Ingredients
Method
- Prep. Prepare the tzatziki yogurt sauce according to the recipe found here. You can do this the night before and that will help pull flavor out of the herbs. Also thinly slice the onion.
- Fire up. Prepare your grill for hot direct heat. If your gas grill has a sear burner or infrared burner, this is what it is for. The burgers can also be cooked easily on a hibachi.
- Prep again. Form the meat into patties about 4 to 6 ounces (112 to 168 g) each, 1/4 to 1/2" (6.3 mm to 13 mm) thick and shaped like a football so they will fit neatly into pita halves. Coat them with the oil, and then with the spices. That may seem like a lot of spices, but we want to form a nice crust.
- Cook. Put the burgers on the grill, close the lid, and stand there. Sing Mary Had a Little Lamb four times or about four minutes, then check the underside. You want it dark, but not black. Cook the burger until it hits a safe temp of 160°F (71°C). Toss the pitas on the grill for 30 to 60 seconds on each side, enough to warm them.
- Serve. Serve the burgers by cutting the pitas in half. Press the sides gently to pop open the pocket. Spoon about a tablespoon of sauce in, put some chopped tomato, lettuce, and onion in, squeeze the burger in on top, and slather more sauce on the burger. Make sure everyone has plenty of napkins.
Notes
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
Optional. Chopped cucumbers are nice on this.