Grilled Lamb And Pistachio Burgers

Where There's Smoke Cookbook|April 30, 2013 4:08 pm EST

2.8 (4 ratings)

Lamb meat is not usually used to make burgers, explains author Barton Seaver of Where There’s Smoke, because the fat in the meat is not a favorable flavor or mouthfeel, making it difficult to create a juicy patty. He resolves this issue by substituting some of the fat taken out of the meat with olive oil, and pairs his lamb burgers with other like-minded Mediterranean ingredients such as preserved lemons for flavor and ground pistachios for texture and aroma. Click here to see 50 Best Burger Recipes

Servings

4

Ingredients

1 1/4 pound ground lamb
1/4 cup unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped
2 segments preserved lemons or oranges, flesh cut away and discarded, rind finely minced
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 turns of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Place all of the ingredients into a medium bowl and, working quickly but deliberately, mix by hand or with a fork until they are thoroughly combined. The danger here is mixing too aggressively. If you heat up the mixture too much or too fast, then it turns into a paste which, when cooked, will have the texture of a hot dog. By mixing with care, you retain the texture of the lamb and end up with a hamburger-like mouthfeel. Chill the mixture for at least 20 minutes.
Evenly divide the mixture into 4 portions and shape them into balls. Gently flatten them so they look like sad meatballs and set them just adjacent to the coals of a medium fire flavored with applewood or oak. Cover the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the heat of the fire. Flip the patties and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the patties to the coolest part of the grill and cook 2 minutes longer, or until they are about medium doneness, then serve immediately.