Julie Clark
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Backyard Burgers
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Need a quick dinner? Try these Backyard Burgers. They are homemade burgers perfectly seasoned with just 2 ingredients. It’s an easy, high protein dinner.
You know how much we love our turkey. With our slow cooker turkey, smoked turkey and electric roaster turkey…we eat turkey all year round!
When summer grilling season rolls around, we crave all of the burgers. If you do too, don’t forget about turkey burgers. We’re sharing a crazy easy turkey burger recipe today. These Backyard Burgers will be a HUGE hit with your family.
A special thank you to the National Turkey Federation for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
Do we have your stomach growling with these loaded turkey burgers? They look impressive, but the turkey patties are only 2 ingredients. Easy for weeknights…special enough for summer holiday picnics.
Today we’re talking turkey and giving you all of the tips for grilling turkey burgers…and how to safely handle the ground turkey to keep everyone smiling.
Are turkey burgers healthy?
Turkey burgers are a great alternative to traditional burgers. Turkey is naturally low in fat and packed with lean protein. It is high in iron, zinc, potassium and B vitamins. You can get up to 50% of your daily protein intake in just one serving of turkey.
How do you safely handle raw turkey?
There are four things to remember when handling turkey: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.
- Clean. Wash your hands and surfaces often during prep and cooking. But there is no need to rinse turkey. This will just lead to the spreading of bacteria.
- Separate. Use clean utensils and cutting boards as you work with raw turkey and other food items. Always use clean utensils to flip burgers on the grill and grab a clean plate to place cooked burgers on.
- Cook. Use an internal thermometer to test the burgers. You’ll want the thickest part of the burger (or other turkey recipe) to be 165º Fahrenheit.)
- Chill. After you’ve cooked the burgers, refrigerate them within 2 hours. The turkey should stay below 40º in the fridge.)
How to Make Turkey Burgers
So how do you make Backyard Burgers? First, get some ground turkey. We like to choose 85% lean ground turkey. Purchase leaner turkey if you’d like.
To the ground turkey, simply add 2 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning. This is a seasoning mix of spices such as thyme, paprika, bay leaves, peppers and ground mustard to name a few. It’s an all-in-one seasoning that flavors your turkey burgers nicely.
Mix the seasoning in with the ground turkey. Don’t overmix it or overwork the meat. Mix just until combined.
Form turkey patties. Make 3-4 patties, depending on how big you’d like them.
How long does it take to grill turkey burgers?
To grill the turkey burgers, preheat the grill to 400º Fahrenheit. Preheating the grill will help prevent the burgers from sticking to the grates. Cook the burgers for 5-6 minutes on each side. The exact amount of time will depend on how thick the turkey burgers are.
What temperature should turkey burgers be cooked to?
You’ll want the thickest part of the burger (or other turkey recipe) to be 165º Fahrenheit.) We like to use an internal thermometer to test the burgers. This ensures the burgers are safe to eat!
Turkey Burger Toppings
These easy backyard burgers are great with traditional burger toppings such as cheese, tomato, onion, lettuce, ketchup and mustard. If you’d like, you can add guacamole, jalapenos, french fried onions or barbecue sauce. The possibilities are endless.
How long do turkey burgers last in the refrigerator?
The burgers should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. Store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Other Turkey Burger Recipes
Tips to Remember! How to Safely Grill Turkey
The National Turkey Federation is doing their job teaching us all about how to be safe grilling turkey this summer. Here are their recommendations:
- Use separate cutting boards, utensils and plates when working with raw turkey and other food items.
- Clean hands and all surfaces with hot soapy water all throughout the food prep.
- Don’t reuse marinade after it has been on the turkey. If you want to serve marinade on the table with dinner, make another batch or set some aside before marinating the turkey.
- Discard any food left out for more than 2 hours.
Follow @serveturkey on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. You’ll find cooking tips, safety information and recipes on ServeTurkey.org
Backyard Burgers
Need a quick dinner? Try these Backyard Burgers. They are homemade burgers perfectly seasoned with just 2 ingredients. It's an easy, high protein dinner.
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay® Seasoning OR Old Bay ® 30% Less Sodium Seasoning
- 4 Hamburger buns (split and toasted)
Instructions
- In a bowl, gently mix ground turkey and Old Bay Seasoning. Shape into 4 patties.
- Grill over medium direct heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until burgers are cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve on toasted hamburger buns.
- Add your favorite toppings: mustard, mayo, ketchup, BBQ sauce, lettuce, pickle, sliced tomato or sliced cheese.
