BBQ Turkey Patty Melts

I can't lie...I was dreading having to do something with boring ol' turkey meat all day today (lean turkey meat at that ). So when I got home, I did my best to spruce them up a bit so they wouldn't be too boring. They actually turned out really good!



Tossed in a couple of hickory chunks for a bit of smoke flavor, and I dusted the patties generously with Weber's Steak and Chop Seasoning.





Added a slice of Sharp Cheddar to each one to finish.



Then made them into patty melts once inside....they had cheese, onions and BBQ sauce on them. The BBQ Sauce and the extra smoke flavor turned these lean turkey burgers into something worth while.





I'm actually looking forward to making these again...something I never thought I'd say about LEAN turkey meat!

I've got to admit that from a technical aspect it looks like you nailed that cook. And I'll obviously take your word on it that the turkey burgers were good too. I'm having little trouble with that concept, but I believe you. You crack me up with the crosshatch grill marks on the burgers. That's one extra step you take that I don't. I always worry little bit about stickage with soft ground meat with that intermediate quarter turn that is twice as much opportunity to leave half of the burger stuck to the grill grate. Once again some nice-looking burgers.

Jim

Thanks, Jim! I like to lube the meat and the grates with oil, so there's never a problem with sticking. As far as the turkey burgers tasting good, it definitely wasn't because the flavor of the turkey was delectable.... It was most definitely contributed to the cheese, the seasoning, the smoke, the bbq sauce, the grilled onions, the Captain John Derst bread (my most favorite bread on the planet), and the 1/4 tbsp of butter on each slice of bread when I toasted them up in the pan. We figured that 1/2 tbsp of butter per person wasn't that bad for you. I find that you have to add a lot of extra stuff on a turkey burger to make it taste good. But if you do a good enough job of that, then it's not toooo unbearable.

Oh yummy, Dyal! Marvelous idea. You know, no kidding but I've actually gotten to the point where I prefer the flavor of a turkey burger to beef. And they are fun to dress up. I have found that cole slaw also makes a delicous topping for them.

Well, Dyal...they certainly look edible. I'm sure I could close my eyes and pretend I'm eating beef. Do you add anything to the patties, or is it strictly turkey meat. I think I've read about people adding stuff to them to keep them from drying out and stuff. I noticed your onion slices broke apart a bit on the grill. Have you tried to take a toothpick and run it from the outside to the middle of the onion? I find that works great for keeping it in one piece. Love the grill marks. I really need to get me a CI grate but I just spent a bunch of money on a new toy, so that wouldn't fly with the Mrs. right now.

beercuer wrote:

And they are fun to dress up.

Absolutely. To borrow from Jack Bishop of America's Test Kitchen, plain turkey burgers are a "protein delivery system" and really benefit from toppings.

Dyal, did you grind the meat yourself?

Thanks guys!

BC, you're right, dressing them up is the way to go...and I like what ScreamingChicken said too...they are like a "protein delivery system." Not a lot of calories, a big protein boost, and they can taste pretty good when they are spruced up a bit.

Grifken, these were just plain ol' turkey burgers this time around, seasoned up heavily with the rub. They weren't the most moistest burgers ever by any means, but they weren't too dry either. I made sure to be gentle with them so they would retain the little bit of juice that they did have. That's a great idea with the toothpick...I actually tried putting a bamboo skewer through these, but the onions were sliced too thin for them. A toothpick would have been a better alternative.

SC, nope, I didn't grind my own...this was Jeannie-O Lean Ground Turkey.

Awesome looking burgers Dyal!
I like Turkey burgers as much as beef and don’t mind having them any time of the week.