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 Turkey Burger Recipe Snapshot
This recipe has 3 parts to it:
TURKEY BURGERS: juicy + delicious
BEER BRAISED ONIONS: a perfect addition to burgers
MAPLE BBQ AIOLI: creamy + sweet
All Dressed Up and Delicious!
To kick off our summer barbecue season I made these All Dressed Lumberjack Turkey Burgers. These burgers are perfect for your next backyard BBQ! They’re made with lean ground turkey, then they’re all dressed with beer braised onions, a maple barbecue 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…bacon makes a delicious addition to this burger!
Meaty and Flavourful.
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.
Set out a burger bar.
Then when it’s time to eat put out all of the fixings buffet style, then let everyone create their own delicious burger. A perfect summer recipe.
Turkey Burger Recipe Tips:
- MIX LIGHTLY. Use a light touch when mixing the burger ingredients and making making the patties. Overworking the meat will lead to a tough burger.
- MAKE 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 the burger 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. 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.
- CHILL IT! Chill the burgers for at least 30 – 60 minutes before grilling to let burgers set, which will 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.
- PREPARE THE GRILL. Clean the barbecue so it’s free of any debris before you grill. Then make sure to oil your grill to ensure your burgers don’t stick and are easy to turn (turkey is notorious for sticking).
- 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 the patties over medium heat for tender, juicy burgers.
- LEAVE IT. Only turn the burgers once! Let the burgers cook halfway through (4 – 6 minutes) before turning and continuing to cook on the other side. And resist the urge to flatten the patties with a spatula. This will squeeze out all the precious juices from your meat that keep your burger moist.
- DONENESS. Use a thermometer to check the meat to make sure it is cooked thoroughly. Burgers should reach a temperature of 165°F when they’re done.
- BRUSH UP. If you’re applying a glaze or cheese to your burgers, do this in the last 3 – 4 minutes to avoid any burning or charring.
- LET THEM REST. Let the burgers rest for 10 minutes once taken off the grill. This will allow the juices to re-absorb and let the flavours shine.
- TOASTY 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.
Menu Ideas:
Serve these turkey burgers with any of these tasty sides!
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.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 6 burgers 1x
- Category: Turkey
- Method: Barbecue
Ingredients
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 bacon
- fresh burger buns
Instructions
Turkey Burger:
- In a bowl combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Shape the meat 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.
- 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.
- See notes above for tips on forming turkey burgers.
Beer Braised Onions:
- Melt the butter in a skillet over low/medium heat.
- Slice the onions and add them to the skillet.
- Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the beer, sugar and salt and pepper.
- 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.
- Set aside.
Maple BBQ Aioli:
- Mix together the barbecue sauce, mayonnaise and maple syrup.
- Set aside.
All the Dressings:
- Slice the tomatoes, onions, lettuce and cheese.
- Cook the bacon.
- Prep the buns.
Putting it all together:
- Lightly season the turkey burgers with a seasoning salt.
- On a medium to high heat BBQ, cook the burgers until they reach an end point temperature of 165 degrees F. See notes above for tips on grilling turkey burgers!
- Serve on a bun with the beer braised onions, maple BBQ aioli and all the fixings!
- Enjoy!
Keywords: turkey burgers, beer braised onions, maple aioli
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.
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Have a delicious day!