These mouthwatering smoked pork burgers are infused with the light aromatics from Jack Daniel’s smoking chips, smothered in cheese, and topped with freshly pickled onions a creamy mustard sauce. So good you may even want two.
In partnership with Western Wood BBQ Products.
Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrel Smoked Pork Burger
with Pickled Onions and Creamy Mustard
What are you craving this summer? A burger? Me too, a big fat juicy burger!
Not just any ordinary burger! I want to sink my teeth into a Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrel Smoked Pork Burger slathered with creamy secret sauce, and topped with something pickled, something fresh, and lots of cheese oozing over the patty! If you manage to down one of these burgers your craving will stop…at least until tomorrow!
But slow down, first we have to get some smoky-deliciousness going!
And just in case you need a refresher course in how to infuse pork or beef burgers, with alluring smoke we are here to help. Let’s go over a few notes on how to cook with Jack Daniel’s Smoking Chips!
WHAT DOES JACK DANIEL’S WHISKEY HAVE TO DO WITH SMOKED PORK BURGERS?
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey has been made in Lynchburg, Tennessee since 1866 thus claiming to be America’s oldest registered distillery! To truly value the whiskey barrel smoking chips they produce it’s beneficial to know how detailed whiskey making is!
Jack Daniel’s whiskey drips for six days into 10-foot vats before passing through charcoal that was made by burning maple wood. The maple wood has been infused with 140 proof Jack Daniel’s whiskey, before being put in new charred oak barrels.
The barrels hold the whiskey for an estimated 4-7 years! WOW! No wonder Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrel Smoking Chips are so unique in flavor! The barrels are only used one time then recycled!
WHAT EXACTLY ARE JACK DANIEL’S WHISKEY BARREL SMOKING CHIPS?
The clever people at the distillery thought of a way to repurpose their barrels. Good for them and great for the burger flippers throughout many countries!
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey White Oak Aging Barrels are now produced into smoking chips. The smoking chips will add a distinct yet subtle sweet smoke with a hint of whiskey flavor to grilled or smoked foods. Thank goodness we know the exact source of the smoking chips, and that there are no added chemicals.
WHAT MEAT CAN BE SMOKED WITH WHISKEY BARREL SMOKING CHIPS?
Jack Daniel’s Smoking Chips are excellent with full-bodied meat like steak and beef and pork burgers. Veal, venison, buffalo, and poultry are tasty too with whiskey barrel smoking chips. Whiskey Barrel Smoking Chips have a smoked oak aroma that infuses grilled meats with a hint of sweet rich whiskey flavor.
IS A SMOKER BOX BETTER THAN MAKING FOIL PACKETS?
When comparing smoker boxes to homemade foil packets, we believe a smoker box wins! Sure, you don’t need a smoking box, however, they are inexpensive, the cost ranges from $11.00 – $25.00.
Here are some other pluses of owning a smoker box:
- A smoker box is easier to fill and handle.
- The box is sturdier and retains heat more efficiently than a foil packet.
- Using a smoker box gives to less aluminum foil tossed into our landfills! Aluminum foil is not eco-friendly because it is not easily reusable, the production of aluminum foil is energy-intensive, and aluminum foil is not biodegradable, but it does break down via oxidation in a landfill over long periods of time. That said a smoker box can last a lifetime, so in the end, it is less expensive than aluminum foil.
Grilling Grandma Note: If you do use aluminum foil packets, please try to use them again. Wipe off any grease or food residue and place it into recycling when the packet is no longer usable. Aluminum foil can be recycled if cleaned of food residue.
HOW TO USE JACK DANIEL WHISKEY SMOKING CHIPS.
When using a gas grill, fill a smoker box heavy-duty foil pouch, with a couple of handfuls of smoking wood chips.
A smoker box is a wise vessel to hold BBQ wood chips.
Place the smoker tray or pouch on the grill directly over the hottest burner. In my gas grill, the smoker box goes in the back, on the grill grate, above the actual burner.
Turn all burners on high or to 500°F, and wait 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, take a look at the development of the smoke. Adjust your burners for indirect or direct heat, dependent on what you are smoking. My gas grill needs 15 minutes total to develop enough smoke to begin to cooking.
