If you're looking for a way to make reduced-fat hamburgers, start with 93 percent lean ground turkey, as turkey with a fat content of 7 percent or more may contain as much fat and cholesterol as hamburger. Although it may reduce the fat and calorie content in your burger, lean turkey is often dry and somewhat lacking in flavor. A variety of add-ins can improve the flavor of a turkey burger, resulting in a juicy alternative to traditional fat-laden hamburgers.
Step 1
Crumble the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add eggs and breadcrumbs, then mix the ingredients thoroughly. Egg and breadcrumbs are optional, but they add moisture to the turkey burger and help to hold the ingredients together.
Step 3
Heat a small amount of olive oil or canola oil in a skillet. Saute a chopped onion in the hot oil. Add minced garlic, if desired.
Step 4
Saute additional vegetables to suit your preferences. Possible vegetables include chopped tomatoes, sweet bell peppers or chili peppers. Saute the vegetables with the onion until they are just beginning to soften, then blend the vegetables with the ground turkey mixture.
Step 5
Blend in flavorings and seasonings of your choice. Start with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add extras such as soy sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary or cilantro.
Step 6
Mix the ingredients thoroughly, then form the ground turkey mixture into patties. A pound of ground turkey makes burgers for at least four people, depending on the amount of extra ingredients you added to the turkey.
Step 7
Heat a small amount of olive oil or canola oil in a heavy skillet, then place the burgers in the skillet. Cook the burgers for about two minutes, or until the meat begins to brown. Flip the burgers and cook the other side.
Step 8
Test the burgers for doneness with a meat thermometer. The burgers are safe to eat when the internal temperature registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tips and Warnings
- Serve the turkey burgers on hot rolls or hamburger buns. Provide toppings, such as lettuce, pickles or sliced onions, and condiments, such as ketchup, mayonnaise or mustard. To make cheeseburgers, use sliced cheddar cheese, or reduce the fat content by using thin slices of reduced-fat cheddar, skim-milk Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese. Turkey burgers can also be cooked on an indoor or outdoor grill. Spray the grill thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray, as lean turkey burgers may stick. Lean turkey can be combined with lean ground beef.
Things You'll Need
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- Large mixing bowl
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- Olive oil or canola oil
- Skillet
- Chopped onion
- Minced garlic (optional)
- Extra vegetables, chopped
- Flavorings and seasonings
- Meat thermometer
- Rolls or hamburger buns
- Toppings and condiments
- Sliced cheese (optional)
References
- University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences; Grilled Turkey Burger Patties; March 2004
- University of Texas at San Antonio: Turkey Burgers
- Winston-Salem Journal; Cooking Healthy: Turkey Burgers Can Be Made Tasty, Juicy; Jim Romanoff; July 2009
- The Darton College Rural Technology Network: Healthy Eating for Today's Kids: Turkey Burgers
- Purdue University 4-H Youth Development: Facts on Fat Intake
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