Juicy Turkey Burgers

 

 

Hello! Yes, I'm back. My internet finally started working today. It should have been up and running last Tuesday, but like for some reason there was a problem with the wiring in the house.  

The earliest they could get an engineer out was late today!  They do say better late than never! I took advantage of the break getting things organized in the house, etc. and cooking a few things ahead so I could hit the ground running!

One thing which I cooked was these healthy, juicy and delicious turkey burgers!  Yes, you CAN have a turkey burger  that is moist and tender as well as being healthy and incredibly tasty!

 

 I have never been a huge fan of beef burgers, but have always loved turkey burgers. All too often, however,  turkey burgers can end up being a bit dry and flavorless.

Its a shame really because Turkey is such a healthy protein, and very good for you. Its actually considered to be one of the superfoods. Not only is a rich source of protein, but it is loaded with nutrients and vitamins.

 

It is also known to contain anti-cancer properties.  You can be sure that when you choose a healthy source of protein such a turkey over beef, you are doing something good for your body and your health!

It is especially rich in selenium, which is known to help prevent certain kinds of cancer, including bladder, breast, lung and stomach cancers! 

 

And if that alone is not enough to get you to switch from beef to turkey, if you happen to be a Diabetic (like myself) it is also a low Glycemic Index food. That means it won't cause the blood sugar spike that you would get from more sugar-rich and carb-rich foods! 

If you are a Diabetic, including some turkey in your diet can help you to keep your blood sugars under control!!

 

Low GI foods such as turkey can also help to promote heart health! Being low GI eating turkey helps to increase the levels of "good" HDL cholesterol in your body, and helps to remove "bad" LDL cholesterol.

LDL cholesterol is the kind of cholesterol that lines and furs up the walls of your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack or stroke.  Including turkey in your diet as much as you can actually can boost your HDL cholesterol and increase your resistance to these diseases.

 

Turkey and poultry are also a part of the MIND diet. Scientists developed the MIND diet to help to slow the progression of Alzheimer's and other causes of dementia.  

By eating turkey and other types of poultry at least twice a week, as a part of the MIND diet, older adults can preserve their memory and thinking skills. As an older adult, I am all for that!!

 

These turkey burgers are a healthy twist on your regular beef burgers, and I can guarantee that they are so delicious you won't miss red meat at all. In fact I am positive you are going to love them.

The recipe is perfectly sized for just two people, and in face I actually cut the recipe down even further, cooking only one for myself. It is only ever going to be very rare from now on that I am cooking for more than that.

Do be careful not to use regular ground turkey in these, not ground turkey breast (which is usually labelled 99% fat free).  You do need a little bit of fat to help to keep these flavor filled and moist.

I used a healthy mix of both light and dark turkey meat. Not only does it help to boost the flavor but it also keeps them nice and lush.

 

A tiny bit of bread and milk are mashed together to form what is called a panade, a paste of bread and milk.  This is so easy to do. 

 You simply tear the bread into small pieces and mash it with the milk. Make sure you discard the crusts.  I used a rustic whole wheat bread myself to up the fiber and the protein.

 

It also helps to keep them beautifully moist and tender. Additional flavor comes from the addition of a good Dijon mustard and some Worcestershire sauce.

Those are pantry staples in my house.  I use them in a lot of things.  They are real flavor boosters!

 

Other than that there is a small amount of salt and pepper.  Easy peasy and not too hard on the budget without any fancy add-ins!

Initially they are seared in a hot skillet in a small amount of oil.  This initial searing helps to create a lovely golden brown crust on both sides of the burger.  Ideally this will only take about four minutes maximum per side.

 

Once you have done that, you can turn the heat of your burner down to a slow simmer, and half cover the pan with a lid.  Cooking them for a few more minutes at this lower temperature is the secret to keeping them from drying out.

This last bit of cook time helps them to gently cook through, without drying them out in the least.

 

You want to only cook them just until the juices run clear and the interior temperature of the burger is a safe 160*F/ 72*C. 

I did add a slice of cheese to my burger for the last minute of the cook time.  As you can see my burger is incredibly moist, despite being perfectly cooked through.

This was one incredibly delicious and juicy burger!  Feel free to serve these with your favorite burger toppings and buns. I like to toast the inside cut surfaces of my buns.  This helps to hold the buns together.

I also spread the bun with a bit of mayonnaise made with olive oil and added a healthy layer of mixed spring lettuces and sliced ripe tomatoes.

With a tossed salad on the side, this made for a very healthy and delicious meal for one or two if you follow the recipe exactly. These are quite large burgers, each one using six ounces of turkey. If you are not up for that, you can cut the amount from 12 ounces (for two burgers) down to about 10 and still have a really delicious burger!

Enjoy!!

Juicy Turkey Burgers

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 18 MinTotal time: 23 Min

This simple turkey burger recipe yields two perfectly juicy and delicious burgers. No fuss, no muss.

Ingredients

• 1/2 slice of rustic whole wheat bread, crusts removed, and torn into bits
• 1 TBS whole milk
• 10 ounces ground turkey (use a mix of breast and thigh meat for the juiciest burgers)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground  black pepper
• 1 TBS light olive oil
• 2 toasted hamburger buns
• your favorite toppings, etc.

Instructions

1. Place your torn bread and the milk into a bowl large enough to hold all of your burger ingredients.  Mash the two together until you get a paste.
2. Add the ground turkey, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.  Mix together thoroughly with your hands, using a light touch.
3. Shape into two lightly packed balls and then shape each ball into a 1-inch thick patty.
4. Heat the oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook until golden brown and lightly crusted on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
5. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the juices run clear, about 8 to 10 minutes longer, flipping them over after 4 minutes. If you want a cheeseburger, add a slice of cheese to each for the last minute or so of cooking.
6. Serve hot on toasted buns with your favorite burger toppings.

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