Italian Pork Burger Recipe – as seen on Places We Go

For me food and travel simply go hand in hand; in fact I often choose destinations where I know the tucker will be good.

Some people travel to learn, others go to rejuvenate, some travel to meet new people, and then there are those who go in search of famous landmarks…

I travel to eat.

And to learn of a countries food culture: the ingredients they use, the techniques they adopt and the recipes that have been passed down from preceding generations. 

So for our Great Australian Break Series, we were heading away to the BIG4 Bright Holiday Park. And being the food obsessed man I am, I already had the perfect feast in mind before Jen and I had even nutted out the details of our adventure!

Before we knew it, we were firing up the barbie just outside our cabin, and of course one thing led to another and we filmed our very first cooking segment for Places We Go.  

To say we had a laugh would be an understatement. Great friends, fresh local produce, an incredible backdrop (snow on the Alps and the Ovens River flowing next to us) – it’s safe to say, we had the perfect recipe for a cracking afternoon. 

Many of the town’s earliest settlers were Italian, and as such – the area has become famous for its rich heritage and food culture. My Mum grew up around Bright, so we spent a fair bit of our childhood kicking about Mt Hotham, swimming in the Ovens River, and tucking into locally made salamis and pasta! Honestly, I’m surprised I’m not twice the size of what I am now.

Pork and fennel is a classic Italian combination. And, for me, there’s nothing more Australian than a good hearty burger. So I’ve grabbed both of these ideas, given it a twist and the result is this Italian Pork Burger with fennel and slaw…

So whether you try this dish camping, or out on your back deck at home, I hope you enjoy the flavours and of course, team it with a decent bottle of red…

Perhaps a cheeky drop from Pizzini Wines in the nearby King Valley? 

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Italian Pork Burger with Fennel Slaw

Ingredients

The Pattie

• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• 2 small brown onions, finely diced
• 3 small garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
• 500 grams ground pork, with a minimum 20% fat content (if your meat is too lean, the burgers will dry out once cooked)
• 1 cup finely diced bacon
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of orange zest

The Slaw

• ¼ of a red cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly shaved on a mandolin
• 1 granny smith apple, finely shredded
• 1 red onion, thinly shaved on a mandolin
• ⅓ cup of whole-egg mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup of sour cream
• ¼ cup finely chopped tarragon, plus extra leaves, coarsely torn, to serve
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 x lemon
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the BBQ
2. Combine all ingredients for the patties, cover and refrigerate for one hour (if this is not possible, do not worry, simply sit to the side until you’re ready to cook). Handle the meat as little as possible – the more you work it, the tougher it gets.
3. Combine all ingredients for the slaw, cover and refrigerate until service (again, if you’re camping and this is not possible, simply leave in a cool place)
4. Gently shape pork mixture into circular patties approximately ¾ inch thick
5. Place patties onto the well oiled, preheated hot plate
6. Cooking times will vary depending on size, but as a guide 3-5 minutes per side, waiting until you get that well cooked crispy exterior
7. Tuck patties into a crusty roll, stuff with slaw and finish off with some delicious tomato relish!
   

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