Jerk Burgers With Mango-Habanero Aioli

A jerk burger and bowl of mango-habanero aioli on a wooden plate with a beer and pineapple in the background.

Jerk Burgers With Mango-Habanero Aioli

Your summer backyard cookout gets a tropical touch with these jerk burgers. Juicy ground beef seasoned with bold jerk spice is topped with a sweet and spicy mango-habanero aioli and a caramelized grilled pineapple slice for the ultimate Jamaican-inspired burger. Fire up the grill and pour the rum punches — your guests are going to love these.

Course Burgers and Sandwiches

Cuisine Caribbean-American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings burgers

Calories 543kcal

Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

Grill

Ingredients

Jerk Burgers

1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ginger
1 pound ground beef, 80 percent fat, 20 percent lean
1 scotch bonnet or habanero, finely chopped
4 pineapple rings
4 burger buns
Mango-habanero aioli
Other favorite toppings, like lettuce, tomato, cheese, red onions, avocado, bacon, etc.

Mango-Habanero Aioli

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup mango chunks, fresh or frozen, thawed if using frozen
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 chopped habanero, stem removed, seeds left intact
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Pinch of salt
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish, optional

Instructions

Jerk Burgers

In a small bowl, stir together the herbs and spices to make a dry jerk seasoning.
Sprinkle the jerk seasoning evenly over the ground beef. Add the chopped scotch bonnet or habanero. Wearing kitchen gloves, mix the meat to combine.
Shape into four patties. The patties should be slighter larger than the bun to account for shrinking during grilling. Using your thumb, indent the meat in the center of the patties.
Place the patties on the hot greased grill and cook for two to five minutes on one side with the lid closed, depending on your desired level of doneness (see notes for internal temperature and cooking time guide). Flip the burgers and cook for another two to five minutes on the other side. If using cheese, add the cheese when you flip the burgers in the last 30 seconds or so of cooking. You can also add the pineapple at this point and flip midway.
Remove the burgers from the grill. Lightly tent the burgers with foil and let them sit for five minutes to allow the juices to redistribute to the meat. Place the patties on buns and add your favorite toppings and the mango-habanero aioli. Enjoy!

Mango-Habanero Aioli

Add the mayonnaise, mango chunks, grated ginger, habanero, freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt to a food processor.
Blend until the mixture becomes one smooth, cohesive mixture. If desired, top with fresh cilantro.

Notes

Internal temperature and cooking times: Rare 125 degrees F for 4 minutes, medium rare 135 degrees F for 5 minutes, medium 145 degrees F for 7 minutes, medium well 155 degrees F for 9 minutes, well done 160 degrees F for 10 minutes.
The cooking time is for the total time spent on the grill. You’ll flip the burgers in the middle of the listed total cooking time.
Only flip the burgers once to help them stay together.
If grilling, do not squeeze the patties with a spatula. This just presses out the juices we want to preserve.
Use kitchen gloves when handling the habanero to protect your skin and eyes. Wash your hands well after handling.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition