Secret to Turkey Burgers

Ryan and Casey called me over to try these one Sunday, and I couldn’t believe it. This was not the best turkey burger I had ever had; it was the best burger I had ever had. Period. Ryan wisely tweaked this a bit by changing the ground turkey to a mixture of ground turkey and turkey sausage. We brought in this summer with these, Casey’s homemade salsa, and dining al fresco on her back porch. Next summer, I’m going to bring them these homemade English muffins.

1 large portobello mushroom cap

1 T coarsely chopped shallot

3 T lightly packed fresh parsley

2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

3/4 lbs 85% to 93% lean ground turkey

1/2 lb Italian turkey sausage

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

8 thin slices manchego or white cheddar cheese

4 English muffins, split

Top with:

Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, fresh tomato, salsa!, and sliced avocado

~ Use a spoon to scrape out the gills from the underside of the mushroom cap. Cut the cap into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a food processor. Add the shallot and parsley and pulse until chopped.

~ Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Add the turkey, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; gently mix with your hands until just combined. Divide into 4 balls, then lightly press into 4-inch-wide, 1-inch-thick patties. Put on a large plate, cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

~ Preheat a grill to medium. Brush the grates with olive oil. Grill the patties, undisturbed, until marked on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Give the patties a quarter turn and cook until marked again, 4 to 5 more minutes. Flip the patties and grill until cooked through, 6 to 7 more minutes; top each with 2 slices cheese during the last 3 minutes of cooking and cover with a disposable aluminum pan to melt.

~ Toast the English muffins on the grill, then spread with mustard and mayonnaise. Serve the patties on the English muffins; top with avocado.

Adapted from Food Network MagazineSaveSaveSave