Miso Turkey Burgers
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
40 minutes, plus 30 minutes freezing
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 turkey thigh, about 2 pounds, skinned and boned (or 1 ½ pounds skinnless, boneless thighs) cut into 1-inch chunks; arranged on sheet pan; frozen until semifirm, about 30 minutes½ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 teaspoons pure soybean miso thinned with 2 teaspoons water1 tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil
Before You Begin
Japanese miso paste, made from soybeans, gives the turkey burgers a particularly savory, beefy flavor.
Instructions
- Working in 3 batches, place semifrozen turkey chunks in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade; pulse until largest pieces are no bigger than 1/8-inch, 12 to 14 one-second pulses.
- Transfer ground meat to medium bowl. Stir in salt, pepper, and thinned miso until blended, and divide meat into 4 portions. Lightly toss one portion from hand to hand to form a ball, then lightly flatten ball with fingertips into 1-inch-thick patty. Repeat with remaining portions.
- TO COOK INDOORS: Heat a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron or stainless steel with an aluminum core) over medium heat until very hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Swirl oil in pan to coat bottom, then add burgers. Cook over medium heat without moving burgers until bottom side of each is dark brown and crusted, about 5 minutes. Turn burgers over; continue to cook until bottom side is light brown but not yet crusted, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat to low, position cover slightly ajar on pan to allow steam to escape, and continue to cook 5 to 6 minutes longer or until center is completely opaque yet still juicy, or an instant-read thermometer inserted from the side of the burger into the center registers 160 degrees. Remove from pan and serve immediately.TO GRILL: Alternatively, grill burgers over medium-low fire (you can hold your hand about 5 inches above grill surface for 5 seconds) until dark spotty brown on bottom side, 7 to 9 minutes. Turn burgers over; continue grilling 7 to 9 minutes longer or until bottom side is dark spotty brown and center is completely cooked or instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove from grill and serve immediately.
Time
40 minutes, plus 30 minutes freezingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
1 turkey thigh, about 2 pounds, skinned and boned (or 1 ½ pounds skinnless, boneless thighs) cut into 1-inch chunks; arranged on sheet pan; frozen until semifirm, about 30 minutes
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons pure soybean miso thinned with 2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 turkey thigh, about 2 pounds, skinned and boned (or 1 ½ pounds skinnless, boneless thighs) cut into 1-inch chunks; arranged on sheet pan; frozen until semifirm, about 30 minutes
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons pure soybean miso thinned with 2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 turkey thigh, about 2 pounds, skinned and boned (or 1 ½ pounds skinnless, boneless thighs) cut into 1-inch chunks; arranged on sheet pan; frozen until semifirm, about 30 minutes
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons pure soybean miso thinned with 2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a healthful, lower-fat turkey burger recipe that also tastes good, we discovered that the best-tasting burger was made from boned and skinless turkey thighs. This meat was flavorful and it was only 10 percent fat. Because ground turkey thigh meat is not a supermarket staple, you'll need to grind it yourself. This is probably the only downside of the recipe. But the food processor makes surprisingly quick and easy work of it, and the burgers it makes taste great—even to confirmed all-beef burger eaters.
Before You Begin
Japanese miso paste, made from soybeans, gives the turkey burgers a particularly savory, beefy flavor.
Instructions
- Working in 3 batches, place semifrozen turkey chunks in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade; pulse until largest pieces are no bigger than 1/8-inch, 12 to 14 one-second pulses.
- Transfer ground meat to medium bowl. Stir in salt, pepper, and thinned miso until blended, and divide meat into 4 portions. Lightly toss one portion from hand to hand to form a ball, then lightly flatten ball with fingertips into 1-inch-thick patty. Repeat with remaining portions.
- TO COOK INDOORS: Heat a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron or stainless steel with an aluminum core) over medium heat until very hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Swirl oil in pan to coat bottom, then add burgers. Cook over medium heat without moving burgers until bottom side of each is dark brown and crusted, about 5 minutes. Turn burgers over; continue to cook until bottom side is light brown but not yet crusted, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat to low, position cover slightly ajar on pan to allow steam to escape, and continue to cook 5 to 6 minutes longer or until center is completely opaque yet still juicy, or an instant-read thermometer inserted from the side of the burger into the center registers 160 degrees. Remove from pan and serve immediately.TO GRILL: Alternatively, grill burgers over medium-low fire (you can hold your hand about 5 inches above grill surface for 5 seconds) until dark spotty brown on bottom side, 7 to 9 minutes. Turn burgers over; continue grilling 7 to 9 minutes longer or until bottom side is dark spotty brown and center is completely cooked or instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove from grill and serve immediately.
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