Burgers with dill pickle sauce for 12: ground chuck and ground pork shaped into patties at home, seasoned on the outside at the lot and grilled over charcoal, then stacked with American cheese on buns spread with a sauce of mayo, chopped dill pickles, pickle brine, Dijon and fresh dill. The pork keeps the burgers juicy all the way to 160°F.
Feeds: 12 · Hands-on: about 30 min · Total: about 45 min
Pack for the lot
- Patties, sealed, at the bottom of the cooler
- Dill pickle sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and cheese, in the cooler
- Seasoning jar
- Buns
- Charcoal and a chimney starter
- Wide spatula, a clean platter and an instant-read thermometer
- Bucket or metal can and water for the ashes
- Trash bags
Lot notes
- The Starkville rule: the Davis Wade Stadium guide says "Charcoal grills are allowed. Put the charcoal out fully and dispose of it responsibly. No fire pits." Douse the coals with water before you pack up.
- 160°F, not color: ground beef and ground pork both need 160°F. Pork can look a little pink when it's done, so trust the thermometer.
- Salt at the lot: salt mixed into the meat ahead of time makes a firm, sausage-like patty. Seasoning just the outside right before grilling keeps it tender.
- Raw meat low: the patties ride at the bottom of the cooler at 40°F or below, under the sauce and toppings. Cooked burgers go on a clean platter.
- Sauce on ice: it's mayo, so it goes back in the cooler between rounds. Toss anything left out past 2 hours, or 1 hour over 90°F.
- A cooler for the meat: the Taiga 27 qt Hard Cooler has heavily insulated walls and a one-piece lid gasket, and Taiga says ice lasts 5 or more days in hot, real-world use.
Can you make burger patties ahead?
Yes. Shape them the night before and keep them sealed in the fridge, or freeze them for up to 3 months and thaw them in the fridge overnight. Season them at the lot.
What goes in dill pickle burger sauce?
Mayo, finely chopped dill pickles, a splash of pickle brine, Dijon mustard, fresh dill and a little garlic powder. Make it the day before so the flavors settle.
How much for 20 people?
Make 20 patties: 4¼ lb of ground chuck and 2½ lb of ground pork, about ⅓ lb each, with 20 buns and 20 cheese slices. Make the sauce 1½ times (1½ cups of mayo and ¾ cup of chopped pickles). Grill them in 2 rounds on a 22-inch kettle.
Can you grill at Davis Wade Stadium?
Yes, with charcoal. The Mississippi State guide says "Charcoal grills are allowed. Put the charcoal out fully and dispose of it responsibly. No fire pits."