Making Seafood Burgers at Home
Summer is the season of burgers! The grill is all fired up and ready for those succulent patties.
If you’re anything like me, I love a good homemade seafood burger. Heck, I love all burgers! But, what appeals to me so much about seafood burgers is the variety. Seafood offers a nice (and delicious) way to mix up the menu, instead of just relying on the same-ole beef patties.
Building Blocks of a Good Seafood Burger
To make a good seafood burger, there are a few ‘burger building blocks’. First, and most importantly, is making sure you have a seafood option that works for burger making. Seasonings are another important building block, as well as wet and dry bases (these are what keep our seafood patties together). And, lastly, the cooking methods that work best.
Seafood
Yes, not every fish or shellfish option will work for making seafood burgers. You need seafood that has a bit of firmness, moderate moisture content, and texture. That’s why I like sticking to these 6 options; Salmon, Tuna, Shrimp, Lobster, Crab Cakes, Scallops. I’ve only had fabulous results with these fish and shellfish, making burgers that never disappoint.
1lb. of seafood (salmon, tuna, shrimp, lobster, rockfish, or scallops), cut into small chunks, will make 4, sizable, burger patties.
Seasonings
We definitely want these burgers to be tasty, so ample seasonings are needed. Here is a list of some of my favorites; Old Bay, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, hot sauce, onion, scallions, cilantro, basil, chives, capers, tarragon, roasted red peppers, and jalapeños.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of dry seasonings or 1-2 tablespoons of fresh seasonings per lb. of seafood.
Wet Base
This is the ‘holding it all together’ building block, the wet binder base. I, personally, like to use a combination of ingredients (again, boosting flavor); the binder portion (either mayonnaise or egg), the acid portion (either citrus juices or vinegar), and mustard (Dijon is my top pick).
Add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise or 1 egg + 1 tablespoon of acid + 1 tablespoon of Dijon per lb. of seafood.
Dry Base
These dry ingredients are the last element in creating our binder. Without them, we’d be left with a big soggy mess. I especially love panko bread crumbs or crushed ritz crackers, but feel free to use any and all bread crumbs.
Add 1 cup of bread crumbs per lb. of seafood.
Cooking Methods
Stove-top, Oven, or Grill
Now that we’ve mixed everything together, our seafood, seasonings, wet base, and dry base, it’s time to get cooking.
A good rule of thumb is to let your mix rest for 30 minutes before cooking, this allows for all the flavors to meld and for the binders to hold fast. I usually rest my seafood burger mix while I am waiting for my oven or grill to preheat. Then I portion into even patties.
For stove-top burgers, lightly oil a large skillet, and preheat over medium. Once the skillet is hot, add the patties (working in batches if necessary), and cook for 4-6 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the internal temperature of your burgers reaches 160°F.
For oven-baked burgers, preheat oven to 350°-400°F. Place patties on a large baking sheet and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of your burgers reaches 160°F.
For grilled burgers, preheat your grill to medium heat (about 350°F). Grill burgers for 4-6 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the internal temperature of your burgers reaches 160°F.
Who’s hungry?
I am, I am!!!
Need help sourcing the seafood needed to make those delicious burgers? We have you covered! All the seafood listed in this article is available online and shipped right to your door.
Do you have a favorite seafood recipe that you would like to share? Have a trick or tip that we haven’t covered? Feel free to share it with us! We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to cook and prepare our seafood. Post your images, recipe or tips on any of our social pages…. @cameronsseafoodonline (for Instagram) or @CameronsSeafood (for Facebook).
