Cilantro Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Foreword

Most restaurants don’t understand the nature of a turkey burger. Ground turkey is typically very lean, which means if cooked the same way as a regular burger it with turn out dry. In a regular hamburger, the fat keeps the meat moist. In order to turn out a good turkey burger you need to add in something to retain the moisture while the meat is being cooked. Now you could certainly add in additional fats, but the fiber in vegetables does a great job of retaining moisture through cooking.

Ingredients

• ½ onion, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ lb ground turkey (98% lean)
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• ½ inch jalapeño with some seeds (i.e. remove the seeds but poorly)
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, pulverized
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 hamburger buns (see “Basic Bread” recipe)
• 4 slices of cheddar cheese
• Toppings of your choice

Directions

1. Pulverize the onions in the food processor.
2. In a pan on medium heat, brown the onions in the olive oil. Then set aside to cool.
3. In the food processor, process the cilantro, garlic and jalapeño.
4. Put the ground turkey in a large bowl and add to it the spices, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño.
5. Once the onions are cool, add them to the bowl with the turkey mixture.
6. Mix the turkey, onions, and vegetables together with your hands.
7. Form the turkey mixture into 4 thin, half-sized (flat) patties and put in the icebox to chill for ~10 minutes.
8. Put 2 slices of cheddar in the center of half of the patties, making sure to leave at least ¼ inch on all sides.
9. Put the other half of the patties on top of the cheese and crimp the edges to seal in the cheese.
10. Optional: chill again for ~10 minutes to help the patties keep their shape.
11. Cook on a hot skillet to an internal temperature of 165°F.