Hawaiian Pork Burger

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup minced green onion
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 4 pineapple rings, fresh or canned
• 1/4 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
• 4 burger buns
• 4 large lettuce leaves
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced ham

Directions

1. In a large bowl, use clean hands to combine the ground pork with the ground ginger, allspice, pepper, salt, and green onion. Mix only until everything comes together; if you work it like dough, the burgers will turn out firm instead of tender.
2. Shape the mixture gently into 4 equal patties, pressing a shallow dip into the center of each. The patties will shrink as they cook, and that little hollow helps keep the middles from puffing up.
3. If you would like to get ahead, place wax paper between the patties and refrigerate them for a few hours before grilling.
4. Set up your grill for medium high, direct heat. Clean the grates well, then brush them with vegetable oil.
5. Move the patties onto the heated grate and brush barbecue sauce across the tops.
6. Put the lid down and grill for 5-7 minutes. Turn the burgers over, then brush on more barbecue sauce.
7. Once the burgers have been turned, set the pineapple rings on a hot area of the grill. Keep grilling the burgers for 5 to 7 minutes more, until they are cooked through.
8. For the pineapple rings, give the first side 3-5 minutes, or enough time to pick up clear grill marks. Turn the pineapple over and give the second side 1-2 minutes on the grill.
9. Take the burgers and pineapple off the grill, then leave them alone for 5 minutes.
10. During that rest, toast the buns on the heated grate; pull them when the edges are nicely browned, about 1-2 minutes.
11. Build each burger with lettuce on the bottom bun, then the patty, followed by a light brush of barbecue sauce. Add the ham, the pineapple, and the top bun.
12. Serve right away.