Moist, Juicy, and Flavorful Skillet Turkey Burgers | Cook's Illustrated (2024)

Many recipes mitigate dry, compact patties by adding mix-ins such as vegetables, beans, and grains that either contribute or trap moisture or break up the texture of the patty. Unfortunately, with too many additions, the result often resembles a veggie burger, perpetuating the idea that ground turkey makes a laughable meal for a meat lover. It’s true that to make an extraordinary burger, ground turkey needs a little help. The key is to choose the right mix-ins and use as little of them as you can get away with.

Pulsing a whole cut of turkey in the food processor would have allowed me to produce a coarse grind for a loose-textured patty, but that was too much trouble for an everyday recipe, so Iset my sights on improving the preground stuff. Just like packaged ground beef, packaged ground turkey is blended to have a range of fat contents. Iknew that the 99percent lean type was a nonstarter; the greater amount of fat in 93percent lean turkey (more widely available than 85percent lean) would provide more flavor and moisture.

Now the turkey had a pleasant texture, but after reaching 160degrees, it still wasn’t juicy. Acouple of test kitchen tricks took care of that. First, Ibathed the meat in a solution of baking soda dissolved in a teaspoon of water. The baking soda solution raised the pH, changing the protein structure and enabling the meat to better retain moisture. (It also sped up the Maillard reaction, providing better browning.) Second, Iadded a bit of unflavored gelatin to hold moisture, creating a juicy mouthfeel.

Asatisfying burger needs some richness, so next Iadded a bit of melted butter. Asingle tablespoon solidified when it hit the cold meat, creating tiny particles of fat throughout the patties that remelted during cooking to produce a rich taste and texture.

To augment the meat’s savoriness, Iexperimented with glutamate-rich soy sauce, Parmesan, and ground shiitake mushrooms separately and in combination. The mushrooms overwhelmed the meat, but 1½tablespoons of soy sauce together with 3tablespoons of grated Parmesan packed a solid umami punch without being overpowering. When shaping the patties, Iused a gentle hand to keep the burger mix coarse and loose.

We often cook burgers by searing the patties in a sizzling-hot skillet. The outside of the meat quickly browns while the interior stays cooler. But the interior of a turkey burger needs to be cooked thoroughly, and in a hot skillet the exterior is likely to overcook and turn leathery by the time the interior is done. Unless Iwanted to negate all the advances I had already made, Ineeded to come up with a new method.

Imade a couple of bold decisions. First, Iwould start the patties in a cold oiled skillet. Once they were in place, Iturned the heat to medium, and then, when Istarted to hear sizzling, Icovered the pan. The lid trapped the moisture that escaped from the turkey, enveloping the burgers in steam so they cooked quickly and evenly. After about 2½minutes, Iflipped the patties (which were nicely browned on the bottom), covered them, and continued to cook them until they reached 160degrees and the second side was golden brown. These burgers hit all the right notes: deep browning; a tender crust; a pleasantly coarse and juicy texture; and rich, savory flavor.

Imelted cheese onto the burgers and then sandwiched them between soft buns with the works: lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayonnaise. And for those times when Iwanted to go all out, Icreated a recipe for my new favorite burger topping: quick‑pickled avocado slices. Almost any fruit or vegetable can be pickled, including fatty avocados. The result is both creamy and tangy—the ideal crown for a turkey burger worth bragging about.