Turkey Burger Recipe – British Turkey

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to a night with Phil Vickery (the This Morning TV chef) hosted by British Turkey.

The evening started with a cooking demo by Phil (of course!) who showed us the “velveting” cooking method. I have heard this before but not tried it. It’s a way of keeping the juices in during cooking by adding a starch with oil, vinegar and egg white to create a layer which seals all the moisture into the meat. This is used a lot in Chinese cuisine as it allows cooking in a hot wok without drying out the meat. It’s a great technique and works especially well with turkey. Many people think that turkey is a dry meat. Not so, as most of the dryness you may have experienced in the past is down to how the meat was cooked. It is a common error, I mean I have had a dry beef steak before it was like the sole of a shoe but I know steak should be juicy, that experience hasn’t put me off. Phil then showed us different flavours which pair well with turkey. Fruits like mango go really well as does any sweetness, he even cooked some turkey in caramel which was delicious! The most interesting pairing for me was turkey with shellfish, prawns to be exact. It shouldn’t have been a surprise as it’s very common for white meats like pork or chicken to be mixed with prawns in Asian food, but I think this showed up our preconception that turkey is a roasting bird, cooked preferably at Christmas and that it can only be done that way. In fact turkey is extremely versatile and very good value too. After the cooking demo we were taken down for delicious meal focused on the underrated bird. Smoked turkey consume with a smoked turkey and chestnut ravioli to start followed by a main consisting of a piece of succulent turkey breast and a separate confit turkey leg. All very tasty and I challenge anyone to eat a meal like it and not be a turkey convert! As I am a big burger fan, here is one of my favourite turkey recipes…just for you :)

Turkey Burgers

• 500g/1lb Minced Turkey Thigh
• 1 heaped TSP Fine ground salt
• 1 Level TSP Ground black or white pepper
• 1 Level TSP Onion powder (my secret ingredient!)

First place the turkey mince (I always use thigh for burgers for flavour and juiciness) into a bowl and dust the seasoning except the salt over as much of the meat as you can. With a fork mash the meat up mixing in the seasoning thoroughly, you want it to lose its “mince” look.

When the mince has broken down (see image) break the meat into 3-4 pieces and roll them into balls. For 500g of mince I would make 3 big fat burgers, but you can go for 4 to make it go further. Hand form a patty from each of the balls. Try to get them flat as possible as the meat will contract in the pan.

Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan, when hot put the patties in and when sealed on one side, flip and season the sealed side with salt. Next time you flip season the other side. Seasoning like this will keep as much moisture as possible in the burgers. Cook flipping occasionally until the patties feel firm when pressed (about 5 minutes a side) and then cut and check the juices run clear.

Leave to rest as you build your burger. I made mine with some smoked raclette cheese with pickles, onion, tomato, lettuce and mayo, all on a classic sesame seed bun. Build yours how you like with your favourite burger additions and enjoy! Remember to share how you got on with these burgers and if you have any other simple turkey recipes!