Summer is in full swing so you know what that means... it's hot dog and burger season! Time to crank up the grill if you haven’t already and burn some charcoal. As much as I love grilling in the summer time there are days when I want the food without the barbecue prep work. Whether it's on the grill or in a hot pan, I'm always down for a burger. And what better way to get your burger on, than having a nice flavorful turkey burger.
My turkey burger recipe is both simple and very flavorful.
My recipe is for 8 medium sized burgers ~1/4 lb each.
Each 1 lb. package of turkey makes 4 burgers.
Ingredients
2 lbs. ground white turkey (You may need 2 -1lb packages)
1 small white onion diced
4 tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tbsp. granulated onion powder
1 tbsp. granulated garlic powder
1 tbsp. ketchup
(optional) cheese of choice
(optional) condiments mustard and ketchup
Prep
The key to a great burger is not over handling the meat. I’m sure you've heard this before.
Preparing your burger patties ahead of time is not only a time saver, but it gives the added ingredients a chance to really incorporate flavor into the meat.
Directions:
Add ground turkey to a large bowl.
Add salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and onion powder, to turkey meat.
Let turkey hang out while you are preparing the onions.
Sauté diced onions in 2 tbsp. olive oil on medium heat.
Stir onions continuously to keep from burning.
Cook until onions are translucent and slightly beginning to brown.
Once onions are done remove them from the pan and allow them to cool.
Add cooled onions, and ketchup to turkey.
Mix all ingredients with your hands or fold with a spatula very gently.
Form 8 meatballs. Try to get them equally sized. (unlike the picture :)
Refrigerate for at least 15-30 minutes.
Once formed meatballs have chilled remove from the fridge.
Add 2 tbsp. olive oil to a frying pan on medium high heat.
Flatten turkey meatballs into burger shaped patties.
Place burgers in hot pan.
I cook my turkey burgers well on medium high heat for about 5 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes after you flip them.
You will see the bottom turning white as they cook through.
Once you flip them the cooking time is much faster.
Add your cheese of choice (optional)
Now as you can see, the burgers do absorb the added oil as they cook.
They may appear dry but they aren’t.
The inside is still moist from the onions and oil that was added.
If well is too done, adjust cooking time by subtracting 1-2 minutes from the first side and 1 minute from the second side.
I don’t play with poultry, so I prefer a well done burger.
Now...doesn’t that look awesome?
The fries are baked sweet potato from the bag.
They are crispy and sweet, and add a nice contrast to the turkey burgers.
And see that slightly blurred out sauce on the side?
That’s my hubby’s favorite burger and fry sauce.
It’s creamy, tangy, and kind of sweet with a crunch.
He actually dips his burger into the sauce as opposed to putting it on the burger.
Sweet & Tangy Burger Sauce
2 Tbsps. Mayonaise
2 Tbsps. Ketchup
1/8 cup red onion
1 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
salt and pepper to taste
Final Result
Have fun experimenting with different sauces to top your burgers off and definitely try adding flavors to your ground turkey meat. This recipe can be adapted for ground chicken as well. Whether it be sweet or savory, give that meat some flavor.
Enjoy!
XOXO Steph 😉