Niloufer Ichaporia King’s Turkey (or Chicken or Pork) Parsi Burgers Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What makes turkey burgers stay together? ›

Add a spoonful of mayonnaise.

A spoonful or two of mayonnaise, mixed right in with the ground meat. Now hear me out. Most recipes use egg to bind ground turkey, helping the meat to form into cohesive, juicy patties.

Enhance Flavor with Seasonings

While ground turkey has a mild flavor, adding the right seasonings can make it truly delicious. Experiment with a variety of herbs and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, or dried oregano. Don't be afraid to get creative and adjust the flavors to your liking!

Use a Binder

Fresh breadcrumbs (made from fresh bread pulsed in the food processor or torn into small bits) are best here, as they retain some moisture which helps to keep them from drying out the burger.

Since turkey burgers tend to be drier than their ground beef counterparts, we added an egg to ours to help it hold together and give it more moisture. We also use 94% lean ground turkey in our patties—we don't recommend any higher than that, or your burgers might not hold together.

Stick with salt and pepper, put herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage to work, or take spicy Cajun seasoning for a spin for some kick. Whatever blend you choose, spread it all over the turkey—on top, underneath, between the body and wings and legs, under the skin, and even in the cavity of the bird.

There are plenty of easy ground turkey recipes out there. But, you will always need spices like olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder. You can add minced garlic, and freshly chopped onions and peppers, for an extra edge.

Never pass up the opportunity to add flavor to turkey by stuffing the cavity with a simple aromatics mix. Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage along with a half lemon go a long way to add flavor, and stuffing it into the bird takes almost no time at all.

Just like in a traditional meatloaf, you need something to hold the meat together. Try adding some dry breadcrumbs to the turkey mixture before you shape the patties. The crumbs will absorb the moisture and, together with the egg, will act like glue and help your burgers maintain their shape on the grill.

The raw ground meat will not automatically “stick together” unless the protein is mixed (or worked) a little. Hand mix your raw meat a little more before forming patties. Not too much, but a little more than just portioning and forming patties.

Turkey burgers are more prone to falling apart because they don't have the same fat content as ground beef patties. Turkey patties tend to dry out more during cooking because of their lean nature.