Korean Lamb Burger

Some say they prefer a lamb burger over ground beef. After all, it is rich in amino acids and ground lamb tends to have a higher fat content. Therefore you get a very juicy outcome. For a burger with one of the most tender bites you could imagine, let the meat come to room temperature prior to cooking, and lightly pack the meat mix. This will produce an evenly cooked and juicy burger. We’ve put a Korean twist on this recipe for a tantalizing flavor profile.

What’s Special About Lamb as a Burger?

Lamb offers a distinctive and often more adventurous alternative to the traditional beef burger. What makes it special is its rich, slightly gamey flavor. This makes it more pronounced than beef but still milder than other “exotic” meats like venison. This unique taste pairs beautifully with a set of spices and Asian flavors like in our Korean Lamb Burger recipe below. Lamb burgers also tend to be juicier due to their high fat content. This way, the fat renders nicely during cooking and in turn contributes to a more succulent bite.

Korean Lamb Burger

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• Author: Veda Sankaran

Print Recipe

Description

Try something different by using the full-flavor of lamb instead of ground beef.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1.5 lb ground lamb
• 3 finely minced scallions (green parts only)
• 1/2 cup finely mince onion
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 3 large cloves of garlic crushed to a paste
• ½ Asian pear or 1 bosc pear, peeled and grated
• ¾ tsp doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) mixed with ½ tsp of water to dissolve
• 1 tbsp Korean soy sauce
• 1 tsp mirin
• 2 tsp dark corn syrup
• 1 tsp brown rice vinegar
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½  tsp salt
• Sprinkle of Ajinomoto (if using)
• 3 tbsp softened butter
• 2 slices white bread, but if bread is larger, then 1 piece will suffice
• ⅔ cup milk to soak the bread

For the seasoned mayonnaise:

• ⅔ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp finely minced scallions- only green parts (approx.2 scallions)
• ½ tsp gochujang
• ½ tsp gochugaru
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• ½  tsp sugar

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Instructions

1. Place the bread in a bowl and pour the milk to soak the bread completely. Set this aside.
2. Then add all the remaining ingredients for the burgers, except the softened butter and soaked bread, to the ground lamb and gently combine.
3. Next, add the soaked bread to the meat and use your hands to incorporate the bread evenly. Then do the same with the softened butter.
4. Oil your hands and form the burger patties. Grill or pan cook the patties until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Once cooked, serve the burgers on buns spread with seasoned mayonnaise and kimchi.

For the seasoned mayonnaise:

1. Mix together mayonnaise with all the other ingredients.

Recipe by Veda Sankaran
Photography by Dave Bryce
Story by Star Laliberte

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