How to Avoid Dry Turkey Burgers
Cooking Mistake: Dried out turkey burgers that stick to the grill. Next time, add a little heart-healthy fat to help the meat stay moist and juicy.
A well-made turkey burger is a delicious, lower-fat backyard grill treat, but if you don't compensate for the leanness of the meat, you could be eating turkey-flavored particleboard. Mostly it's a matter of getting the patty off the grill before it dries out (or sticks and falls apart)-a job made trickier by the need to cook poultry to 165°. So, to avoid sawdust syndrome, add a little fat to the meat. Yes, add fat. This might seem counterproductive, but it's not if you use a fat that's heart-healthy.
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The fat in question? Olive oil. Stirring in two tablespoons olive oil per pound of ground turkey keeps the burgers moist and juicy and also helps them form a nicely browned crust on the outside that won't stick to the grill.
Even better: Sauté 1 cup diced onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until nice and tender, let cool slightly, and then mix the onion and oil from the pan into a pound of ground turkey to form four patties. The oil-coated onions do a marvelous job of adding both moisture and flavor to lean poultry burgers, and you get a hit of that nice, oniony sweetness, too.
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Dark green poblano chiles have mild to moderate heat. The darker the chile, the more fiery it will be. Serve these delicious burgers with Grilled Corn.
Ingredients
2 poblano chiles (about 1/2 pound)
1 ounce French bread baguette
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 pound ground turkey breast
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns, toasted
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices tomato
4 green leaf lettuce leaves
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Preparation
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Cut poblanos in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place poblanos, skin sides down, on grill rack; grill 10 minutes or until blackened. Place poblanos in a small zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and dice.
3. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, cumin, and next 4 ingredients (through turkey); gently mix just until combined. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions; shape each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done.
4. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon chili powder and mayonnaise. Top bottom half of each bun with 1 tomato slice, 1 lettuce leaf, 1 patty, about 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture, and 1 bun top.
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