Move the smoker box to the coolest part of the grill or over indirect heat with grill gloves, or BBQ tongs. Watch for flare-ups.
You’re ready to get great smoked flavor on a gas grill!
Check out more recipes and information on Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrel Smoking Chips here.
Now that the grill is prepped, let’s gather our ingredients for these pork burgers:
You will need ground pork, Jack Daniels pork and Jack Daniels steak seasoning (which have become a go-to all-purpose spice blend for me), mayo, mustard, lemon, granulated garlic, pickled onions (recipe below), and quality burger buns.
How to Make Smoked Pork Burgers
To make these pork burgers, simply combine the burger ingredients in a large bowl and form into 6 even patties. I use a measuring cup to make sure they are all the same size and weight. Form them into patties and once your smoker box is ready to go and the grill is preheated, smoke the pork burgers until they reach 160 degrees F.
If you don’t like ground pork, ground chicken or lean ground beef are a tasty substitute. Basically, any lean ground meat will be enhanced by the smokey flavor of Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrel Smoking Chips!
Give a grandma some love! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to rate it and leave a comment below.
Let’s Get Smoking!
Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrel Smoked Pork Burger
Smoked Pork Burgers infused with Jack Daniel's Whiskey Barrel Smoking Chips, and smothered with a house made creamy mustard and pickled red onions. A smokey delicious gas grilled burger everyone will devour!
Ingredients
For Burger:
- 2 cups Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrel Smoking Chips
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1 tablespoon Jack Daniel’s Steak Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Jack Daniel’s Pork Rub
- 1/4 cup salted butter, grated
- 12 cheese slices, sandwich size, see *Cheese Tips
For Pickled Onions:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar minus 1 tablespoon
- 1 tbsp pickling spice or dried herbs seasoning blend
- Pinch of salt, if needed
- 1 large red onion, 1/8-inch thinly sliced
For Creamy Mustard:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup classic mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
To Serve:
- 6 Brioche or Hamburger Buns, butter, brushed with oil, or plain
- 6 Romaine Lettuce
Instructions
To Prepare Pickled Onions:
- In a saucepan, whisk water, white vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and set aside for 10 minutes to steep.
- Pour over thinly sliced onions in a jar or bowl.
- Cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Pickled onions can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 1 month.
To Prepare Gas Grill:
- Clean grill grates and brush with cooking oil.
- Place 2 cups Jack Daniel’s Smoking Chips in a smoker box or foil packet with punched holes.
- Place on back grill grate, above the burner.
- Turn grill on high or to 500°F.
- Close lid and wait 10 minutes before checking on smoke.
- After 10-15 minutes a steady stream of smoke should have developed.
- Adjust grill to medium high (375°F to 450°F) heat. Use BBQ gloves or tongs to move smoker box over the indirect heat.
To Prepare Pork Burgers:
- Meanwhile, prepare pork burgers by lightly mixing ground pork with Jack Daniel’s Steak Seasoning, Pork Rub, and grated butter.
- Use a 3/4 cup measuring cup to form 6 pork patties.
- Make a thumb indentation in the center of each patty.
- Set aside until ready to grill.
To Prepare Creamy Mustard:
- Combine mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and granulated garlic, whisk until well mixed, cover, and refrigerate.
To Smoke Pork Burgers:
- Once the grill has come to around 400°F and has a steady stream of smoke, place the pork patties indirect heat, close the lid, and smoke for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the pork burgers over direct heat to char for 1-2 minutes, or until burgers have reached an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Buns can be toasted over indirect heat while burgers char.
- Place cheese on pork once one side has charred sufficiently.
To Assemble Pork Burgers:
- Slather creamy mustard on bottom bun and top with lettuce.
- Add the cheesy pork burger and pickled onions.
- Slather extra creamy mustard on the inside or the top bun, or any of your favorite condiments.
Notes
*Cheese Tips: If like spicy heat on your burgers add pepper jack cheese. If cheddar is your go to burger cheese by all means use it. Another tasty selection would be sharp white cheddar or Monterey Jack.
*Leftover pork patties can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.
*Reheat individual pork patties, withoug the bun, in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1592Total Fat: 101gSaturated Fat: 37gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 56gCholesterol: 334mgSodium: 1427mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 66g
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