Mediterranean Lamb Burgers

Lamb burgers are what happens when beef burgers take a vacation to Greece and come back with better oregano-adjacent instincts. Ground lamb shoulder mixed with garlic, rosemary, and parsley, grilled hard over charcoal, then tucked into split pita pockets with crumbled goat cheese and a bright salad of kalamata olives and tomato.

Draining the yogurt through a paper-towel-lined sieve for 30 minutes is the step most people skip and regret. It thickens the sauce into something that clings to the burger instead of running down your arm, and concentrates the tang so the garlic and mint don’t overpower it.

Lamb shoulder is fatty (around 20% fat), which is what keeps these juicy over high heat, leaner ground lamb tends to dry out. Handle the meat gently when mixing, overworking makes tough patties.

Grill 7 minutes per side for medium-rare, which is the right doneness for lamb, well-done pushes it past tender into chewy territory.

Chef Tips

• Oil the grill grates well right before the burgers go on, lamb sticks more than beef because of its fat composition
• Dimple the center of each patty with your thumb before grilling, it prevents the middle from doming up as it cooks
• Let the burgers rest 3 minutes before stuffing into pita, cutting too soon loses all the juice
• Warm the pita pockets briefly on the grill edge so they open without tearing

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of ground cumin and coriander to the patty mix for a more North African spice profile
• Swap goat cheese for crumbled feta for a tangier, saltier bite
• Serve on grilled flatbread with tzatziki instead of the yogurt sauce for a different take