PrintDinner Tonight: Turkey Burgers
Don’t take me for a heretic. I would have never, ever made this recipe if hadn’t come home all tired and beat from work and my girlfriend had it waiting for me. I don’t have much patience for anything trying to be a hamburger that’s not a hamburger. I don’t even like it when ingredients are added to hamburger beyond salt, which makes most turkey burgers among my least favorite food items. Most are overly dry and bland, or so overstuffed with random ingredients as to resemble bad meatloaf. So imagine my surprise when I tasted this one—ripped from Real Simple magazine—and it was juicy.
Best part is, none of those saliva-inducing droplets came from added fat. Thank those shredded carrots and zucchini stuffed inside for keeping everything moist and ready for the grill. It won’t be replacing beef-based burgers anytime soon, but for those wanting to take a break from the excessive fat or just looking to improve their shape before the beach clothes come out, here’s one substitute I can get behind. And as everything should be from a magazine called Real Simple, it was a breeze to complete.
Turkey Burgers with Grated Zucchini and Carrot
Ingredients
3/4 pound ground turkey
1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg
1 tablespoons olive oil
Buns
Mayonaise
Lemons
Procedure
Combine turkey, zucchini, carrot, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and the cracked egg. Mix thoroughly together, and then form into four patties.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Slather some bread with mayo and a quick squeeze of lemon and construct.
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7 Comments:
As a confirmed turkey burger hater, I have to admit that this recipe sounds really good. Tasty and healthy, what an unusual combo.
Ed Levine at 6:05PM on 07/20/07
I find it odd that people hate turkey burgers because apparently they have never eaten one that was properly made.
Unlike ground beef you cannot simply spice and form into patties. And as for being akin to meat loaf, the veggies that are added to make the meat moist shouldn't be detectable in the grilled burger.
Try to make some at home, you'll be surprised.
Carosone at 7:29PM on 07/20/07
Hysterical. I've been adding shredded carrots and zucchini to turkey burgers for as long as I can remember! In addition to helping with the moisture factor, it's an easy way to eat your vegetables. A good spicy mustard is another crucial ingredient to the raw mix.
One thing I learned a long time ago is that you just. Can't. Make a good turkey burger with the ground white meat. The 'regular' ground turkey is something like 93% fat free, so it's no big deal, but it makes a world of difference!
Curlz at 10:37PM on 07/20/07
The secret to a good turkey burger is aggressive seasoning:
http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/anatomy-of-a-well-seasoned-turkey-burger/
jperlow at 11:18AM on 07/21/07
About a year or so ago Gourmet magazine published a turkey burger recipe that's now become a staple at my house, and it's incredibly simple and yummy (it uses cheddar cheese in the middle to help keep them moist--which, incidentally, serves as a good indicator of when they're done all the way through--and lots of shallots for flavor). Unfortunately, I can't seem to find it on epicurious.com (there's a somewhat more complex version published in 2004, that involves pre-sauteing the shallots and a sun-dried tomato mayo, though, that's quite similar).
msmla at 11:25AM on 07/23/07
This is fantastic! I made these with the addition of minced red onion, parsley, lemon zest, bread crumbs, and a dash of hot sauce. Highly recommended - I couldn't believe how much I loved hem. Now I will be making 2 lb. batches and freezing patties for super busy nights.
maialisa at 3:03PM on 08/11/07
These burgers are so good, we have eaten them twice in the past week. Once with chevre on kaisers and once with old cheddar on ciabatta. I added chopped onion to the mix as well. Ground turkey is super cheap at my grocery store so I love this healthy, inexpensive dinner! 1/2 a pound of turkey makes 4 burgers. I even keep an extra burger back for the next day's lunch and it is still juicy after reheating in the microwave.
A tip I read about ground turkey is not to treat it like ground beef and mix lightly - you want to pack it as tightly as possible into patties.
artychoke at 12:31PM on 07/30/08