Nicole, I’ve had these from Ina G. but have not made them myself. They were okay, but I’m not a big turkey burger fan. However, people seemed to really like them the night they were served to us...FWIW.

I found this online…

https://ourtableforseven.com/barefoot-contessa-turkey-burger-recipe/

Define ”burger”. Do you want something like a hamburger to put in a bun? The main thing is that ground poultry tends to be soft. Overworking can make it tough, which is different from firm. For the most flavor and firmness use ground thigh. For the leanest, use breast. Combos work well too, but are really neither nor. Ground turkey doesn't carry a lot of flavor. Season the heck out of it, following the flavor profile you like. Since ground tends to be wet, using dry herbs is no biggie.

The big question is how do you feel about the the whole a buger is not a meatball debate? Turkey burgers hold together better with some egg and oats or breadcrumbs. Whirred around the food processor lightly to combine, which also improves the stickiness to hold together. An egg and half cup of oats to a pound of ground turkey. I like mushroom powder or mushroom salt (TJ's Mushroom & Co) to replace the umami of beef. White pepper. And I'd throw in a big handful of dried parsley at the end of the FP, but that doesn't suit everyone. Minced scallions is good for both green and onion (you can mince in FP, remove, do the turkey, and add back at the end). Just salt and pepper will work, but be a bit generous. Or add some liquid aminos or soy sauce for color and umami.

Remember, you want them done edge to edge so make flat patties. The easy way is to start them in the oven (on parchment), so the burgers firm up and dry on the outside, then reverse sear.

I'm talking a turkey meatloaf rather than a burger, but some of it might meld! I use all the onion, garlic, egg, cracker/oatmeal or whatever filler you want, mixed with finely chopped mushrooms (1 lb ground turkey to 1/2 lb ground mushrooms) Tons of garlic powder. The meatloaf turns out great! No reason the burgers shouldn't!

Ground turkey makes a better meat ball and a better meatloaf than most beef, with one exception. That is to add some olive oil to the meat. Poultry does not render the fat that beef or pork does and it can be very dry, even if it is ground dark meat. The poultry gives off more water than does beef and if you dont add some oil to it, it is going to be so dry and tough and tasteless as your meat really boils inside of the mass.

I am not a fan of having to add all manner of things to meat to make it taste like this or that. I enjoy the meat to taste like what it is and not as a medium for whatever may be in the spice drawer.

I have come to really appreciate what I call a "loose meat" sandwich.

Take the ground turkey and place it in a hot skillet with some oil and let it brown, while letting it stiil stay in small chunks of some size, about 1" , or so. Dont break it up as if it were going into a meat sauce or some such. Leave some of those nice chunks to get all nicely browned around all sides, and you will need to add more oil. You can even do this with it straight from the freezer, breaking off chunks as it loosens up in the hot skillet.

What you end up with is much like little chunks of fried chicken. If you dont conceal the flavor with too many added things, you will have a delicious browned meat. I generally only use some salt and pepper and maybe some garlic, maybe no garlic .

Put the loose browned meat on a bun and treat it just exactly like you would a burger.

I have tried making turkey burgers in the same manner as beef burgers and have decided that it does not translate well. Adding eggs to it is not necessary, either, as the meat is soft and adheres well to itself,. If you feel that you need a filler, soft bread does well. A soft bread filler does add quality to a meatloaf, but not so much a burger, in my opinion.

You may ask what is the difference between frying up ground meat like this as opposed to just frying up pieces of chicken. The answer is that the ground meat in the skillet has a lot more surface area that takes on the browning and enhances the flavor of the meat. Plus, it is all ready to use. Also, you will get little bits and pieces of the ground turkey that have gotten really nice and crispy as the larger pieces have browned and cooked inside. So, you get a nice texture to it.

It took me a while to realize that what I have believed about burgers being flavored with strong flavors and cooked on a grill was really not the idea way to do it. Even a burger made with good quality beef is better if fried up in a hot skillet and then you have some good drippings and a bit of rendered fat to enhance the bun with.

