Barbecue Pork Sausage Burgers - Economical And Delicious!

Notice how beef prices have gone higher and higher while pork prices have been a better bargain?  One reason is that pigs are more efficient at converting plant protein to animal protein (8.3 to 1) than cattle (21.9 to 1) so pork is cheaper to produce.  Pork is often around $2 per pound cheaper than beef.  For instance, at the store the other day I found ground pork (think hamburger but leaner) for $1.49 per pound while hamburger was $3.69.  Not only is pork cheaper than beef, but it's lower in calories and fat as well:

• Pork has 30% less calories than beef - a 4 oz. serving of pork contains 140 calories, while a 4 oz. serving of beef provides 200 calories.
• Pork has 60% less fat than beef - a 4 oz. serving of beef provides 11 g of fat, with 4.5 g of saturated fat, while a 4 oz. serving of pork contains 4.5 g of fat, with 1.5 g of saturated fat.

I've enjoyed pork in many ways (roasts, shredded pork tacos, pork chops, sausages, bacon etc.) but I'd never used ground pork before.  However at that price I picked up 3 lbs. so it was time for a little innovation...how about fresh homemade sausage.  I spiced it up and used it on a pizza (yummy) and also made some wonderful barbecue pork sausage burgers.

There were some challenges.  First of all ground pork is quite lean which would make the sausage (especially the burgers) dry and tough.  The solution to this is simple...add fat.  Seems like an unhealthy decision but in this case you can replace the extra animal fat they put in traditional pork sausage with a healthier (e.g. zero cholesterol) plant-based fat--coconut oil.

Here's how to make barbecue pork sausage burgers:

• 2 lbs Ground Pork
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• Salt and Pepper - to taste
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg - ground
• 1 tsp Fennel Seed
• 1 tsp Cumin Seed
• 3 Tbsp Onion - diced
• 2 Tbsp Garlic - minced
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika (regular paprika will work but smoked is better)
• 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.  Press patties between two pieces of plastic.  Sear on a grill at medium heat until browned on both sides.  Serve on a fresh bagel or a bun with your favorite barbecue sauce, tomatoes, and lettuce.  You can make it a cheeseburger if you'd like by putting on a slice of cheese just at the end of the grilling process.

Absolutely delicious!