until heated through or in a frying pan with a little oil.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Add some extra flavour to these burgers with either rosemary or thyme or some finely chopped red onion.
- Serve the burgers with sweet potato fries and/or Mexican coleslaw or Sweetcorn Salsa.
- You can cook these burgers on the BBQ for about 4-5 minutes each side.
- If you are going to freeze these burgers, then freeze the when they are still raw and defrost thoroughly before cooking.
- Don't overwork the burger mixture when mixing by hand. This can make the burgers too tough and chewy.
- Put the burgers in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking, as this will help them to stay together.
- You could make a low carb version of these by skipping the bun and using a giant lettuce leaf to hold the burger and toppings together.
Frequently Asked Questions
These will take about 12-14 minutes, flipped half way through.
We always use a meat thermometer, as we find that is the best way to ensure that the meat is cooked all the way through. Beef burgers should be 65°C/150°F if you want it medium well done. If you wanted it well done, then aim for above 71°C/160°F.
More Pork Recipes
If you've tried this pork and apple burger recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Pork and Apple Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 Apple
- 200 g (7 oz) Lean pork mince
- 1 Garlic clove - crushed
- 10 g Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 Burger buns
- 15 g (0.5 oz) Mature cheddar
To serve (all optional):
- Gherkins
- Rocket lettuce
- Burger sauce
Instructions
- Grate 1 Apple and then put in a clean tea towel and squeeze out any excess liquid.
- Put the grated apple into a bowl with 200 g Lean pork mince, 1 Garlic clove, 10 g Panko breadcrumbs and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper and mix well.
- Form the burgers into two patties.
- Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a frying pan and then add the burgers. Cook for 6-7 minutes each side, until they are cooked through and no longer pink inside.
- Once the burgers are cooked, grate 15 g Mature cheddar on top and melt.
- Put the burgers on 2 Burger buns with rRocket lettuce, Gherkins and Burger sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Add some extra flavour to these burgers with either rosemary or thyme or some finely chopped red onion.
- Serve the burgers with sweet potato fries and/or Mexican coleslaw or Sweetcorn Salsa.
- You can cook these burgers on the BBQ for about 4-5 minutes each side.
- If you are going to freeze these burgers, then freeze the when they are still raw and defrost thoroughly before cooking.
- Don't overwork the burger mixture when mixing by hand. This can make the burgers too tough and chewy.
- Put the burgers in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking, as this will help them to stay together.
- You could make a low carb version of these by skipping the bun and using a giant lettuce leaf to hold the burger and toppings together.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
margaret says
I have made this recipe many times. The first several times I misread it and used a pound of pork with the other ingredients at the same amount. Then I made it the correct way. I prefer it the first way, with double the pork! I find I also want a bit more salt in this but that is likely personal taste and easy to adjust before and after cooking. Grateful for this one and it will remain a regular staple!
Dannii Martin says
We use less pork to keep it lower in fat and calories, but I am glad you found a way to adapt it.
margaret says
Just saw this reply a year later (still making this recipe!). What I mean is I like a pound of pork in ratio with the other ingredients in this. I end up with 6 burger patties, much more than needed for two servings! :)
Michelle says
Tried these last night and they were a hit with the family! Our new favourite!
Christine Chapdelaine says
Did anyone make them?
Dannii says
Lots of people! Take a read through the comments and see the comments from people that have made them :)
Tisha says
The first time I heard pork and apple together I didn't know what to think NOW I'm obsessed with the combo It's so good! These are on my menu!
Heidy L. McCallum says
These pork and apple burgers look fab! I can see this being a huge hit at the dinner table