Most burgers that come off of most backyard grills are much less than ideal. Most backyard burgers are not the ones that are made of quality meat that you can make into a burger and cook to any desired medium or rare inside. You need a good quality beef and a careful tender of the grill to achieve that and I have not seen that as a standard for a backyard burger in many years. That is a quality that you simply will never get with ground poultry. You have to cook poultry until it is very done. Many seem to be content with those pre pressed ones or cheaper meat laden with other stuff.

You can also do the same loose meat with ground beef. I try to source good quality meat. It may mean that I pay more and eat less. I want it to taste like the quality meat that I paid for and not a bottled sauce or dehydrated something or the other.

That's what I suspected....ground turkey needs bread crumbs and lots of flavor added to it. I watched a Test Kitchen cooking show while on the treadmill and that's what got me wanting a Turkey Burger. Boy! It looked really good! This is the recipe they offered:

1 lb ground turkey

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt, and pepper

...........................................................and maybe other ingredients I can't remember...?

They cautioned to not over work the mixture.

Fry in a pan with a Tbl of oil. Makes 4 burgers.

Note...we're no longer eating beef. Mostly turkey and chicken. My husband loves the smoky taste of grilling. I'm in Colorado and I'm not grilling when it's freezing outside. 🍴

“…ground turkey needs bread crumbs and lots of flavor added to it.”

It definitely needs lots of flavor. I’ve yet to have ground turkey I thought had enough flavor. I once made Ina’s turkey meatloaf and was disappointed. I’m sure it’s just me since I know people who love her turkey meatloaf.

Here's what I ended up with. I added a tsp of beef bouillon powder to the above recipe(no baking soda, they said it would make it fluffier)... then a Greek yogurt dipping sauce on the side. It did taste like a meatball...but felt like it was low carb and low fat = healthy. Plus artichoke bottoms

I use Knorr chicken bouillon instead of salt, but I do also add baking soda and gelatin, in addition to breadcrumbs and dried mushrooms. I also add dried thyme and sometimes basil and oregano. I remove the stems from the dried mushrooms and either grind them or chop them finely.

However, I generally make meatloaf instead of burgers, and for meatloaf, I will soak the dried mushrooms and/or use fresh ones, and I also add egg as a binder. With the leftover meatloaf, I cut it into small cubes and use those like meatballs in pasta sauce to have with spaghetti or linguini.

That's what I forgot....grated parmesan cheese...1/4 cup. Next time. 🍔

@jojoco, I love Montreal Steak Seasoning.👍🏻

I used to use the Montreal steak Seasoning on venison loin steaks with olive oil and grilled.

I wonder if you could use the seasong with olive oil and mix in to the turkey and then grill?

I'd think the oil would make the burgers fall apart on the grill. I haven't tried it though. Ground poultry is wet. You could just add the dry seasoning.

I DID add a TBL of oil to the turkey mixture...not enough to matter. It stuck together really well too. It did not need a binder.

A "normal" way for us to jazz up turkey burgers is with some feta cheese or other shredded cheese mixed in and some Mrs Dash garlic and herb seasoning.

nicole_ While sorting old recipes and clippings (UGH), I ran across a recipe for Turkey Apple Burgers that won a prize in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine of Prize tested recipes. If you are still interested I will post it.

@lizbeth-gardener...It sounds pretty good! Yes....please post it!

nicole___ As I said, this is an old recipe. Will be interested in hearing your opinion if you decide to try it.

Turkey Apple Burgers

Look for ground turkey sausage in the freezer case.

1 Tbls minced dried onion

2 Tbls brandy or apple juice

1 slightly beaten egg

2 slices soft rye bread crumbs (1& 1/2 cups)

1 large apple, cored & coarsly shredded (1 & 1/3 cups)

1 pound frozen ground turkey sausage, thawed

Lettuce leaves

Onion slices

Tomato slices

In bowl, combine dried onion and brandy or apple juice. Stir in egg, bread crumbs and apple. Add sausage; mix well. Shape into four 4 inch patties. Place in a greased shallow baking pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till done. Or grill the burgers over medium hot coals for 17 to 20 minutes or till well done, turning once. Serve burgers on lettuce leaves with slices of tomato and onion.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 284 cal, 37 g. pro, 9 g carbo ,8 g fat, 161 mg chol, 1,827 mg sodium,

USRDA: 15% riboflavin, 44% niacin, 14% iron, 32% phosphorus.

