Name: Hoisin-Glazed Lamb Burgers
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons rice vinegar; ¼ teaspoon table salt; ¼ English cucumber , halved lengthwise and sliced thin; 1 small carrot , peeled and cut into 2‑inch-long matchsticks; 2 scallions , sliced thin on bias; 1½ pounds ground lamb; ¼ cup hoisin sauce , divided, plus extra for serving; 1 teaspoon five-spice powder; ½ teaspoon table salt; 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 4 hamburger buns , toasted if desired

Why This Recipe Works

To play up the lamb’s intense umami notes, we turned to hoisin sauce. This Chinese ingredient packs a spicy, salty, sweet, and savory punch from chiles, garlic, fermented soy, and sugar. For complex flavor throughout, we used it twice, both folded into the ground lamb (along with deeply aromatic five-spice powder) and brushed onto the cooked burgers as they rested, for a beautiful lacquered effect reminiscent of Chinese barbecued meat. The lamb’s naturally meaty flavor was both tempered and complemented by these additions, and the burgers were juicier to boot. To round out the flavor profile and add texture to the composed burger, we topped them with some scallions, carrot, and cucumber, all of which we first marinated in rice vinegar. This brought freshness and mellow onion flavor along with some bright color and satisfying crunch.

Before You Begin

Avoid pickling the cucumber and carrots for longer than 1 hour or they will begin to turn limp and gray. If food safety is your primary concern, you may want to cook your burger to a higher internal temperature. To learn more, check out this guide.

Instructions

for the pickles

Whisk vinegar and salt in medium bowl until salt has dissolved. Stir in cucumber and carrot and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Drain vegetables, return to now-empty bowl, and stir in scallions; set aside for serving.

for the burgers

Break ground lamb into small pieces in large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons hoisin and five-spice powder and gently knead with hands until well combined. Divide lamb mixture into 4 equal portions, then gently shape each portion into 3/4‑inch-thick patty. Using your fingertips, press center of each patty down until about 1/2 inch thick, creating slight divot.

Season patties with salt. Heat oil in 12‑inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Transfer patties to skillet, divot side up, and cook until well browned on first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip patties, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 (for medium), 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer burgers to platter, brush with remaining 2 tablespoons hoisin, and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve burgers on buns, topped with pickled vegetables, passing extra hoisin separately.