Hawaiian Tuna Burgers with Grilled Pineapple

Let’s say goodbye to Burger Month with light and flavorful Ahi Tuna Burgers topped with sweet Grilled Pineapple. Big island flavor stacked high on a bun. 

Hawaii is my happy place. Particularly the island of Kauai.

Lt. Dan and I took what we thought would be our last big vacation, right before our first child was born. It’s funny to me now that we thought we wouldn’t be able to travel again for years. We determined we had better go somewhere spectacular before it was too late.

Well, we were wrong about travel opportunities, but we were right about Hawaii being special.

Every time we visit, we spend a hefty portion of our time trying to figure out a way we could move there and make a living.

It’s the weather… the lush green mountains and tropical plants, the pristine beaches, the vibrant produce at every corner market, the hidden waterfalls, the fresh seafood, the slow-paced island lifestyle, the outdoor activities, and of course, the “aloha spirit.”

I don’t need city life. Honestly, I don’t.

As a former high-strung perfectionist, raising kids has beat idealism and the need for glamor out of me.

I’d much rather be an experience-driven person than a “stuff” driven person.

I could live in a smaller house, with less possessions, in a beautiful environment and be perfectly happy.

Anmut Bloom Dishes from Villeroy & Boch.

Living in Hawaii is a dream that may, or may not come true.

There are so many variables that make it difficult to move a family across the ocean.  And I do happen to live in a place that I love with lush green mountains, so I can’t complain.

Yet every time I think of Hawaii my heart smiles. I remember all of the little things that make it magical and I want to relive those things again and again.

So to finish off Burger Month, I offer you a burger with Aloha Spirit, Ahi Tuna Burgers with Grilled Pineapple.

The foundation of these tuna burgers are the poke-inspired ahi tuna patties. I diced Ahi tuna and mixed it as if I were making Hawaiian Poke. Then I added an egg and some bread crumbs so that the poke would hold together as patties.

These patties are delicate. They aren’t grilling patties, but need to be cooked on a flat surface to hold their shape. It’s important not to over cook them, since poke is a raw dish. I like to cook them so that the outside of each patty is seared, but the inside is still a little pink.

I seared them on my new KitchenAid range with the griddle in the middle. I love using the griddle for searing meat, quickly cooking veggies, and of course for pancakes. The kids keep waiting for me to try hibachi on it.

To complete these Hawaii inspired tuna burgers, I whipped up a quick hoisin mustard and topped them with grilled pineapple and fresh avocado slices.

Ahi Tuna Burgers with Grilled Pineapple offer a mouthful of paradise in each bite!

PRINT RECIPE

Ahi Tuna Burgers with Grilled Pineapple

YIELD: 6 burgers

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

COOK TIME: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Ahi Tuna Patties:

• 2 lbs. ahi tuna steaks, diced
• 3 Tb. soy sauce
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 Tb. sriracha chili sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chopped scallions, greens and whites
• 1 Tb. fresh grated ginger
• 2 Tb. sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• sesame oil for cooking

For the Hoisin Mustard:

• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 Tb. honey or sugar

For the Tuna Burgers:

• 6 buns
• 6 rounds slices of fresh pineapple
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 6 butter lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients of the ahi tuna patties in a large bowl. Divide into 6 equal portions and press into patties. Preheat the griddle (or heat a skillet) to medium heat. Once it's very hot, brush the surface with sesame oil and place the patties on the hot surface. Sear the patties for 3 minutes per side, so the interior ahi chunks are still a little pink. Flip carefully--these patties are fragile.
2. Then immediately grill or sear the pineapple slices for 1-2 minutes per side.
3. Whisk together the ingredients for the hoisin mustard. Then spread the mustard on the buns and stack the burgers with lettuce, ahi tuna patties, grilled pineapple, and fresh avocado slices. Serve warm!

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