We are always in search of the best burgers. We have had our share of great burgers and some not so great. Some nights you just get a craving for a big, juicy cheeseburger with all the toppings. It seems like whenever we go out to a restaurant and order a burger they don’t listen to your request on how to cook it. Is it me? They always ask, “How would you like your burger cooked”? We always answer that we like ours medium-rare; we like the center of our burger to still be pink in the center. I always ask them how their chef/cook makes them. What is pink to them? Seems like every place you go that means something different. Seems like many restaurants are afraid of under cooking the meat. Please, under cook it!!
The burger gets cooked, it arrives at the table looking delicious. Then you bite into it and you are like, where is the pink center?! It ends up looking more like well done to me and that usually means it isn’t juicy either. That equals disappointment in the burger department. Did they even tell the cook/chef what we requested? I always wondered why they even bother to ask how you want it cooked. They even write it down next to your order! We have found very few places that actually will cook it just the way you requested. Because of that I like to order burgers only at restaurants I know make them the way we like them. If you are lucky enough to find someone who cooks them right, it deserves another trip back to eat them again. Otherwise, I will just make burgers at home now. I know if I make them they will be cooked just the way we like them; still pink and juicy. We have made many different types of burgers from very simple recipes where we are only add S&P to the meat to very flavorful burgers, adding ingredients that are in season. If you pick a quality beef, the meat doesn’t usually need much seasoning. You want to be sure you do not over mix the meat either or your burgers can become tough.
We love beef burgers, Chicken burgers as well as Turkey burgers. I have even made them into sliders (little mini burgers). There is so much you can do with burgers these days. It is fun to try different kinds. You can change up your burgers with what you put inside of the meat, what you top it with or even changing up the roll you put it on. My kids eat them all too. When they ask “what’s for dinner mom”? I usually tell them “burgers”. Then they ask, “what kind of burgers”? I say, “cheese burgers”! Now that they are getting a little older they are starting to get too smart for me. They now will come back with “what kind of burger, mom? are you making turkey, chicken or beef”? They know me too well. I have been known to even make a salmon burger and they loved it because I called it a burger!
If I am making a beef burger, I always use a good quality beef. We love an organic, grass fed beef. If you don’t have organic beef, at least use ground beef that is 80%lean-20%fat. That way you get a really juicy burger and one that is not tough. I have made burgers with the leaner beef and we have found that we do not like them; they are not as juicy and tend to become tough when cooked. If I want to make a leaner burger, I will choose ground chicken, turkey or even the fish.
This week, I went with the Turkey Burger. I went with ingredients in season such as the Granny Smith Apple. They are a great addition to this burger; the apple and turkey meat make a great pair. The burger turned out so flavorful and juicy; everyone loved them. I served them with my homemade Garlic & Rosemary Fries and a salad.
What is your favorite burger?
Turkey Burgers
Makes 4 Burgers
Ingredients
1 package (approx 1.33lbs), ground Turkey (93% lean, 7% fat)
1/4, large white Onion, chopped
1 Stalk, Celery, chopped
6, Mushrooms, chopped
1, Granny Smith Apple, peeled/chopped
1 Tablespoon, fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
S&P
1 Teaspoon, Garlic Powder
Instructions
Making Turkey Burgers
On stove, over medium-high heat, add oil, all veggies and apple. Saute for about 5-10 minutes until onions turn opaque and veggies/apples start to soften slightly. Set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl, add turkey, S&P and garlic powder. Add the cooled veggie mixture to turkey and mix just until combined; don’t over mix.
Form into hamburger patties; mine usually makes 4 good sized turkey burgers.
Turkey Burgers on the Grill
Cook on grill or on stove over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Turn burgers over & turn down heat to medium-low, continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Flip 1-2 more times in order to even cook & evenly distribute the heat through the burger. My burgers were on the bigger side (since I made 4) so mine cooked for approx 18 minutes. You want to make sure that you cook through to about 160 internal temperature on the meat. Add your favorite cheese and place pan under broiler in oven to melt.
Toppings
Burger Toppings
Top your burger with your favorites. Here are a few of ours:
Lettuce
Tomato
Onions (raw, sauted or grilled)
Other suggestions:
Avocado
Bacon
Ketchup
Mustard
Serve with my homemade Garlic & Rosemary Fries: Garlic & Rosemary Fries