I loved these burgers when I made them recently. I was inspired to put feta in them after my advisor was eating a turkey burger with feta cheese in it for lunch the other day. Last time I attempted to make turkey burgers with pureed blueberries, the proportion of fruit to fat was a bit off which caused them to break easily & burn faster on the grill. So this time I tried something different. I used the same lean grown turkey (~93% to 97% lean); but added in 1/4 cup of feta and 1 chicken sausage link which slightly increased the fat & significantly increased the flavor... I'm not sure if it was the feta or the sausage that made this burger so yummy; all I know is that this recipe is a keeper. You may notice that there isn't an egg in this recipe which may seem a little strange. I realized I was out of eggs in the middle of making these but it didn't matter because they turned out just fine without them. And don't forget about the blueberries & carrots; these guys are part of the reason I love this burger so much! Incorporating pureed fruits and veggies into burgers (or any ground meat dishes) brings lots of added benefits to a meal: the puree acts as a binder for meat to stick to; fruits & veggies are naturally higher in water which makes the end product juicier (not fattier); it's an amazing way to 'sneak' fruits/veggies into a meal for those picky eaters who may not normally eat them; and my personal favorite - more fiber, vitamins & minerals!! Let's face it folks; it's pretty much common knowledge that most Americans don't get the recommended daily needs of fiber, which is why I make conscious effort to have a wide variety of fiber sources in my meals. In this recipe I used blueberries and carrots, in reality you can use just about any fruit or vegetable you have on hand in your kitchen. I've used spinach, red cabbage, zucchini, bell peppers and squash as opposed to carrots. I personally haven't attempted another fruit besides blueberries. It's important to choose a fruit that is not too seedy and doesn't have a strong/powerful flavor that could potentially compete with the main flavor in the dish. Not only do blueberries fit those needs; my freezer is almost always stocked with them which makes it a convenience ingredient for this recipe.
As you can see from one of the photos, I only used one chicken sausage link (from a package of 5 or 6). Many times I find myself wanting a single link in a recipe for some added protein, fat or flavor. A great way to do this without worrying what you're going to do with leftovers is to wrap each link separately in plastic wrap; then place all of them into a freezer bag, now just freeze and take each out individually when you need it. Portioning and freezing food may be one of the most helpful tips I learned in the kitchen; especially when you are cooking for just one or two people! A few months ago I did this with a big pot of beans & rice; and when the busy end of the semester rolled around I already had dinner portioned out for me--all I had to do was take it out of the freezer & warm it up. Anyways, now that I've told you all about this burger I guess I should tell you what goes in it... As always, enjoy!
Blueberry-Feta Grilled Turkey Burgers
- 1 (1.3 lb or 20.8 oz) package of lean ground turkey; 93% to 97% lean meat
- 1 (~3 oz.) Italian style or spicy chicken sausage link; casings removed
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup plain whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp) vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (try to find the one w/ lowest sodium content)
- 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots (can sub another veggie here if you'd like)
- 1/2 of a large yellow onion; cut into chunks
- 1 large clove of garlic (or ~1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried minced garlic)
- 1 tsp dried basil leaves
- 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp hot sauce (ie. Tabasco, Texas Pete, or Sriracha)
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
Directions:
Place all ingredients, except for blueberries, carrots, onion and garlic, into a medium size mixing bowl. Place the blueberries, carrots, onion and garlic into a wide-mouth glass or measuring cup; if you are using a food processor, place them in there instead. With an immersion blender (or food processor), process the fruits and vegetables until it resembles a puree; making sure there aren't any huge chunks of onion or veggies in it. Add the puree into the mixing bowl with all other ingredients and mix together. Set out a large plate with a sheet of wax paper on top. Next, (with clean hands) patty out the meat into little burgers and place on top of the wax paper plate. I made 7 patties in this recipe; you can patty out more or less depending on how big you'd like them to be. Cover the burgers with one more piece of wax paper & put in the refrigerator to marinade for at least 20 minutes. A food safety note: make sure the raw meat is away from other foods it could potentially contaminate.
After your burgers have marinated, warm up your grill to medium heat, place the burgers directly on the grill, cover and cook for about 5 minutes on each side; depending on how hot your grill gets. Use a meat thermometer to check if the burgers are done; piercing it into the center of the patty. For ground poultry, the minimum internal temperature of the burger needs to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. When they are cooked, remove them from the grill and eat up! I think they're great alone, or garnished with crumbled feta, sauteed onions, bell peppers, mushrooms or spinach. I garnished my burger with a little feta cheese, alongside grilled zucchini, sesame-kale salad (I rarely buy pre-mixed salad anymore; but I absolutely fell in love with this at first bite; it's made by Harvest Sensations) a refreshing summer beer, and my favorite grilled peaches for dessert-yummm!!
Hope you'll like it :)
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