Accounting for Taste

Who remembers attending (or perhaps hosting?) an event that served those horrible-excuse-for-a-turkey-burger—more like hockey pucks as I recall. My mind conjures up patties that were pre-frozen, tasteless and overcooked by the time they made it to a bun. I still shudder at the thought…

Turn those disadvantages into positives by making your own turkey burgers at home. Remember that ground turkey meat is lower in fat than ground beef and because of this you have to keep your eyes balls on them while grilling. Overcooked turkey burgers will be dry and flavorless—exactly what we’re trying to avoid here. Pull the burgers as soon as a thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear. Ours took only 9 minutes total.

In a clever sort of way, this mixture includes your veggies inside as well as on top of the burger. Not necessarily a whole salad’s worth, but with celery, onion, parsley, tomato and lettuce, in the ingredients, you get my drift. (Although we were unfortunately out of Bibb lettuce 😦 )

And don’t forget to make the spicy mayo condiment. Not only does it enhance the turkey burgers, but there’s plenty leftover to dredge your french fries, onion rings or use as a vegetable dip; and is a great spread on sandwiches the next day or two…

Over the course of this blog, I have posted a few other turkey burger recipes. For instance, the Parmesan and Herb Turkey Burgers were moist, pillowy, flavorful patties with a panade that was a hydrating binding mixture of dairy and breadcrumbs. Then there was the THE BEST EVER Turkey Burger! where the key was choosing the right mix-ins and using as little of them as you could get away with.

NOTES: Make the spicy mayo a day ahead to save time on dinner night and for the flavors to meld. The patties can be shaped ahead of time, covered and refrigerated if needed. When forming the patties I find it helpful to keep a small bowl of tepid water nearby so that I can keep my hands moist preventing the turkey mixture from sticking to my fingers.

Grilled Herbed Ground Turkey Burgers

Servings: 4
Time: 30 min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2″ slice soft white bread
1 large stalk celery, chopped in large chunks
1/2″-thick slice onion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, torn
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. lean ground turkey
4 brioche hamburger buns, split
4 beefsteak tomato slices
4 Bibb lettuce leaves
Spicy mayo dressing, see recipe below

Directions

In a small food processor, grind white bread, transfer to large mixing bowl.
In same food processor, combine celery, onion, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Grind until thoroughly mixed.
In mixing bowl with the bread crumbs, add the egg, Worcestershire sauce, and celery/onion mixture. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties.
On a greased grill, cook, covered, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side (9-10 minutes total) or until a thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear. 30-45 seconds before done, add a slice of provolone to each patty, close the lid while the cheese melts.
Optional: Toast your buns on grill at the same time your cheese melts.
Serve on buns smothered with spicy mayo, preferably tops and bottoms. Top with a slice of beef steak tomato and Bibb lettuce, if desired.

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