Why Turkey Burgers?
You might envision beef patties sizzling on the grill when you think of burgers. While beef burgers are undeniably satisfying, stuffed turkey burgers bring a lighter and leaner approach to the table. Ground turkey, renowned for its lower fat content, is an excellent canvas to infuse myriad flavors. By incorporating various herbs, spices, and fillings, you can create a burger that bursts with taste in every bite.
The good thing about stuffing them is you get a taste of the stuffing in every bite. If you are using cheese as we are here, make sure that you seal the layers together so they don’t leak all over your pan or grill.
The stuffing should be relatively thin so that the burger cooks evenly. I don’t know about you, but I am not a fan of charred edges and underdone middle. With turkey, it’s especially important that the burgers reach the right temperature.
Turkey Burger Cooking Temperature
Do not eat ground turkey raw because it is poultry. Cook stuffed turkey burgers to and internal temperature of 165℉ / 73℃. That doesn’t mean that your turkey burger will dry out; you just have to ensure it has enough moisture to stay moist. This recipe uses sherry to keep everything nice.
Flavoring the Turkey
Herbs de Provence is a wonderful French spice blend that includes lavender, thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaf. Let foods rest for at least 5 minutes to absorb the wonderful flavor from dried herbs.
Sherry is the other ingredient used to flavor these turkey burgers. Cooking sherry is fine for this application unless you enjoy drinking the occasional glass of sherry because so little is used. You can usually find it at the supermarket with the vinegar – it is not normally in the liquor section.
Stuff the burgers with thinly sliced ham and Gruyere cheese. You can easily substitute smoked turkey slices if you do not want to eat pork. Don’t have Gruyere? Substitute another Swiss cheese or whatever cheese you have on hand. The ham and Gruyere is the classic Cordon Blue combination.
What to Serve with Turkey Burgers
Since these burgers are not stuffed with bread stuffing or even enclosed in buns, you could serve them with Italian Sausage Stuffing or Oyster Cornbread Dressing. Make it feel like Thanksgiving, and serve steamed green beans or garden salad.
Stuffed Turkey Burger Recipe
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Stuffed Turkey Burgers
Equipment
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Ingredients
~~ — For the Sauce — ~~
- ¼ teaspoon Herbs de Provence
2 tablespoon Mayonnaise- ½ teaspoon Sherry
- ⅛ teaspoon Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
~~ — For the Mushrooms — ~~
- 1 cup Mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon Shallots in Oil
~~ — For the Burgers — ~~
- 16 ounce Ground turkey
- 2 ounce Ham, deli style, one slice for each
- 2 ounce Gruyere, sliced, two slices for each
- 1 teaspoon *Olive oil
Instructions
- Mise en Place
- 1/4 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon Sherry, 1/8 teaspoon Sugar, 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustardCombine the sauce ingredients and set them aside for about 15 minutes. This will allow the herbs to absorb moisture and soften.
- 1 cup Mushrooms, sliced, 1 tablespoon Shallots in OilWhile that is happening, heat a sauté pan on medium heat. Put the shallots in oil in a sauté pan. Swirl the pan around to distribute the shallots. When the shallots are bubbling, add the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms until they have browned. Do not burn them. Cover the sauté pan and turn the heat off.
- 16 ounce Ground turkeyForm the ground turkey into four patties.
- 2 ounce HamPut a ham slice on two of the patties.
- Brush the ham slice with the sauce.
- 2 ounce GruyerePut two slices of cheese over the sauce.
- Put the other patty on top of the cheese and crimp the edges with a fork.
- 1 teaspoon Olive oilHeat a cast iron griddle and brush it with olive oil. Put the patties on the griddle. Cook them on one side 5 minutes. Flip them over and continue cooking until they have reached 165 °F (74 °C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Serve the patties with the mushrooms. You may put them on buns if you wish.
