Aloha Burgers with Island Sauce

We are finally having a break from the cold and enjoying perfect 70 degree days on a weekend!

I just had to fire up the grill and taste-test a recipe from the 1963 Better Homes and Gardens Barbecues and Picnics cookbook. This cookbook is full of a lot of “Hawaiian” recipes like Hilo Franks, Island Treat, Hawaiian Chicken Salad, and Aloha Burgers with Island Sauce.  It seems that the philosophy is this: throw pineapple on it and it will be Hawaiian.

So what are Aloha Burgers? Hamburgers with pineapple, of course. The idea is simple:

1. Grill canned pineapple rounds brushed with homemade barbecue sauce.
2. Grill burgers brushed with homemade barbecue sauce.
3. Top burgers with grilled pineapple.

Actually, the recipe suggests that you also grill a mini burger within the hole of the pineapple ring,  but that sounded like a recipe for disaster. I was certain it would fall through the grate, so I simplified.

The Aloha sauce is a simple concoction:

• 2 Tablespoons pineapple syrup reserved from the can (I used pineapple in juice not syrup)
• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• a few drops liquid smoke (I used 1/4 teaspoon)

1. combine ingredients and heat until boiling.
2. That’s it. You are done.

The consensus? It was okay. I didn’t mind the pineapple on the burger. It married well with the sauce. If I had to do it all over again, I’d upgrade and use fresh pineapple. The barbecue sauce was nothing special, but it wasn’t bad either. Sound underwhelming? Yes, I guess it was. The best part was really the charred burger.

I’m not giving up on the 1963 Better Homes and Gardens Barbecues and Picnics cookbook yet. I really want to make Rafted Wieners. This is probably mostly because I just really want to say, “I’m making Rafted Wieners!” Stay tuned.