Crispy Fried Pickle Pork Burgers with Potato Wedges and Special Sauce

Imagine the best state fair food without the long lines or sketchy rides. These fried pickle pork burgers bring all the crispy, tangy, cheesy goodness right to your kitchen. Juicy pork patties are topped with golden tempura-fried dill pickles and melted Monterey Jack, then drizzled with a homemade special sauce. Served on soft potato buns with crispy oven-baked potato wedges, this is a meal that screams celebration.

The secret is in the crunch: sliced dill pickles get a light tempura coating and are fried until perfectly crispy. They add a briny punch that cuts through the richness of the pork and cheese. The special sauce-a simple mix of ketchup and mayo-ties everything together. It’s a fun, indulgent dinner that’s easier than you think.

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Ingredients

12 ounce PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Sliced Dill PickleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit KetchupView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

41 g Tempura Batter MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground PorkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Potato BunsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut potatoes into wedges. Toss with 1 tsp cooking oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.
2. Meanwhile, make the special sauce: in a small bowl, combine ketchup and mayonnaise. Set aside.
3. Prepare the tempura batter: in a bowl, whisk tempura batter mix with 3-4 tbsp cold water until smooth (consistency of thin pancake batter). Pat pickle slices dry with paper towels.
4. Heat 8 tbsp cooking oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Dip pickle slices into batter, letting excess drip off and fry in batches for 1-2 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
5. In a bowl, season ground pork with salt and pepper. Divide into 2 equal portions and shape into patties slightly larger than the buns (they shrink when cooking).
6. Heat 2 tsp cooking oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through (internal temp 160°F). In the last minute of cooking, top each patty with Monterey Jack cheese and cover the pan to melt.
7. Toast potato buns in the oven or a dry skillet until lightly golden.
8. Assemble burgers: spread special sauce on both halves of each bun. Place a cheesy pork patty on the bottom bun, pile on fried pickles and close with the top bun. Serve with potato wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of pickle?

Yes, but dill pickles work best for their tangy flavor and crisp texture. Bread-and-butter pickles would be too sweet.

Can I make these burgers in an air fryer?

The pork patties can be air fried at 375°F for about 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway. For the pickles, air fry at 400°F for 5-7 minutes, but they may not be as crispy as pan-fried.

Can I substitute the ground pork?

Ground chicken or turkey would work, but the patties will be leaner. Add a tablespoon of oil to the meat to keep them moist.