I’m grateful my husband (Eric) likes to BBQ and with Spring coming, it’s time to do more outdoor grilling. We aren’t beef eaters so we like to grill chicken, shrimp kabobs, garden burgers and Eric’s Yummy Turkey Burgers. My kids seem to enjoy these too, especially my 3 year old who wants her own bun and burger now, (before we just chopped up the meat for her). Turkey burgers are an easy dinner to prepare, my family likes them and they are a great source of iron, protein and fiber (when using a whole grain bun). The recipe is best made ahead and kept in the freezer until needed for a quick dinner option.
What you need:
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs
1 TB Mrs. Dash – “Spicy Blend”
1 egg yolk, whisked
Buns (I prefer the whole grain)
Condiments: lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup
Combine the turkey, egg yolk, half the Mrs. Dash and half the panko in a large mixing bowl. Knead and squish the mix with clean hands together. Add remainder of panko and Mrs. Dash and repeat. The mix will be quite wet and sticky. Additional Panko can be added if you ‘d like the mix more dry and additional spice to taste. Lay out 4 or 5 – 10” sheets of Saran Wrap Press and Seal on your countertop. The trick to a perfect turkey burger is using a silicon egg ring to form the rounds. Lay the egg rounder on one of the sheets and add meat to form a patty by pressing it out using two fingers. Gently lift off the ring while using a finger to break the seal and pull rounder away. Fold over the wrap to seal and place in freezer for 90 minutes to set, (they will be quite fragile until they set up so be sure to put them in place where they won’t get squished. This recipe will make about 5 patties, one less if you like them thicker.
Remove from freezer an hour before serving and let defrost on your counter. Its best to cook them while they are not completely frozen but still set up quite firm. Spray or brush both sides with a light coating of canola oil and place on a pre-heated, 450 degree grill for about 4 -5 minutes on each side. Thinner burgers can cook faster so be sure to keep an eye on them so they won’t overcook. Turkey doesn’t have the fat content of beef so it will get dry if you overcook too much.
Eric’s favorite added touch is sautéed mushrooms and onions to top off his burger.
We usually serve with a salad and sweet potato French fries.
I hope you enjoy!