You Might Want To Start Making Pork Burgers Over Beef Burgers. Here's Why

There is no arguing with the fact that a standard burger and fries is the symbol of classic American food. Burgers may have gotten their start in Germany, as the name hamburger implies, but these days they're solid Americana. That said, while ground beef is the traditional meat for a hamburger, this is not a hard and fast rule. The U.S. has long been a land of innovation, and making the switch to ground pork for your burgers has a good (and very American) argument behind it: it's cheaper.

As far as beef goes, buying it ground is generally the most — or one of the most — economical options, but the price is on the rise. As beef prices continue to hit record highs, they show no signs of slowing down. While pork prices are also increasing, the predicted rises are much less significant. Ground pork is generally cheaper than ground beef to begin with, and that price gap will likely continue to grow.

Now, we know that people can be particular about their burgers, but we encourage you to give this swap a try. After all, pork is still red meat. It doesn't need to completely replace ground beef in your grilling repertoire, but you may be pleased to discover how versatile a pork burger can be. The lighter flavor of the meat means that you can really play with spices and seasonings. Think of it like a turkey burger with the meaty juiciness of a beef burger.

Now, one downside to pork burgers is that (for food safety reasons) they should be cooked well-done. While it is generally considered safe to eat pink pork from whole-muscle cuts, ground meat carries a higher risk of salmonella and E. coli. Fortunately, trichinosis, once the great fear of eating undercooked pork, has been almost eradicated by improvements in pork production. But ground beef actually carries the same risks of foodborne illness when not fully cooked, so this shouldn't be a major problem — we are just more used to accepting that risk with beef.

There are generally two methods for making pork burgers. You can either add a binder to the pork burgers, such as egg and breadcrumbs, or you can smash them thin. Cooked to well-done, the result is either a thick and juicy burger with a texture like a meatball or a thin patty with a crisp crust. Both are delicious; it's really all down to the tastes of the chef on duty.

Fortunately for the chef in question, the options with pork burgers are abundant. Start by simply subbing pork into a classic easy smash burger recipe. This will give you a good idea of the differences between pork and beef and open your mind to the other options out there. For your second round of pork burgers, you may consider branching out to something like a sausage burger with peppers and onions or trying something even more unconventional like a banh mi burger. The world of pork burgers is certainly cheap, but it is also vast.