Kimchi Bacon Burger

This was supposed to be the first generation ‘test run’ of a more sophisticated (read: complicated) burger that would evolve to incorporate Korean BBQ ingredients like Asian pear and ginger and stuff. But after tasting this beast, the verdict was that it would be hard to improve on it. Kimchee and pork are like lemon and garlic. Like Frankie and Dino. Coffee and doughnuts. Mario and Luigi. There’s a reason those matches have endured for decades; an alchemy that doesn’t need much messing with.

So smoke a bowl, cook this burger, then call in sick for work tomorrow ‘cause you’re gonna have to spend all day in the gym to work this one off. 

Kimchi Bacon Burgers (makes 4 burgers)

1 lb ground beef

1/4 lb ground pork

6-7 pieces thick cut smoked bacon

Sriracha mayonnaise (mayo + sriracha to taste. I use approx 4:1 mayo to sriracha. If you think mayo in a jar is grody (and it is), here’s a recipe for idiot-proof homemade mayo:

http://www.kitchenkonfidence.com/2013/04/homemade-olive-oil-mayonnaise )

Hamburger Buns

1 1/2 cups Kimchi

½ tsp salt

Thoroughly mix beef and pork together with your hands, adding salt as you go.

Form meat into 2 patties, making the center of the patty thinner than the outside, so it doesn’t bulge up in the middle when you cook it (so annoying).

Cook burgers on the grill, in the broiler, in a pan, whatever. You know how to make a burger. Medium rare, unless you’re one of those “well done” people, in which case that’s something you should definitely be disclosing on your online dating profile. Toast up those buns.  Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it’s browned but not crispy, otherwise bacon shards will be flying all over the dinner table.

Spread a generous amount of Sriracha mayo on both buns, add burger, and top burger with kimchi and bacon.  Serve with side of more spicy mayo for dipping your tater tots or oven fries into.

NOTE ON THE KIMCHI: I recently made a version of this one from my homegirl Maangchi:

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-kimchi

So easy even white people can do it. I omitted the salty squid because I just straight up chickened out on it, and cut the recipe by about 75% so I didn’t have to go out and buy a bigger house. It’s very bomb, very delicious, and the bonus is getting to watch the videos in which Maangchi take adorableness straight to 11.