"turkey burger" news and stories

Turkey burgers on the grill. Photo: The Skinny Chef

Turkey burgers can be a great option for a high-protein, low-fat cookout. But what about their flavor, which often gets a bad rap for being overly dry and bland? My turkey burgers 101 guide will make your next barbecue both healthier and more delicious.

Dark or Light?

Not all ground turkey is created equal. Regular ground turkey -- labeled 93 percent lean -- is a combination of white and dark meat and sometimes contains other parts of the turkey, including skin and organ meat. Look for statements like "98 to 99 percent fat free" or check the label for calorie and fat content to make sure you're getting the lean stuff.

Get Jennifer's no-fail turkey burger tips after the jump.

Choosing colors that go together can be as important to eating as getting dressed in the morning, as evidenced by this lovely photo from Nicole of Pinch My Salt. After making a batch of bagels, she decided to used one as the foundation for a grilled turkey burger with cheddar, basil and roasted pepper. While bun purists may be scandalized, the rest of us are slack-jawed in the presence of the appetizing awesomeness of the burger's color scheme, which is as bold and vibrant as a country's flag. Even the poppy seeds complement the yellow, red and green -- which, in turn, complement a mysterious and sudden craving for a turkey burger, grilled and served on a bagel.

[Via Pinch My Salt]

Part of a continuing summer series by grilling expert Gena Knox.

Turkey burgers can be a healthy alternative to hamburgers, but they can easily lack flavor. I have enjoyed creating recipes to make what is traditionally a dry, flavorless burger into a delicious meal you will want to serve again and again.

There are usually two options when buying ground turkey. Turkey breast is 99 percent fat free, but has little flavor. Then there is ground turkey that includes some dark meat and skin, but can easily contain just as much fat as ground beef. Most of the time I purchase both and create a mixture of 75 percent breast meat and 25 percent dark meat. This gives the burger nice balance and moisture. Short on time, I use the breast meat, but add a few extra ingredients for flavor and moisture.

My favorite creation just may be my most recent: Italian Turkey Burgers.