My Healthy, Guilt-Free Turkey Mushroom Burger. Every once in a while, there is a discussion in our house regarding the merits of (or lack of) butter, bacon fat, salt, red meat, and pork. In my mind, they are ingredients that can only make everything they touch so much better.
So, I save the bacon fat, red meat, and pork for the occasional dinner party or night when we eat out (we compromise on butter and salt and keep them within reason… mostly).
As much as I would love to whine about how my life suffers without these bits of godly deliciousness on a daily basis, I have to say it is not the end of the world. I realize I tend to let my taste buds lead rather than what may be best for my health. And when we do go out to eat or have a dinner party, they are that much more appreciated for their food perfection.
Just as I would love to only shop at the local farmers market for everything we consume, it is not reasonable for me to have Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf. So we compromised and got what we could from the farmers market, and I found or came up with recipes for meals we both enjoy and will keep us happy and healthy for many more years.
So it was with this newfound attitude towards moderation that we discovered Turkey Mushroom Burger and tweaked it enough to make a delicious burger we both love as an easy-to-prepare meal for any night of the week.
Now, let’s make my Healthy, Guilt-Free Turkey Mushroom Burger.
Healthy, Guilt-Free Turkey Mushroom Burger
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion - diced
- ½ teaspoon salt - add more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper - add more to taste
- 4 cloves garlic - finely diced and skins removed
- 1 pound button mushrooms
- ¼ cup rosemary - or oregano
- ¼ cup thyme
- 2 pounds ground turkey (minced turkey)
Instructions
- Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until they are well chopped (you don’t want large chunks) and put them aside in a large bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a large wok (a good size pot or dutch oven works well, too) over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and saute for about 5-8 minutes. When you see them beginning to brown, add the diced garlic and saute for an additional minute.
- Add the mushrooms and mix thoroughly. You want to give this a good stir every few minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid, and you can drag a wooden spoon down the center, and the space no longer fills with water, about 20 minutes. If you don’t let the water evaporate out of the mushrooms, your burgers will be too moist and won’t hold together – not good for anyone involved.
- Once the mushroom liquid evaporates, mix in the herbs being sure to mix thoroughly. Take the wok off the heat, and on a rimmed baking sheet, spread the mushroom mixture out and let cool for 15–20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, with bare hands, combine the mushroom mixture and ground turkey. You should no longer see large pink spots of turkey once it is mixed.NOTE: For those of you who enjoy some heat, mix in 4-5 chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce and just under 1 tablespoon of the adobo.
- Using a kitchen scale, I weigh out the burgers to be about 6 ounces each. Any more, and they are just too large and any less, in my opinion, they are sliders. (Since we tend not to eat 10 burgers of any size at one sitting, at this point, I put the remaining 8 in a freezer-safe container. They easily defrost in the microwave set on half power, about two minutes on each side.)
- Now you have a choice. You can cook them on a grill (oh fun) or in a non-stick skillet.
ON THE GRILL
- Grill burgers over medium-low for 7-9 minutes, or until dark spotty brown on the bottom side appears. Turn burgers over and continue to cook for 7-9 minutes until the center is completely cooked and the bottom side is dark spotty brown. You can also use an instant-read thermometer. If the internal temperature reads 160°F, you can already remove the burgers from the grill. Serve immediately.
ON THE STOVE
- Pre-heat a 12-inch, non-stick skillet over high heat for approximately 4 minutes. Once it is heated through, add four burgers and lower the heat to medium-low. Let these cook for 5 minutes until browned nicely with a good crust. Flip them over and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. The center of the burgers should be opaque, and an instant-read thermometer should read 160°F when placed in the center of the burger.NOTE: I don’t use butter or olive oil to cook these on a non-stick skillet. If you prefer to go the oil or butter route. Heat one tablespoon in the skillet before adding the burgers.
- Top with some Thai Chili Pickles, some Melted Onions and of course, jalapeños, and you are set for an awesome and juicy burger that won’t cause your heart to flutter, but it will make your mouth water!