Want to make the perfect ground pork burger thats light, juicy and loaded with flavor? Our grilled pork burgers with roasted hatch chile are about to become your new obsession.
We’ve taken juicy ground pork and kicked it up a notch by mixing in smoky, spicy roasted hatch chiles. We’ve made hundreds of burgers working to perfect the balance of mouthwatering flavors with patties that offer a perfect bite, not so light they fall apart and not so dense they become bricks. And this one was so good, we made a few nights in a row because we coudln’t get enough ot if.
We’ve perfected this recipe to ensure juicy pork, the right amount of heat, and the perfect cheese melt (mandatory). Our recipe walks you through each step, from mixing the perfect patty to achieving ideal grill marks, resulting in a gourmet burger experience at your dinner table. Bottomless fries, optional.
Ingredients for pork burgers with hatch chiles
- For the Pork Patties:
- Hatch chile, if you can’t find hatch chiles locally, you can use drained canned chiles (or move to the Southwest)
- Ground pork
- Kosher salt
- Eggs
- Panko or pork panko
- Cumin, granulated garlic, dried onion, ancho chile powder, oregano
- Black pepper, to taste
- For Assembling the Burgers:
- Havarti cheese, slices
- Burger buns, any buns will work but a brioche bun makes this extra indulgent.
- Mayo, we recommend our roasted garlic aioli for these burgers for an insane flavor combo.
- Lettuce, shredded
- Tomato, sliced
- White onion, sliced
- Pickles
How to make ground pork burgers
- Roast the Hatch Chile:
- Char the Hatch chile on a grill or burner until blackened on all sides.
- Wrap the chile in foil to steam for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Peel the charred skin, remove the seeds, and finely chop.
- Prepare the Patties:
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped Hatch chiles, salt, eggs, panko, and all spices.
- Form the ground pork mixture into four ¼-pound patties, pressing a divot in the center of each to help them cook evenly. Place them on small sheets of parchment paper to make it easier to transfer them to the grill.
- Chill the patties in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour to firm up.
- Grill the Burgers:
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 450-500°F) for direct heat grilling. See our notes in the recipe card for gas, charcoal and pellet grills.
- Oil the grill grates and preheat for 10 minutes.
- Grill the patties directly over the heat for 7 to 12 minutes, flipping once, until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. The burgers will rise to 165 dergrees F as they rest.
- In the last minute of grilling, place a slice of Havarti cheese on each patty to melt.
- Assemble and Serve:
- Spread the mayo on toasted buns and add a layer of shredded lettuce.
- Place the grilled patties on the buns and top with sliced onions, tomatoes, and pickles.
- Serve immediately with your favorite sides.
Tips for Perfect Pork Burgers
- Chilling the patties before grilling helps them hold together and stay juicy.
- Pressing a divot in the center of each patty prevents puffing up during cooking for more even cooking.
- Using a digital meat thermometer is the only way to make sure the pork is safely and perfectly cooked. According to the USDA, ground pork should be cooked to 165°F.
What makes a grilled pork burger recipe so good?
Switch up your burger game with juicy pork burgers enhanced by fire-roasted Hatch chiles. Ground pork offers a tender, flavorful alternative to ground beef burgers, perfectly complementing the subtle heat and smokiness of the chiles.
This combination strikes a delightful balance, making the burgers both light and satisfying without being too spicy. Ideal for both summer barbecues and cozy dinners, these pork burgers are a tasty way to satisfy that cheeseburger craving using ground meat that an save you a few bucks at the grocery store.
What to serve with grilled pork burgers
Pair your Hatch chile pork burgers with some refreshing sides to balance out the spice. A crisp coleslaw or cucumber salad can cool things down, grilled corn on the cob, crispy french fries or smoked potato salad add a hearty touch to your meal. These simple yet flavorful sides are perfect for rounding out your burger night.
Leftovers and Storage
Wrap any leftover pork burger patties in foil, plastic wrap, or place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can make these patties ahead of time, cook them as directed, cool them completely and freeze them up to 3 months for easy meal prepping.
