Pickle-Stuffed Hamburgers - (Dillgurken-Frikadellen)

by: Lydia Fulson  /  Writer, Artist, Traveler, Granddaughter & Ever-Learning German Cook

Ditch the basic burgers and spice things up with these homemade pickle-stuffed burgers, aka frikadellen. A twist on a true classic. They're savory and bursting with punchy dill. They'll be your new barbecue season fav!

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Try these with potato salad!

Skip all the added burger toppings and incorporate them right into the patty instead! If you're like me, however, both relish and pickle slices still make their way on top. The more pickles, the merrier.

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Top Tips for the Best Burgers

• Using lean or extra-lean ground beef makes for a less greasy burger. However, beef with higher fat content can keep the patties moist during the cooking process. So this part is all about preference.
• Avoid overmixing and overworking your patty mixture. If overworked, your patties may come out tough, dense, and dry.
  
• If you're cooking your burgers on the barbecue and you're worried about them falling through the grill, you can chill your patties for 20 minutes in the fridge before grilling. This will help them keep their shape and stiffen them enough so they don't fall through.
• After cooking to your desired temp and style, let the burger rest for a couple of minutes. Typically, as a burger cooks, the moisture goes to the bottom of the patty. Doing this resting step allows the moisture to circulate back through the entire patty.

Let's Make Pickle Burgers:

Step #1: Use a cheese grater to grate dill pickles into shredded-looking pieces. Watch your fingers!

Watch your fingers!

Step #2: After dodging finger scrapes, gather your ingredients together.

Ingredients? Check!

Step #3: In a mixing bowl, they go!

Here comes the fun step...

Step #4: Time to get messy. Handmix your ground beef mixture until well incorporated.

kINDA...

Step #5: Form patties and set aside on a parchment-lined pan to avoid sticking.

Ready for the grill!

Step #6: Prep your flattop or barbecue grill, and start cooking. This time, I tried both.

Can you hear them sizzling from there?

What to Serve with Pickle-Stuffed Burgers

Burgers are one of those recipes that can go with just about anything. But the top spots definitely go to:

German Potato Salads: These are uber traditional, and when you pair a pickle burger with a pickle-packed potato salad, all feels right.

Cucumber Salads: Crisp, refreshing, and perfect beside a hearty burger. What better pairing than to serve pickles with cucumbers ... their former selves.

French Fries: While not traditionally German, we Germans sure do love them! Especially with mustard or currywurst. And what a classic must-have pairing for a burger.

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Pickle-Stuffed Hamburgers - (Dillgurken-Frikadellen)

Ditch the basic burgers and spice things up with these homemade pickle-stuffed burgers, aka dillgurken-frikadellen! They're savory and bursting with punchy dill. They'll be your new barbecue season fav!

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Cook Time:

10-15 minutes

Total Time:

30-45 minutes

Servings:

6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 package lean ground beef
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon (14 milliliters) of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons (29 grams) ketchup
• 2 tablespoons (31 grams) mustard
• 2 teaspoons (11 grams) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) Montreal steak spice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 10-12 shredded dill pickles

Instructions:

1. Prepare a baking tray or plate by covering it with parchment paper and set it aside.
2. Put ground beef in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
3. Add in egg, oil, ketchup, mustard, sauce, and seasonings. 
4. Using a cheese grater, shred dill pickles into a small bowl. Then add to the ground beef mixture.
5. Using your hands, mix all ingredients until everything is well incorporated.
6. Roll and form the patties. Each patty should be approximately 4-6 ounces (113-170 grams), about 4 inches in diameter. Set aside on a prepared baking sheet. The parchment will keep them from sticking.
7. Cook or grill for 10-15 minutes. Flipping halfway to get an even cook all the way through.
8. Serve on your choice of bun and top with extra pickles!

Notes/Hints:

• Before serving, grill your bun as well! This keeps it from going soggy from toppings. My dad taught me this trick.
• Add more or less pickle to your mixture. It's all up to preference.
• If you want an extra kick, add more Montreal steak spice. A little bit goes a long way with this stuff.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

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Enjoy pickle-stuffed burgers packed with punchy dill flavor. Serve with German potato salad for a real treat.

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Complete your set today - order now!

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.