Favorite Turkey Burgers

turkey burgerI can’t believe that just a few short weeks ago, there was snow-topped mountain in the view of my kitchen window… For those of you who think all mountains are snow-capped, those surrounding the Phoenix valley are (almost) never graced with snow….

… Past few days, on the other hand, have been in the 80s and 90s! On the up side? Our plum tree is blossoming! Time to think of some tasty plum dishes for the not-so-distant future….

On the down side, apparently I’m allergic to plum blossoms… also, on the down side / summer might as well be here. I’m sure we won’t see the lower half of 70 until November, and the 90s/100s are fast approaching… at least I just fixed the A/C in my car (Happy Birthday to me…)

Onto the recipe- Given the warm weather, grilling season is upon us; and these turkey burgers have become somewhat of a regular at our dinner table.

This recipe uses a secret weapon to take your turkey burger from despicable to delectable. Can you guess what it is? Chipotle aioli! The chipotles add a deep, smokey flavor while the aioli keeps the burgers nice and moist.

I prefer to top these with cheddar cheese, arugula, red onion, and a bit of the leftover chipotle aioli. I recommend grilling your red onions and toasting the buns. Smearing the buns with some leftover aioli before toasting them creates a great flavor that removes any need for ketchup or mustard.

Turkey Burgers

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Makes 4 burgers (just under 1/3-lb each) or 5 ¼-lb burgers

  • 1 package lean or extra lean ground turkey (ours comes in a 1.25 lb package)
  • ½ c mayo
  • 1 chipotle in adobo, finely minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbs olive oil, plus extra for misting
  • 1 tsp lemon (or lime) juice
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Burger toppings (Recommended: arugula, cheddar, roasted red peppers, and red onion)
  • Burger buns

1. Make the “aioli”: Mix mayo, chipotle(s), garlic, 2 Tbs oil, lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper in a small bowl, set aside. (It’s best to do this at least an hour or two (up to a day) before, to give the flavors time to mingle)

2. Make the patties: Add appx 3 Tbsp of the mayo mixture to the ground turkey, and mix gently. You want the mayo to be evenly distributed, but don’t want to overwork the meat. It may seem like there is a lot of aioli in there, don’t worry about it. (Again, good to do this at least an hour-or up to a day-ahead of time, to allow the flavors to mingle) Shape into desired number of patties.

3. When ready to grill, lightly spray or drizzle each side with olive oil, then sprinkle salt and pepper on each side of the patty. (*See tips below)

4. Cook patties thoroughly (About 5 min per side). Add cheddar on towards the end, giving it enough time to melt.

5. Assemble burgers, eat, enjoy.

Tips!

*If you want a smoother texture to your aioli, feel free to use a food processor to mix the ingredients. It’s also a good idea to make extra- it’s not only good as a sandwich spread, but also as a dip for your fries (Try: Ore-Ida Extra-Crispy Fast Fries)!

*Make a double-batch of aioli! Using the leftover “aioli”, smear the top and bottom buns, and grill or toast them as well. Alternatively, you can just use the leftover aioli as a spread in place of ketchup and mustard.

*If cooking the patties in a pan, just lightly oil the pan, and salt & pepper the patties.

*If you have the time to grill/saute the red onions, it make a world of difference adding the sweet, slightly charred onions to the burger

*When cooking for just 1 or 2 people, follow the recipe through shaping the patties, wrap the extra patties individually in plastic wrap and freeze. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before cooking.

Loosely adapted from Bon Appetit, Aug 2009 ]

One thought on “Favorite Turkey Burgers

  1. The snowcapped mountains were amazing to see! Now that it’s 80 here in Az, it’s time for grilling and hearing the clanking of the ice in the margarita glasses! Great receipt, by the way!

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