Pork Burgers (that will replace all other burgers you ever make)

Before having an abundance of ground pork, I never knew that ground pork was a perfect substitute for ground beef in any (yes, I mean Any) recipe. In my option, it's actually better :) In fact, I don't think I'll ever make another recipe for a burger again.

During our first round with the Whole30, I discovered the glorious, delicious and incredibly satisfying pork burger - minus the bun, of course. The second best thing about these burgers (second only to their incredible flavor) is how EASY they are to make. The recipe is SIMPLE, but there are some tricks - so please read the instructions and don't just follow the recipe!

Recipe:

1 lb Heritage Breed Ground Pork from your local farm

1 tsp Real Salt

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions:

1. Thaw the meat completely in the fridge

2. Put the thawed meat in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes before mixing in the seasonings (I'll explain why in a minute)

3. Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl and pour over meat. Mix in well with hands, but don't mix for too long! Just until the seasonings are completely mixed through.

4. Divide into patties. In our family, we divide 1 pound of meat into 4 burger patties, but make them larger or smaller as you like.

5. Grill the burgers as you would on the grill OR on the cast iron in the house (our preferred method when being outside is not an option!) - make sure to grill them all of the way through for pork - medium well to well done. I don't believe it is advised to eat uncooked pork as some do with beef...

6. Enjoy

Tips:

* The colder the meat is when you mix in the seasonings and pat out the burger patties, the more the natural fat will stay in place. This fat converts to juiciness and flavor for your finished burger. If you handle it too long, the fat will melt on your hands and out of the burger. THIS is the ultimate secret to the juiciness!

* The flavor of these burgers come primarily from the heritage pork. Our pork is not white meat, nor do we boast that it is lean. Our pork is red, juicy and full of flavor due to the breed of pig, the slow growth process and the nutrients gained from being out on pasture (check out the pictures of our burgers below). Getting the results that we do for flavor will not happen if you purchase your pork from the grocery store. Contact your local farmer and order some heritage pork for these burgers. If you're local to us, we'd love for you to try ours!