I wanted to get another burger in before the season ends. I decided to make it a Sriracha Turkey Burger because I have an obsession for the “Cock Sauce”.
Are you still reading? Because “Cock Sauce” or “Rooster Sauce” or “Sriracha Sauce” has taken on cult proportions lately. I live in Los Angeles and “Cock Sauce” (that’s what we call it) has been popular here for quite sometime. Probably because it’s made here.
I’ve been eating some version of this Sriracha Turkey Burger as long as I have been eating turkey burgers. Turkey burgers are notoriously difficult to make delicious. There I said it. Melissa Lanz solves that problem with a cheese-stuffed turkey burger in her new book The Fresh 20 (buy a copy here). Hers is a turkey burger I have grown to love. However, I wanted a burger that was decidedly less “kid friendly”. The only kids who’ll eat my Sriracha Turkey Burger are the cool kids. Los Angeles is full of cool kids. I’m no kid, but I have been hanging with the Sriracha cool kids for quite some time.
Did I mention that Sriracha “Cock Sauce” is an LA invention? I’m proud of that fact. Sriracha “Cock Sauce” is pure LA. It’s made by a man named David Tran, who founded Huy Fong Foods in the Chinatown section of Los Angeles in 1980. He now produces the stuff (appropriately) in the San Gabriel Valley, just east of downtown Los Angeles. He’s a business man with rockstar status. With quotes like: “Hot sauce must be hot. If you don’t like it hot, use less.” and “We don’t make mayonnaise here.” Mr. Tran has set himself up to be beloved by all who favor flavor.
I favor flavor. However I’ll admit, by my standards this is a fairly (not completely though) mild sauce. That’s why it works so well in my Sriracha Turkey Burger recipe. It adds my favorite flavor (spicy) but leaves some room on your tongue for taste. Sriracha Turkey Burger. A Los Angeles phenomenon. GREG
Ingredients
- 2 limes (juiced)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 4 sliced scallions (white, light green and some dark green parts, divided)
- ½ cup julienned carrots
- 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (divided)
- 2 pound ground turkey
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 6 hamburger buns
Directions
Make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine lime juice, vegetable oil, sugar and salt; whisk to combine. Add cabbage, half of the scallions, and all the carrots; toss to combine. Set aside.
Make the mayo: In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon Sriracha. Set aside.
Make the burgers: Using your hands, gently mix together turkey, panko, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro, remaining 2 tablespoons Sriracha, and remaining scallions. Do not over mix. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form each portion into a 3/4‑inch thick patty (about ⅓ lb each). Make a small indentation in the center of each patty, then brush the indented side with a small amount of the Sriracha mayo.
Grill the burgers: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas).
Oil grill grates, then place the patties mayo side down onto the grates. Brush the top side with a bit more mayo and grill (covered for gas grill, uncovered for charcoal), turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 8 minutes total.
While the burgers are grilling, place the buns cut side down onto the edges of the grill and cook, rotating as needed, until lightly browned. Remove from the grill and spread some Sriracha mayo on the top side of the buns. Place the finished burgers on the bottom of the buns, topping them with some Asian slaw. Cover with the top bun and serve warm.
These are absolutely delicious!! Who knew turkey burgers could be so flavorful. Try it!!! Tonight is my 3rd time making them, they are so good.
So happy to hear that. GREG
My wife would slap me and the boys would giggle if I called if Cock Sauce, but I can’t imagine my kitchen without Sriracha!
Cock Sauce. For some reason the thought of sriracha and..welll…I will just not. It sounds like it would sting though! LOL
I do love sriracha and spicy food & didnt know we have SoCal to thank for this one!
Pinned it! I like what you did with this one, Greg. I think you win “best opening line of a post” award this year 😉
The season can be over, but not for us when it comes to burgers that’s made with sriracha. Can’t get enough!!
I had no idea that Sriracha sauce was made in LA, and that name, I had no idea!!! I want to have this burger for lunch!
Cock sauce? LOVE IT. No comment on whether or not that was a pun. Or intended. 😛
I want to be a cool kid! These sound wonderful!
It’s good stuff, that cock sauce.
Well, great to learn something new. I’ve always assumed that cock sauce is a product of Thailand. Great to know it’s actually from LA. This turkey burger looks awesome. I could eat this whatever the season is.
Ahh, LA invention huh, interesting, and leave it to the people of LA to call it the ‘cock sauce’.
I love sriracha, pretty much it’s a condiment for every meal including my breakfast…:). Loving your burgers.
I really enjoy reading your posts. You know, I caught my 8 yr old having sriracha right out of the bottle and thanK God, he was OK.
Sriracha is a favorite of mine. Somehow I didn’t realize it was an LA product. I love this town!
I knew Sriracha sauce was made in LA, but had no idea it was called “cock sauce.” Makes sense, though, given the art on the bottle. Looks like you’ve made a turkey burger that’s actually worth eating. I’ll definitely need to try it — thanks.
Sriracha certainly has had a prominent place in our diet for years now! I think my favorite way to eat it is with roasted squash…or maybe drizzled into a clear soup with dumplings…or pretty much every other way. 🙂 Combining spicy juicy turkey burgers with crispy slaw sounds like the best possible plan.
Sounds so good! I’ve always called it rooster sauce, but it’s cock sauce from now on!
Season ends! Never. We eat burgers all day. Love your on going humor with food, but, Greg, your videos that come on when I come to your site drive me crazy. I get distracted looking all over to see where to turn them off, because I want all my attention to read your posts which I always adore.