It’s hard to use the word “turkey burger” and “moist” in the same sentence. That’s why a recent recipe caught my eye. It promised more—“run-up-your-arm” juicy goodness!  At the time, I had a pound of ground turkey languishing in the frig. I had passed up the ground white meat at the store and bought a mixture of white and dark turkey for more flavor. But I didn’t want just flavor; I wanted moisture, dammit!

Few Ingredients; Big Flavor

The recipe called for just a few simple additions to the ground turkey, plus a secret ingredient. Ahhh! I love a mystery, especially one that ends with a melt-in-your-mouth burger. Such a thing was hard to imagine, but I gave it a try. I plopped the meat into the bowl and added a sprinkle of salt and pepper and some choppings: onions, garlic, and jalapeno. (The recipe called for parsley; I had none, but wanted a bit of green). 

Next came the seasoned Panko crumbs, that helped the mixture take shape nicely. I was tempted to add shredded carrots, zucchini, or poultry seasoning, but I stuck with the basic recipe. I formed the patties gently being careful not to overmix, because that makes them tough.

The Secret to Moist Burgers

The secret ingredient was literally inserted after the patties were formed. You place one-half tablespoon of butter into the middle of each patty and fold the mixture around it. How clever! Doing my best Ina Garten imitation, I put a sliver of butter into some of the patties. Then, for comparison, I  made some without the added fat.

I placed one of each in a skillet, being careful not to smoosh the patties with my hands or the spatula. In great anticipation, I hovered over the stove, flipping the burgers as needed, about 4 minutes per side. 

The Taste Test

When I put a fork into each, the butter burger was decidedly juicier. Truly excellent! But surprisingly, the other burger was tasty, too, but missing the extra moisture I was looking for. 

I stored the remaining patties in the freezer. When I thaw them, I’ll add the butter, I may even throw in the green pepper or those shredded carrots and zucchini, that I had considered earlier. Whatever I do, I’ll not worry about dry turkey burgers eeeeever again. These were really delish and a good alternative to beef burgers

Upteen variations on turkey burgers here!

Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey (preferably a dark/white mixture)
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbs. chopped onions and bit of garlic (if desired)
• 1 tsp. dried parsley or fresh
• 1/4 cup seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbs. cold butter
• 4 sesame burger buns
• Toppings: cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine turkey, egg, salt, pepper, onions and parsley. Stir gently with spatula to combine or use hands. Do not overwork or burgers will be tough. Refrigerate for one hour before cooking

Preheat indoor griddle to medium high heat. Divide meat into 4 patties. Cut butter into about half tablespoon pats. Press butter into center of each patty and form meat around it.

Spray griddle with cooking spray before adding burgers. Cook about 4 minutes per side or until brown and cooked through. Add melted cheese, if desired, by placing a slice on burgers and covering with a pot lid for a minutes.

Place on cooked burger on bun along with desired toppings. For even more fun, try this super easy avocado spread shown below.

Quick Turkey Burger Spread