GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grilling season is here, and June is also National Turkey Lover’s Month! What better way to celebrate than with a juicy turkey burger?
Making a delicious turkey burger only takes a few simple steps. Chef Jenn shows us how to treat our turkey burgers with a little extra love for a successful grilling season.
Did you know that all turkeys raised in Michigan are raised right here in West Michigan. It's a $100 million industry for our state.
Here are three simple rules for making those turkey burgers shine!
- Don’t overwork the meat. When forming your patties or adding any additional ingredients you want to mix until just incorporated. Compare this step to mixing cookies, you don’t want to overwork that dough and form gluten. The same principle applies to creating a turkey patty, less is more…tender. This step also transfer to the grill, don’t flip that burger more than once!
- Add fruits or vegetables to your patties. As the burger cooks, the fruits and vegetables will release moisture to help keep the meat moist. It’s like naturally basting your burger from the inside with delicious natural flavors.
- Chill out! Chill those patties before placing them on a CLEAN grill. Make sure your grill grates are nice and clean and hit them with a little oil before placing your patties on. This will prevent your burgers from sticking to the grill.
Grilled Greek Turkey Burgers
Makes 4 burgers
Ingredients
For the burgers
1 1/4lb ground turkey
¼ cup red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cucumber, sliced into ribbons
4 tomato slices
4 pieces of leaf lettuce
4 hamburger buns
For tzatziki
½ English cucumber, peeled and grated
½ teaspoon salt, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
1 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
Preparation
Combine ground turkey, red onion, garlic, lemon zest, oregano, salt, and black pepper into a large mixing bowl. Combine all ingredients until just incorporated and form into 4, 1/2-inch thick patties. Place patties in the refrigerator to chill.
While the patties are chilling, combine the peeled and grated cucumber with ¼ teaspoon salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. Place cucumber in the mesh strainer and press out the excess water. Combine cucumber, ¼ teaspoon salt, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and yogurt in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
Preheat grill over medium-heat heat. Remove turkey patties from the refrigerator and place on clean grill grates. Grill for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked to 165 degrees.
Remove burgers from grill. On the bottom bun, spread tzatziki and place a piece of lettuce, then add the turkey burger and top with additional tzatziki, cucumber ribbon, and tomato. Serve immediately.
More info about Michigan-raised turkey at www.mipoultry.com or www.miturkey.com.
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