I like the idea of different kinds of burgers, including turkey burgers, but in the past I have found that the leaness of the turkey results in dry burgers. Another pitfall of the lean meat is that it can be difficult to grill. Lauren recently was at a Lowry family gathering and the topic of turkey burgers came up. One cousin said she makes turkey burgers with fresh herbs and apples that are very moist. I was intrigued and decided to give it a try. I grated the apple on the largest holes of a box grater so it blended well with the ground turkey. I also sauteed onions in lots of olive oil thinking the extra fat from the oil would be another way to keep the turkey moist. I have to say they were really delicious.
JUICY TURKEY BURGERS
1 vidalia onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly chopped herbs (I used lemon thyme, lemon basil, and traditional basil)
1/2 cup coarsely grated green apple
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
Cook the chopped onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until translucent. Set aside to cool. Stir in the fresh herbs, the grated apple, ground turkey, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 patties. Coat patties with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and cook on a medium hot grill. It should not be too hot since the burgeres will char before the burger gets cooked through. Cook with the grill top closed, turning halfway through cooking.