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July 4th Grilling: The Ultimate Turkey Burger

By Natasha Senko

Everyone knows that barbcues go hand in hand with 4th of July celebrations. Of course the food possibilies are endless but it seems that we always fall back on the BBQ staples-hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, pasta salad-while all of those things are delicious, why not the next time you break out the burgers for your guests, you give them a little extra surprise.

Try Roasted Red Pepper & Fresh Mozzeralla Stuffed Turkey Burgers.  The name is as big as the “wow” factor you will receive from this mouthwatering take on the traditional burger.  I have been making these for years & they are a definite crowd pleaser. Plus they are made from turkey meat so they are healthier than your typical beef burger.

What you Need:
3 pounds ground turkey meat (Although we are watching our figure, the all white meat turkey meat is not as good for burgers as the one that is both white and dark meat.  The little extra fat in the mixed meat version allows the burgers to stick together better.)
1 large ball of fresh mozzerella, sliced & cut into 2 inch pieces
1 jar roasted red peppers, sliced into 2×2 inch pieces  (if you have the time you can make your own but who needs to be slaving away in the kitchen when toucan be out enjoying the day)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup bread crumbs (optional)
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

What to Do:
Thoroughly mix ground turkey with egg whites, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and garlic powder. The egg & breadcrumbs are yet another aid in helping the meat’s sticking power, insuring that the burger that doesn’t fall apart.

Form meat into 24 patties about 1/2 an inch thick and approximately 3 inches in diameter.

Layer a cookie sheet with wax paper and lay out 12 of the patties with some space in between each.

Top each patty with a small pieces of mozzarella and red pepper.

Top each stack with another patty and sealing the edges so it now becomes one big burger with all the goodies inside.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

Remove from the fridge, heat up the grill, and cook away.  Keep in mind that unlike beef, turkey meat must be cooked thoroughly until there is no more pink.  No need for salmonella. The Emergency room is not the most ideal place to be on 4th of July.

Serve on your favorite bun and add lettuce, tomato, and your favorite condiments or for those carb conscious people, this burger can stand alone.  Once you cut into it and the cheese comes pouring out, you will practcially turn your nose up to any other plain Jane burger in your future.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!  XOXO DLS