Sharing a fun summer grilling party spread today with the American Lamb Board! The main event? Juicy lamb burgers with pickled shallots and a tangy herb sauce.
If you’ve been reading for a while, you know most every Sunday I head to my parent’s house with the whole family and we cook just about all day long. I’m usually recipe testing throughout the day and everyone is picking here and there. We always end the day with a big feast for dinner…and most likely a dessert or two as well.
This past weekend we fired up the grill and enjoyed a summertime night in the backyard, with a beautiful table to gather around and some very flavorful lamb burgers to devour.
To make the burgers, I picked up some ground lamb from my local butcher shop. American lamb is extremely fresh, very tender, and has a really nice subtle flavor for those of you who may find other lamb a bit gamey and intense.
To highlight the lamb’s fresh flavor, I keep the meat itself really simple and just season with a bit of salt before forming the patties. The lamb is grilled until slight char marks form, and then they’re finished over lower heat to result in a really juicy burger. Gouda cheese gets melted over top, which makes them even more irresistible.
The burgers come together on brioche buns with a bit of mayo, watercress, pickled shallots, radishes, and a vibrant herb sauce.
To complete the spread, I made a few simple, rustic side dishes to serve alongside the lamb burgers – grilled potatoes & beans, a plum salad with parmesan, and a really easy pea dip with seedy crackers. I kept our summer table pretty effortless, with some sweet cherries for snacking and fresh herbs and flowers for decorating.
We had such a fun night savoring the warm air and delicious food. And I hope you enjoy these American lamb burgers as much as we did!
PrintLamb Burgers with Pickled Shallots & Herb Sauce
juicy lamb burgers with gouda cheese, pickled shallots, herb sauce, watercress, and radishes
yield: 12 burgers
Ingredients
Quick-Pickled Shallots
- 1 lb thinly sliced shallots (about 5–6 large shallots)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups champagne vinegar
Herb Sauce
- 3 cups lightly packed parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dill leaves, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup oregano leaves, finely chopped
- ¼ cup mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- kosher salt
Lamb Burgers
- 4 lbs ground American lamb
- kosher salt
- vegetable oil
- 12 brioche burger buns, sliced
- 12 slices gouda cheese
- mayo, as needed
- watercress, as needed
- 4 radishes, thinly shaved
Instructions
Quick-Pickled Shallots
- Place the sliced shallots into a heat-proof bowl.
- Combine the sugar, water, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and allow the sugar to dissolve.
- Pour the pickling liquid over the shallots, making sure all of the shallots are submerged.
- Let sit for about 30 minutes, or until the burgers are ready. When ready to use, drain off the liquid. Store any remaining shallots in the liquid in the fridge for another use.
Herb Sauce
- Combine the chopped parsley, dill, basil, oregano, and mint in a bowl. Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
Lamb Burgers
- Heat the grill with one section over high heat and another over medium-low heat.
- Place the ground lamb into a large mixing bowl. Add a heaping palmful of salt. Use your hands to break up the meat and mix well.
- Form the meat into 12 flat patties (approximately 5.3 oz each). Place them onto a sheet pan and coat each one with a drizzle of oil.
- Place the patties onto the hot part of the grill. Sear on both sides until slightly charred, about 1-2 minutes per side (depending on how hot your grill is). Transfer the patties to the medium-low heat. Cover the grill and cook for another few minutes until finished through.
- Open the buns and place them onto the grill, cut-side down, for a minute or two until toasted.
- Meanwhile, place a slice of gouda cheese on top of each lamb patty. Cover the grill again and let the cheese melt for just about 30 seconds.
- To assemble each burger: spread mayo onto both sides of the toasted bun, place a small mound of watercress onto the bottom bun, place the burger with gouda on top, pile the shallots onto the burger, add a few radish slices, spoon the herb sauce over top, and close the top bun.
[This post was created in partnership with the American Lamb Board. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that I love!]
