Bring the flavors of Hawaii into your kitchen with these Smashed Aloha Burgers. Burgers may feel like a summertime treat, but a great burger is welcome any time of year.
Aloha Burgers are simple to prepare and use only a few ingredients. For best results make them indoors on a hot cast-iron grill pan and smash each patty down to develop a deeply caramelized, crispy crust. The texture and flavor you get from that intense sear are well worth the effort.
These burgers are Whole30 and Paleo compliant and are sure to have everyone reaching for seconds. When cooking on high heat, open a window and run the hood fan — things will get smoky, which is part of the charm.
I love making these with ground wild boar because the meat is rich and full of flavor, which pairs beautifully with sweet grilled pineapple and a smoky chipotle aioli. If wild boar isn’t available where you are, substitute quality ground pork or medium-fat ground beef. Avoid ultra-lean grinds — they’ll produce dry patties. If possible, ask a trusted butcher to grind chuck or shoulder fresh for you; the result will be juicier and often more economical.
These Smashed Aloha Burgers include a little trick: a light basting of a spicy, caramelizing marinade while cooking. The marinade crisps on the hot cast-iron, adding a subtle heat that complements the sweet pineapple and savory meat without overwhelming the other flavors. The combination of textures — crisp edges, tender interior, and caramelized fruit — is what makes these burgers special.
Smashed Aloha Burgers with Chipotle Aioli – Whole30, Paleo
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground wild boar, substitute ground pork or medium ground beef
- Fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/2″ discs
- 1/4 cup spicy marinade (optional)
- 1/2 cup compliant mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp dried chipotle powder (or ancho chili powder)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Diced onion, for serving
- Iceberg lettuce, for serving
Instructions
For Chipotle Aioli
- Whisk the mayonnaise and chipotle (or ancho) powder together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For Smashed Aloha Burgers
- Place the meat in a bowl or tray and pat very dry with paper towels.
- Divide the meat into eight 1/4-lb portions and loosely form each into a large meatball. Season the top of each with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Preheat a grill or cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat, then raise heat to high when ready. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Place meatballs on the hot surface and use a large metal offset spatula to firmly smash each ball into a thin patty.
- Lightly baste each patty with a bit of the spicy marinade, then season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, until deeply browned. Flip and baste the cooked side with more marinade.
- Flip once more and cook an additional 30 seconds to caramelize the top layer of marinade.
- Transfer cooked patties to a tray. Add pineapple slices to the grill pan, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook 3–4 minutes per side or until grill marks appear and the fruit caramelizes.
- Assemble each burger on an iceberg lettuce “bun.” Top with grilled pineapple, a spoonful of chipotle aioli, diced onion, and a light drizzle of the remaining marinade if desired.