When I think about turning fish into a burger, I want to see flavor. I eat a fair amount of fish. I love it, but it needs to be different sometimes. These burgers are different in so many ways. Asian style, barbecue sauce, quick pickles, ‘nough said.
These salmon burgers have flair. I love the quick pickles. 
They are more crunchy than a normal pickle, and carry the acidity and flavor that take the burger to another level. They are quick, taking only 30 minutes of soak time in a hot brine water. These pickles pair especially well with the Asian flavors in the burger. I think you could also use them in a wrap… or a sandwich… or for munching. Yum!
This recipe does require the use of a food processor to grind the meat. A good food processor is worth the money if you like to cook. Mini’s are less expensive and would work if you processed in batches. If you have to wait for Christmas to get your food processor, you could try cooking and flaking the fish and using some extra binders to make the burgers hold together, like in this fish cakes recipe.
The patties are soft when you form them, but will firm up while cooking. Don’t make the patties too big or they are hard to flip. I even took out a little extra and made a slider patty so the burgers would be easier to cook. Use plenty of oil in the pan to keep the patties from sticking. Finally, top with Asian BBQ sauce. It keeps the burgers moist and exploding with flavor. Enjoy!
- 2 TBS water
- 2 TBS apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp minced ginger
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 8 slices cucumber
- 2 salmon fillets (4-6 oz each)
- 2 tsp dried chives or 2 TBS fresh chives
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 TBS reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 1 ½ TBS beaten egg
- ½ -1 TBS canola oil
- 1 TBS hoisin sauce
- 1 TBS ketchup
- ½ tsp sriracha
- Bring water through red pepper flake to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in cucumber slices. Let sit 30 minutes.
- In a food processor, combine salmon through soy sauce. Pulse until ground into small chunks, about 10 times. Mix burger with bread crumbs and egg.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Form burger into patties. Depending on the size of your fillets, you can make 2-3 patties. The smaller they are, the easier they will be to flip. Gently place patties in the hot skillet. Cook until the sides of the burger start to look opaque and gently flip. Continue cooking until the burger is cooked through.
- Mix together all ingredients.
- Toast buns by placing open side down in a hot skillet.
- Spread BBQ sauce over the top of the hot burgers.
- Top toasted bun with a burger and 3-4 quick pickles.
Recipe inspired by Cooking Light.
