Tastiest Juiciest Turkey Burgers, Sliders…Ever

Martha would never lie to me…would she?

I can’t say that I’ve always been a fan of turkey burgers. Ever time that I have tried them they have come out dry and as tasteful as cardboard.

So, years ago when I was watching an episode of the Martha Stewart Show and Martha was claiming that her turkey burger recipe was like no other turkey burger, I knew I had to give them a try. I mean, Martha would never lie to us, right (I can already hear you snickering – and no, I don’t include federal prosecutors and grand juries in the ‘never lie to us’ category. That was all a big misunderstanding.).

After watching the show, I downloaded the recipe from the website and filed it away in my “Recipes to Try” folder.

At some point I did give them a try. And I am so glad that I did. I have made a few tweaks to the original recipe over the years and it has become a staple in my cooking repertoire (what a fancy word, right?).

They’re fast and easy to make (perfect weekday meal) and more importantly they are full of flavor and juicy – no cardboard patties here.

The trick to these burgers is simple…do not overcook them. I use an indoor grill and I cook the full-sized burgers (as opposed to the slider sized patties pictured in this post.) for 3 minutes on each side (covered).

Often when I make these burgers I pair them with a side of caramelized onions. It’s a perfect match. The spicy burgers serve as a nice counter to the sweetness of the onions.

Yum! Enjoy.

TURKEY BURGER/SLIDERS WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Caramelized Sweet Onions:

2 TBL unsalted butter

1 large Vidalia onion

1/3 TSP dried thyme

dash red pepper flakes

1 TBL granulated sugar

.

Turkey Burger:

1 1/3 lb ground turkey meat

½ cup minced scallion, including green parts (about 6 scallions)

1 medium shallot, peeled and finely minced

1 ¼ TSP Tabasco Sauce

½ TSP freshly ground black pepper

1 TSP Worcestershire

1 ½ TSP salt

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Hamburger Buns (4 regular sized or 5-6 slider sized buns)

Toppings of you choice: ketchup, mustard, tomatoes,

To make the caramelized onions, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, thyme, pepper flakes and sugar and stir until mixed. Cover and cook until onions are soften and browned – making sure to stir occasionally to prevent onions from burning. About 25 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine turkey, shallot, scallions, Tabasco, Worcestershire, the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl; mix very lightly to combine.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Form equal patties (4 full sized patties or 5-6 sliders), and cook them through, about 3 minutes per side on the grill, or 8 minutes on the grill pan.

Top burgers with the caramelized onions, and garnish with toppings of your choice (tomato, lettuce, condiments). Serve.

Tagged as: fall, Grilling, Sliders, summer, Turkey Burgers