How do you feel about mini food? Especially in the form of Guinness pork burgers? I first made these several years ago for a St. Patrick's Day party, and they were a huge hit.
The Guinness BBQ sauce (homemade, super easy) plus the juicy burgers with melty Wisconsin muenster cheese? Yes, please.
How to make Guinness BBQ sauce
For some reason, making homemade BBQ sauce seems like a chore.
But honestly, I usually have most of the ingredients in my pantry and it only takes a bit of whisking, then some simmering on the stovetop. During which time you can make the burgers.
Once I got that through my head, I simply could not go back to store-bought BBQ sauce.
The BBQ sauce contains Guinness stout, vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, onion and garlic powder and fresh citrus juice, plus a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes for a little heat.
And like I said, all you have to do it whisk the ingredients together in a sauce pan, let them simmer until thickened, and there you have it! The best BBQ sauce ever.
How to make mini pork burgers
The burgers are a bit like a meatball because the ground pork is mixed with an egg and breadcrumb, but it also has some Guinness, Dijon mustard and garlic.
Mini patties are formed and seared on a hot grill or cast iron pan until they have a nice brown crust, then they're topped with Muenster cheese and cooked until melty and ooey gooey.
I like to serve them on mini pretzel buns with crisp refrigerator pickles and a smattering of the Guinness BBQ sauce. I mean, why not?
Guinness Pork Burgers
Mini pork burgers with Guinness barbeque sauce.
- Prep Time: 15-20 mins
- Cook Time: 25-30 mins
- Total Time: 40-50 mins
- Yield: Serves 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
BBQ Sauce:
- ¾ cup Guinness stout
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon, lime or orange juice
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Dash hot sauce or ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Pork Burgers:
- 1-pound ground pork
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons Guinness stout
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 slices Muenster or other white cheese, cut into 6 pieces
- 6 mini buns
- Burger toppings, as desired
Instructions
- Whisk together BBQ sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan set on high heat. When it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-22 minutes, until sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings, as necessary.
- While BBQ sauce cooks, prepare burgers. Combine ground pork, mustard, stout, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Work with your hands until all ingredients are incorporated. Form 6 small patties. Heat cast iron skillet or sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add cooking spray or a little oil to the pan. When hot, add patties and cook on each side about 4-5 minutes, until a brown crust is formed and pork is cooked to 145 degrees. When burgers are almost done on the second side, add the cheese slices to each burger.
- Remove patties and toast the buns for 30-60 seconds each in the hot pan.
- Build the burgers with desired toppings and BBQ sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ of recipe
- Calories: 452
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 609mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 19g
- Cholesterol: 92mg
Keywords: with Guinness, St. Patricks Day, holiday, seasonal, easy, entertaining, mini
