When I came home from college I started to really get into barbeque again. I took a bit of a hiatus in college, and was anxious to step back behind the grill. I still remember my mom finding a turkey burger recipe and asking me to try it. I, of course, said no because turkey burgers are dry and disgusting. But she persisted, and being my mom and all, I succumbed to her pressured request.
The first time was okay, the second time was pretty good, and after a few more tries…well, they became one of my family’s favorite grilled treats. This is probably the first thing I “mastered” on the grill. They are super quick and easy and when cooked right I have to admit – they really are delicious.
You don’t need many ingredients, and you don’t need much time. All you need is patience as you work to perfect the right amount of cooking time.
I am sharing one VERY significant secret with you – and it pains me to share it. It’s closely held and rarely shared, but here I go just throwing it out there.
Syrup.
Yep, good old fashioned pour it on your pancakes syrup. This is what I found took my dry, ordinary turkey burgers to truly extraordinary and delicious. Just add a good squirt when you’re mixing all the ingredients – trust me, it’s fantastic.
A couple other tips: Of course throw some wood on there. Turkey meat really takes in the smoke well. It’s quite delicious. Any wood is fine as your meat won’t be on there long. Also, please only flip them once. Yes, just once. Turkey meat already is low on fat, and every time you flip them you’re letting precious juices escape…so why would you do that? Please don’t. Resist the temptation.
Don’t overcook. As you’re learning how to cook turkey burgers, I would rather see you under-cook and have to throw them back on for a minute. Overcooked turkey burgers are really quite disgusting. They really need to be cooked perfectly – this only comes with practice. They should be slightly firm, but not hard. Hard = Dry.
Dress them up with all the fixin’s or nothin at all. I like mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lettuce and a fresh tomato on mine.
Lastly – mix it up if you want! For New Year’s I made turkey/bacon sliders. I’ve also made some Smoked Turkey Burgers with Jalapenos and Cheddar Cheese that were extraordinarily delicious. Make a few different kinds for variety at your next party.
I hope you try these and find success – they are a healthy and delicious grilled treat!
Grilled Turkey Burger Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Turkey Meat 85:15
- 1/2 tbs Granulated Garlic
- 1/2 tbs Onion Powder or freshly chopped onion if you prefer
- 2 tsp Worchestire Sauce
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- A good squirt of Maple Syrup - about 2 tbs.
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in bowl.
- Make into patties - 1lb yields about 5 good burgers.
- Set up your grill for direct cooking - and throw some wood on there.
- Grill your burgers until barely done - about 10-15 minutes.(165F internal temperature)
- Only. Flip. Once.
- Put on whatever fixings you prefer or none at all!
Could i leave out the maple syrup
Of course you can. I just like the touch of sweet, but you can always feel free to tweak these recipes to your taste preferences.