@lizbeth-gardener..Thanks! It looks interesting....as in...never had it before...

My friend makes Greek turkey burgers which have feta cheese in them. I've never made them but she adds 1 tbsp of olive oil for each pound of ground turkey. She serves them with tzatziki and cucumber slices and tomato slices. They are really good.

What is wrong with the poultry just tasting like poultry?

I really dont understand why to manipulate it to make it taste like added things.

With so much effort to disguise the flavor or make it taste like onion soup or some such, why even eat it in the first place?

It just doesnt make any sense

.

Beef is one meat that I have found to become more lacking in any good meat essence. Rather than use it as a medium for seasonings I just prefer to not use it.

For a while, I thought that the grass fed beef always tasted better, but lately that doesnt seem to be the case and I dont know why . A good piece of beef requires very little to be delicious. But I'm not finding much to love about that anymore. Just a personal preference, I guess.

It should be what the other elements will dance around and not hidden in the background under an industrial strength mix or a packet of seasonings with all manner of enhanced chemicals and dessicated this and that.

For a burger it begins with the meat and the bread. If you have to disguise your meat, you are starting at a disadvantage right there. And to laden the ground burger meat with bread crumbs weakens the burger concept even further. That better serves to extend a meatloaf. Of course, you can make a great meatloaf sandwich and the meat will be a soft meat. With a burger you are usually looking for a more sturdy piece of meat that really stands proud in the bun.

With so much effort to disguise the flavor or make it taste like onion soup or some such, why even eat it in the first place?

We've stopped eating beef. Poultry gets old, but it's better for you and better for the planet. I'd like to be a vegetarian some day.

Spice blends are used globaly for various minced proteins. Just look at all the various sausages available. But often many commerically made 'burgers' and sausages use the scraps and fats during butchering to stretch it. And way to much salt.

I make a Turkish lamb mince recipe using a salt-free spice blend. I'm sure it would be nice to season turkey or a meatball. But nicole, the op, is asking for a tried and true recipe. I do not have one.

Looking for threads to disagree with is called 'trolling'. It is off topic and no help.

nicole should not be obligated to explain the reason why she wants a recipe obviously in the header posting.

I'm testing vegan, gluten-free, dairy free recipes for the upcoming holidays because i care about my sister, SIL, and niece. I enjoy spoiling them.

I like turkey. The traditional meal, the next day leftover sandwich, the stock and the soup it makes.

Those that don't care for turkey should stay off threads involving turkey and start a new thread..."What do you make for a holiday meal if we don't care for turkey?"

We have been consuming smaller portions and many meatless meals...more seafood. But small portions there as well.

One way to control what is in your mince is to grind your own. It can be used for vegetarian meals as well. Great for falafel and a Louisiana boudin that is a delicious blend of rice, stock and just 15% meat protein---some ofal.

Different strokes for different folks CV. You think beef needs jazzing up, some thing turkey does, etc. Plus, if you eat the same meats day in and day out, you like a little variety. We eat ground turkey because it is much less expensive than ground beef for a protein source. We aren't that crazy about the taste, so appreciate ways to jazz it up.

My favorites are turkey meatloaf, turkey meatballs with spinach and lemon, and the turkey burgers like I mentioned above. Not that crazy about turkey chili, although some people do turkey with Mexican flavors. I saw Lidia Bastianich do a turkey breast with a sauce made out of rosemary sprigs, apricots, carrots and onions in the gravy. It looked really good. Shredded apple and carrot, along with some onion powder and rosemary and whatever other spices you like might be good in a turkey burger.

Real good beef doesnt need any enhancement, but it has been a long time sicne any beef was worthy, so I very, very rarely ever buy it.

A grilled piece of meat requires some major interaction with fat and ground turkey has little to none, thus making is a poor choice to be treated as if it were a piece of beef. No amount of soup mix or herbs is going to make it good for the grill.

It subs in other ways for the ground beef, but the grill is not where it shines. Like you, I think it makes good things like a meatloaf and meatballs and such.

It will cook up dry, tasteless and gray on the inside if you try to grill it.

More and more I just prefer meatless meals. I am not trying to grandstand on it. I prefer how much more clean it is to NOT have to deal with meat.