A fantastic lamb burger will excite you if you enjoy an excellent hamburger. And this one, created by The Marshside Pantry’s chef and recipe developer Jennine Bryant? It’s really good. Don’t even think for a second that you won’t enjoy a lamb burger even though you like ground beef burgers. “The texture of minced lamb is comparable to that of minced beef, but it is richer and more flavorful, according to Bryant, who continues, “The taste of lamb, complemented by the coriander and mint, really enhances this burger patty. Even though I don’t normally like lamb, this makes my mouth swim!”
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How Do You Make a Greek-Style Lamb Burger?
Greek burgers, also known as biftekia, are often constructed with a flavorful combination of ground meat, aromatics, spices, and fresh herbs.
In a mixing bowl, place the lamb burger’s raw components.
Of course, the main ingredient in our Greek lamb burgers is lamb, but you may also use beef, pork, or equal proportions of beef and lamb. From there, we start to construct our meat mixture with robust, delicious tastes, beginning with minced, fresh mint and parsley, and grated onions.
And for the seasonings, paprika, cumin, and earthy dried oregano. Add a little cayenne pepper if you want things a little bit spicy.
The trick is to thoroughly mix the beef combination once everything has been added to your mixing bowl, but avoid overworking the meat. Then we shape some lethal, flavor-bomb patties and grill them until done to our liking.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs. of ground lamb Or beef and lamb combined (see cook’s tip #1)
- two cloves of minced garlic and one tiny red onion
- 1 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
- 10 chopped mint leaves, 2 1/2 tsp. dry oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- Paprika, 1/2 tsp.
- Black pepper, Kosher salt, and optionally 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- virgin extra olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil)
To Perform:
- Greek pita or buns that are warm
- Tzatziki sauce produced at home
- tomato slices
- Sliced bell peppers, green
- cucumber slices
- red onion slices
- Kalamata olives that have been pitted and crumbled
INSTRUCTIONS
- The griddle or outdoor gas grill should be heated to medium (if working with an indoor griddle or skillet, you can just heat it once you prepare the meat mixture).
- To a mixing dish, add the ground lamb (or a combination of lamb and beef). Grated onions, minced garlic, fresh herbs, oregano, cumin, paprika, and cayenne should all be added. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste. Extra virgin olive oil should be added generously, then everything should be thoroughly blended.
- 8 equal balls of the meat mixture should be formed. Work the meat into smooth spheres with both hands, then gently press to shape into patties. Place the patties on a large tray or plate and, using the tip of your thumb, gently push the center of each one to create a shallow, somewhat wide depression. If you have the time, cover and chill the food.
- Place the hamburger patties on top of the grill grates (or indoor griddle) after lightly oiling them. The internal temperature of a medium burger should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill covered over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Depending on the level of doneness you prefer, adjust the cooking time.)
- Before serving, let the lamb burgers rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onions in pita pockets (or buns). Kalamata olives and feta cheese can be added if you’d like.
Three Tips for Grilling Perfect Burgers
Although my husband, who is the family’s grill master, has a dozen suggestions for the ideal burger, these three are crucial.
You can notice from the photos that our lamb burger patties have a small ding in the middle. The meat will shrink and sort of bulge in the middle, as all grill masters are aware. The small thumbprint notch in the center aids in maintaining the flat shape and more consistent cooking of the burger patties.
2) As the grill is heating, keep the lamb burger patties refrigerated. This keeps the burgers juicy and helps the meat stay together.
3. Don’t worry too much about the burgers. Don’t keep pressing on the burger while it cooks, and just flip it once as directed, just like you would with any other burger. The burgers get tougher the more fuss you make. (You can cook these lamb burgers directly in a hot, greased cast iron skillet if grilling outdoors is not an option. 4 to 5 minutes on either side, with a single flip.)
How are Greek lamb burgers served?
I prefer to provide a small buffet of Greek foods and toppings for burger night at my place so that everyone may create their lamb burgers. The typical suspects are:
Pita—Okay, so I’ll claim that we substitute pita for buns here to maintain the Greek motif rather than because buns are bad. However, I’ve also discovered that thin pita bread lets the lamb burgers shine rather than hiding them beneath overly thick slices of bread. Of course, eating these is messier than eating a regular bunned burger. But feel free to use whichever bread you desire.
Green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and other fresh garden produce. If you prefer a slightly peppery touch, arugula might be a nice addition.
Tztaziki Sauce—In my opinion, these lamb burgers taste so much better when served with tzatziki sauce as opposed to regular ketchup
Serving suggestions for this recipe for lamb burgers
There isn’t much else you need to serve with these loaded lamb burgers, but if you want to transform this straightforward meal into an epic Mediterranean-style BBQ, here are a few suggestions for sides and salads:
Salads include a traditional Greek salad, balala, a watermelon salad from the Mediterranean region, and an avocado salad.
Other than Tzatziki, you can also serve a side of roasted red pepper hummus or melitzanosalata under the category of dips and salsas.
Mediterranean-style mustard potato salad, grilled vegetables, roasted vegetable barley, and Greek green beans with feta are some of the sides available.
