All Dressed Lumberjack Turkey Burgers

These All Dressed Lumberjack Turkey Burgers are perfect for your next barbecue!  A tender turkey burger dressed with beer braised onions, cheddar cheese, turkey bacon and a maple BBQ aioli.

I partnered with Canadian Turkey to bring you this delicious All Dressed Lumberjack Turkey Burger recipe, and was compensated for my time, but the recipe, pictures, all thoughts and opinions are my own as always.  We really love turkey.

Summer is here, BBQ season is in full swing and we couldn’t be more happy about it!  There’s just nothing better than gathering together with friends and family over a delicious backyard barbecue.  We wait all winter for our foodie season of pasta salads, summery desserts and delicious burgers!  Speaking of burgers, have you ever had a turkey burger?  You should.  No really, you should.  They are scrumptious, lean and so juicy.  

All Dressed Up and Delicious!

To kick off our summer BBQ season I made these All Dressed Lumberjack Turkey Burgers.  These burgers are perfect for your next BBQ…think Canada Day!  They’re made with lean ground turkey, then they’re all dressed with beer braised onions, a maple BBQ aioli, and all of your favourite burger fixings like fresh baked buns, slices of tomatoes, red onions, lettuce and of course cheddar cheese.  Oh and don’t forget the bacon…turkey bacon makes a delicious addition to this burger!

Turkey burgers are so delicious.  Ground turkey makes the most lean, meaty and flavourful burger.  Seriously.  I mean, just look at these burgers!

Cooking for a Crowd

If you’re having a crowd over for a BBQ this summer, make the turkey burgers ahead of time.  You can even freeze them, then de-thaw before you’re ready to grill.  This is such a great time saver.

Then when it’s time to eat, put out all the fixings and let everyone create their own delicious burger.  A perfect summer recipe.

Turkey Burger Recipe Tips:

• Perfect Patties.  Start with a tennis ball size scoop of meat, roll gently between two hands and flatten to a 1-inch height. When forming your patties, make an indent with your thumb or the back of a spoon in the middle of your burger to avoid creating a domed shape while they’re cooking.
• Gentle Touch. Use a light touch when mixing your ingredients and making your patties. Overworking the meat will lead to a tough burger.
• Clean and Oil. Make sure you oil your grill to ensure your burgers don’t stick and are easy to turn. Clean your BBQ so it’s free of any debris before you grill. This will ensure your burgers don’t stick and release smoothly when they’re ready.
• Chill It. Chill your burger mixture for at least 30 – 60 minutes before grilling to let burgers set up and prevent them from falling apart on the grill. This will also allow your seasonings to mingle and really absorb into the meat. Ground turkey loves spices, sauces and big, bold flavours.
• Don’t Scorch. Don’t shock your meat by cooking directly on a scorching hot grill. This will toughen up meat fibres. Make sure you pre-heat your grill and cook your patties over medium heat for tender, juicy burgers.
• Leave it. Only turn your burgers once! Let your burgers cook halfway through, 4 – 6 minutes, before turning and continuing to cook on the other side. Resist the urge to flatten your patties with a spatula. This will squeeze out all the precious juices from your meat that keep your burger moist.
• Cook it.  Use safe grilling practices and always use a thermometer to check meat to make sure it is cooked thoroughly. Burgers should reach a temperature of 165°F before you remove from the heat.
• Brush up. If you’re applying a glaze or cheese to your burger, do it in the last 3 – 4 minutes to avoid any burning or charring.
• Take a Break. Let your burgers rest for 10 minutes once taken off the grill. This will allow the juices to re-absorb and let the flavours shine.
• Don’t Forget Your Buns. Toast your buns while your burgers are resting. A little crust will ensure your bread doesn’t fall apart when you start loading up on toppings.

All Dressed Lumberjack Turkey Burger

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

These All Dressed Lumberjack Turkey Burgers are perfect for your next barbecue!  A tender turkey burger dressed with beer braised onions, cheddar cheese, turkey bacon and a maple BBQ aioli.

• Author: Jo-Anna Rooney
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 60 minutes
• Yield: 6 burgers 1x

Ingredients

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Turkey Burger:

• 2 lbs fresh ground turkey
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground pepper
• seasoning salt for grilling

Beer Braised Onions:

• 3 sweet onions
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup beer (I used a pale ale)
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Maple BBQ Aioli:

• 1/4 cup of your favourite BBQ sauce
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

All the Dressings:

• sliced tomatoes
• sliced red onion
• leaf lettuce
• cooked slices of turkey bacon
• fresh burger buns

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Instructions

Turkey Burger:

1. In a bowl combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Mix well.
2. Shape into patties in the size of your choice. From my experience with using ground turkey, there isn’t much shrinkage during cooking. They are so meaty that they tend to stay pretty much the same size.
3. Tip! These burgers are best if they have a chance to refrigerate for at least 1 hour or more before barbecuing. This allows for the burgers to set.
4. See notes above for tips on forming turkey burgers.

Beer Braised Onions:

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over low/medium heat.
2. Slice the onions and add them to the skillet.
3. Cook for about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the beer, sugar and salt and pepper.
5. Turn the heat down to low, and simmer the onions until they are soft, there is no liquid in the pan and the onions are caramelized.  About 20-30 minutes.
6. Set aside.

Maple BBQ Aioli:

1. Mix together the BBQ sauce, mayonnaise and maple syrup.
2. Set aside.

All the Dressings:

1. Slice your tomatoes, onions, lettuce and cheese.
2. Cook your turkey bacon.
3. Prep your buns.

Putting it all together:

1. Lightly season your turkey burgers with a seasoning salt.
2. On a medium to high heat BBQ, cook the burgers until they reach an end point temperature of 165 degrees.  See notes above for tips on grilling turkey burgers!
3. Serve on a bun with the beer braised onions, maple BBQ aioli and all the fixings!
4. Enjoy!

Canadian Turkey Recipes, Tips and Nutrition:

Visit CanadianTurkey.ca for tips, tricks, techniques and recipe inspiration! Find recipes that are great for make-ahead-meals and batch cooking, recipes that are perfect for leftovers, as well as ideas for snacks, breakfast and 30-minute main dishes. And don’t forget all the delicious grilling recipes!  You can also find information on turkey nutrition, how to cook turkey and more.  And follow Canadian Turkey on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube!

Have a delicious day!