HI All - anyone have some thoughts what to watch for on Turkey burgers and maybe some good recipes? thanks much!
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Ha! Not a lot of response to this question is there? I can guess why. They are a pain to make tasty. Gawd knows I have tried. Here is what I have learned. Fat is flavor and turkey burgers are lean. And turkey is not very flavorful to begin with. So if you are making turkey burgers because they are lean, first some philosophy: You eat 1000 meals a year. If you eat a fat laden burger once or twice a month you will do your heart no harm nor add a millimeter to your waist. Just don't do it every day! So if you can, add fat. Pork fat is great. Butter too. Or grind in some bacon. That adds fat and flavor. If you insist on keeping it lean, then add herbs and spices. I prefer herbs, especially thyme. But you can certainly add garlic powder. And chopped onions will add moisture and a bit of sweetness. My Simon & Garfunkel rub is great on turkey. Here's a tip: DON'T mix in salt. That compacts the meat. Sprinkle it on just before grilling. If you can, go for dark meat. It has more flavor. And be judicious with your digital thermometer. Take it all the way to 160F to make it safe. Of course this can make it dry. So do not go a penny higher! And this is a gamechanger: If you have a Sous-vide machine, cook it sous-vide-que, in the bag at 150 for 2-3 hours, and then on a screaming hot grill to sear, or even a screaming hot pan or griddle. Have fun and let me know how it turns out!
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When we used to make them I would put onion soup mix, egg and bread crumbs in the mix. I remember them being pretty dang good. With lettuce, tomato and condiments my wife's kids (super picky) had no clue they were turkey burgers. We stopped making them because burgers were the ONLY thing we found to be good with ground turkey.Comment
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I put them right up there with soy burgersComment
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I use ground turkey for tacos on the regular. It's just not suited for a quality burger. If you want to lean your burger up a tad mix 80/20 chuck with ground sirloin. My preference is 80/20 chuck all day long.Comment
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I heap on the seasoning, put the smoke to 'em, and the provolone cheese toward the end, and typically avocado and butter-sauteed onions and/or mushrooms. Take them no higher than necessary, which is 155-160 max to keep them at their juiciest. Butter & toast the bun and they are some good eatin'. They need just help with seasonings and toppings.Comment
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Troutman Yes and no. I would think a beef burger quite gross and boring if not seasoned right. I think we just need to make sure we season them adequately and not over cook them (very easy to do). When done right, my family LOVES turkey burgers, my kids are far more excited about them than beef burgers.
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It feels like it's possible, but quite a bit of work, so gotta wonder if it's worth the effort.
I have been experimenting with beef and pork mix for my burgers at the moment and getting some fab stuff, without too much challenge.
I think I would give it a miss. Let us know how you get on.Comment
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I don't do any fancy mixing, just season it with a good seasoning and don't cook it past 155-160. They are incredible. You ought to try it before giving up so quickly. Get the fattiest you can find, my stores sell 93/7 and 97/3, or something like that. No harder that beef burgers and uniquely yummy.
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Turkey burgers are in my food rotation and the following is my technique:
1. Mix 1lb ground turkey with 1/3 cup mayo, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 3 TBS sautéed chopped onion, 3 TBS sautéed diced red pepper, 2 TBS fresh parsley, 1/2 tsp salt & pepper and form into 3 big patties.
2. I cook on my Traeger at 425 degrees until internal temp of 155, then turn grill down to 250 and add cheese and cook till temp hits 165.
3. Toast brioche buns and serve with burger toppings (avocado, pickles, tomato, lettuce)
They are delicious!Comment
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Turkey burgers can be pretty good. Mix in green chilis, cracked pepper. Salt the tops while grilling. Serve with queso fresco, and an over easy fried egg for the unctuous mouth feel.Comment
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Not oftenComment
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My thought on turkey burgers is that they are not burgers.
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thanks all for the thoughts. did them last night for the ladies in the family, they liked them a lot actually, I tried a bite and was positive! I had 2 lbs of ground turkey, mixed in 1/2 lbs finely chopped bacon (I gave it a spin in the blender too) and two eggs, some MSG and chopped shallots. cooked them reverse sear like the normal burgers and result was very good, tasty and juicy, not dry at all. pulled them at 160F.Comment
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A packet of ranch seasoning does wonders for turkey burgers too-Comment
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I like a good turkey burger. Problem is, it's hard to find a good turkey burger. Thyme is poultry's best friend as far as I'm concerned. I also like lemon pepper as the seasoning. It really needs good mayo to up the fat ante once you build the burger. Or avocado. Or both.Comment
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Sous vide feels like a good solution here, as you could cook it to a lower IT, like 145.
I'd want to use dark meat turkey, improve the fat with some bacon, some tallow, some schmaltz... add an herb, so as not to mess with the texture too much. Make inch thick burgers, cook em in a ring mold in SV for I dunno, 145x3h, and then give em a very quick sear on the grill or the pan, just for some color. Taking them to 165 is doing a cruel thing to a sad starting product.
ATC, I'd rather just eat turkey legs whole.Comment
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