To reheat: Place pork burgers in a skillet preheated over medium heat with a splash of water. Cover and let the burger steam to reaheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, short bursts in the microwave work but can cause the pork patties to become mushy.
With just the right amount of spice from the Hatch chiles and the creamy melt of Havarti cheese, these burgers are sure to become a new favorite.
Our Favorite Easy Ground Pork Recipes
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Craft a mouthwatering grilled pork burger, stuffed with roasted hatch chiles and topped with creamy havarti cheese. This flavor-packed twist on the classic burger delivers a perfect balance of heat, smokiness, and richness in every bite.
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For the ground pork patties
Roast the hatch chiles:
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Start by roasting the hatch chiles oven a grill or burner until charred on all sides.
1 hatch chiles
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Wrap the pepper in foil and let them steam for 7 to 10 minutes.
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Unrwap the foil and use your hands or a knife to peel off the charred outter skin.
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Remove the stems, seeds and finrely chop the chile.
Make the Burgers:
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Combine the ground pork, 1 to 2 tablespoons of the minced hatch chiles, salt, eggs, panko, and spices.
1 lbs Ground pork, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 2 Eggs, ½ cup Panko or pork panko, 1 tsp Cumin, ¼ tsp Granulated garlic, ½ tsp Chopped onion, ¼ tsp Ancho chile powder, ½ tsp Oregano, 1/4 tsp Pepper
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Form the ground pork into 4 ¼ pound burgers, using your thumb to press a divot in the center of each.
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Place the burgers in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour.
Grill the Pork Burgers:
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Meanwhile, preheat your grill for high heat, 450- 500 degrees F with direct heat. See our notes below for charcoal, gas, and pellet grills.
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Clean and oil the grill grates.
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Close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for 10 minutes.
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When the grill has preheated, place the ground pork burgers on the grill grates, directly over the heat.
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Grill the burgers for 7 to 12 minutes, flipping once, halfway through, and rotating as needed for even cooking, until they reach an international temperature of 160 degrees F with a digital meat thermometer.
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Meanwhile toast the buns and during the last minute of cooking, add the cheese to the burgers to let it melt.
Burger buns, Havarti cheese
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Using a long spatula, remove the hamburgers from the grill.
Serve:
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Build your burgers my spreading mayo on the toasted buns, then piling shredded lettuce on top.
Mayo, Lettuce
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Add the ground pork burgers and top with sliced onions, tomatoes, and a pickle before topping with the remaining bun half.
Tomato, White onion, Pickles
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Serve immediately.
For a Gas Grill:
- Prep the pork patties as directed
- Preheat your grill for direct heat. Start by lighting all the burners to high. Clean and oil your grill grate and close the lid, allowing the grill to preheat for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, reduce the burners to medium heat and allow the grill to come to 450 – 500 degrees F.
- Add the patties and grill as directed. Move the burgers, if needed to avoid flare-ups.
- For a Charcoal Grill
- Prep the burger patties as directed.
- Prep your charcoal grill for direct heat. Light charcoal in a charcoal chimney. When the coals are 70% ashed over, arrange the coals in a single layer in the center of the grill for direct heat. Place the grill grate on top, clean it, and oil it. Cover with the lid and adjust the air vents for maximum airflow and allow the grill to preheat to 450 to 500 degrees F.
- Grill the burgers as directed, using a long spatula to move as needed to avoid flare ups and rotate for even cooking.
- We use Cowboy Brand hardwood briquets when grilling burgers for good clean flavor.
For a Pellet Grill
- Prep the patties as directed.
- Preheat your pellet smoker to 450-500 degrees F or its highest sear setting if it can’t go that high. Clean and oil the grill grate and let the grill preheat with the lid closed for 10 to 15 minutes.
- When the grill has preheated, grill the pork burgers as directed.
- We use Jack Daniel’s Charcoal Pellets for that hint of charcoal flavor when grilling with our pellet smoker.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 735mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 282IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
