Wrap Lamb Burgers In Prosciutto For A Flavorful Finishing Touch

Lamb is a succulent, well-marbled meat with a distinctly gamey flavor that will grind up into burgers that are just as juicy as their beef counterparts. You can add an air of sophistication to your lamb burgers by wrapping them in delicate and flavorful prosciutto. Its ultra-thin, and soft texture will act like a second-skin for your burgers, crisping up beautifully over the grill or flat top. Prosciutto has a balanced salty and sweet flavor that'll pair perfectly with the ultra-savory gaminess of lamb.

Prosciutto is a popular ingredient for wrapping around everything from asparagus to slices of cantaloupe. It's also used as a wrapping for proteins like chicken drum sticks and even lamb filets. Because it's so thin and malleable, it'll easily wrap around and cling to lamb burgers.

To wrap lamb burgers in prosciutto, you'll spread a single slice of prosciutto on a metal pan, then place a freshly formed lamb burger patty at the center of the slice. You'll fold the prosciutto up and around the round patty as if it were cling wrap. The moisture from the patties is adhesive enough to keep the prosciutto in place. You can use a spatula to set the burgers on the grill prosciutto-side down to cook for a few minutes, cementing the prosciutto to the burger before flipping it and grilling for another six to eight minutes.

Lamb is a popular Mediterranean protein elaborated with zesty and aromatic flavors common in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Consequently, lamb burgers open a wide range of seasoning possibilities. Prosciutto is an Italian product, lying under the umbrella of Mediterranean cuisine. Therefore, prosciutto and lamb complement each other while also pairing with the same seasoning ingredients.

This lamb burger recipe from Tasting Table takes a classic approach, seasoning ground lamb with mint, coriander, Dijon, and red onion, and pairing it with a fragrant mayonnaise-based sauce full of paprika, dill, parsley, and more mint. The fragrance of the mint paired with earthy coriander and smoky paprika will highlight the umami-rich ground lamb meat. A prosciutto-wrapped upgrade to this recipe would simply round out the savory, spicy, smokiness with a rich saltiness. 

You could also take your prosciutto-wrapped lamb burger in a more Italian direction by seasoning the ground meat with Pecorino Romano, Italian parsley, breadcrumbs, and garlic. You can serve it over focaccia with balsamic reduction and lemon aioli and garnishes like arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella. If you're a fan of Greek cuisine, you could season your prosciutto-wrapped lamb burger as if it were lamb gyro, with olive oil, oregano, garlic, yellow onion, and plenty of black pepper. You could also serve the burger on fresh pita, garnishing it with tzatziki sauce, tomato, and crumbled feta.