I often sneak ground turkey into meals hoping that Tall Dark and Handsome won’t notice. I do it in the name of love and health. Unfortunately those good intentions are often sabotaged by cheese and bacon. While I can easily slip ground turkey into chili and spaghetti, he has been reluctant to buy into the turkey burgers… until I wowed him with these babies.
If you have ever tried to make turkey burgers the same way that you made beef burgers, then you have found that turkey is flavorless and rubbery. This is because ground turkey has a low fat content and therefore a low moisture content. Something needs to be added to make the burgers juicy.
The mushrooms in this recipe do exactly that. Not only do they create the juicy factor, the mushrooms add depth of flavor and umami. I choose to use dried onions because I did not want to add too much moisture. The bread crumbs help to bind the whole thing together.
All that being said, here is another healthy option for grilling out this summer.
Turkey Mushroom Burgers
- 3lb ground turkey
- 1lb mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1/4c dried onion
- 1/4c bread crumbs
- 1T garlic powder
- 2T worcestershire sauce (sub black vinegar)
- 2T Braggs Amino Acids (sub soy sauce)
- 1T ground black pepper
- 1t ground cumin
- 1/2t thyme
Makes 7 – 8 large burgers
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and knead until uniform. Shape into burgers and use your thumbs to press a divot into the middle of each burger. Not only will this divot help to hold the cheese but it also helps the burger hold it shape while cooking. If you forget the divot then the burgers will shrink into more of a ball shape.
When grilling the burgers, be sure that the grill is hot and that the grate is well greased. Turkey burgers, more than beef burgers, have a tendency to stick if the grill is too cold.
Cook burgers until well done. Test for doneness by gently pressing the burger, there should be very little give.
I served these burgers on fresh buns topped with beer jelly caramelized onions, cheese, and arugula.
Nancy Warner 