Turkey burgers can be flavorful, moist, and delicious if you know how to make them.
When cooked properly turkey patties have a rich, meaty flavor that's different than beef burgers but in a good way.
Is a turkey burger healthier than a hamburger?
A 4oz turkey burger has 193 calories and 22 grams of protein while the same size beef burger has 225 calories and 27 grams of protein. It's a bit of a coin flip when comparing them but the turkey burger has a distinct advantage with 75% less fat per serving than the beef burger patty.
Why are my burgers pink?
Ground turkey meat has different color pigmentation than chicken or beef and sometimes the meat will look pink in color.
Although the pink color is normal be sure to cook your turkey burger to an internal temperature of 165F to make sure it's safe to eat.
Since ground turkey is basically a blank canvas the challenge is how best to infuse some flavor into the meat.
I've experimented with adding all kinds of things to ground turkey to enhance its flavor. A simple mix of garlic powder, soy sauce, and a little olive oil is a good way to add flavor with simple ingredients you probably have on hand.
But my favorite seasoning is far more simple.
I make burger meat taste flavorful by adding a packet of ranch dressing mix to the meat before grilling.
Ranch salad dressing mix is full of herbs and has a pungent flavor from the buttermilk powder.
The balance of the dried herbs and tangy dairy flavors works so well with the lean ground turkey meat. I prefer to make the turkey patties about a half-inch thick so when you cook the patties it only takes about three minutes per side.
Recipe Variations & Tips
I enjoy experimenting with ingredients that I have on hand, often adding leftovers to my burger mix. If you add veggies like onions, or jalapeno's make sure they are finely chopped so they cook evenly.
Some other things you could mix in with ground turkey meat to make it delicious would be:
- Onion soup mix
- Dried jalapeno's and onions
- Smoked paprika
- Cumin and coriander
- Sweet chili sauce
- Sundried tomato puree
- Diced hatch chili peppers
- Worcestershire sauce
- Your favorite barbecue sauce
Have you ever considered cooking a whole turkey on the grill? Check out what happened when I grilled a turkey.
Turkey Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey meat
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix
Instructions
- Mix the ground turkey and ranch dressing mix
- Grill the burgers over raised direct heat at about 400F flipping frequently until done, about 5 minutes
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