Chorizo Burgers with Smashed California Avocado

Infused with deep spices and aromatics, fresh chorizo brings some major flavor to these pork burgers, making them a lively addition to your summer grilling lineup. Ripe California Avocados are smashed with mayo, lime, cilantro, salt and pepper to form a rich, chunky topping that cools some of the chorizo heat. Pickled red onions add a hit of acid while crumbles of cotija provide pops of salt. Stack this up between a toasted brioche bun, and you’ve got a Chorizo Burger that’s perfect for any summer cook out.
 

Making burger patties at home is a quick and simple task that allows you to infuse plenty of flavor into the meat. Here, ground pork is mixed with fresh chorizo, then seasoned with garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and salt. As you mix up the meat, you’ll want to use quick and gentle motions to avoid overmixing. You can do this with your hands or a fork. Keep the meat as light as possible. If not, the burgers may toughen up on the grill.
 

When purchasing fresh chorizo, look for the style that’s just ground pork with seasonings added. Avoid the really mushy, pasty chorizo that’s in the tubes. It’s very fatty, and the burgers will not hold together properly when cooked.

 
Instead of ketchup and mustard for this burger, the main topping is a smashed mix of California Avocado, lime, cilantro and salt. This texture here is chunkier than a guacamole with some mayo added for creaminess. Pickled onions can be purchased in store, or you can make them at home if you’ve got vinegar (or lime juice), salt and sugar.
 

Chorizo Burgers with Smashed Avocado Recipe

Ingredients

For the burgers:
1 pound ground pork
1 pound fresh chorizo (not cured)*
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the smashed avocado:
1 1/2 ripe (but not mushy) California Avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon mayo
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For serving: toasted brioche buns, pickled red onions, cotija cheese

Instructions

Add ground pork and chorizo to a large bowl along with the grated garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin and salt. Using your hands, quickly and gently mix the ingredients just until well-combined. Don’t overmix the meat.  Form into 6 patties large enough to fit your buns.

Preheat an oiled grill or skillet to medium-high, and cook burgers until golden and charred in spots (3 – 5 minutes per side). They should be at least medium (140°F internal temperature). Timing will depend on the shape/size of the burger. Let burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.

While the burgers are resting, add sliced avocados, lime juice, mayo and cilantro to a medium bowl, and mash using a fork. There should still be some larger chunks of avocado in the mix, so don’t mash it up too much.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, stack up the burgers as follows:  bottom bun, burger patty, smashed avocado, pickled red onions, cotija cheese and top bun.

* Fresh chorizo is also known as Mexican chorizo. Look for the style that’s just ground pork with seasonings added. Avoid the really mushy, pasty chorizo that’s in the tubes. It’s very fatty, and the burgers will not hold together properly when cooked.