Burger season, made better: A little fat may help you fall in love with turkey burgers

By Ray Marcano

·May 26, 2024

Everyone needs a little fat in their lives.

At first blush, that may sound unhealthy, but context is everything, especially when it comes to making healthier choices for our beloved burgers. Think you can’t give up beef this cookout season? It may sound counterintuitive when cutting back, but if you’re trying to get into turkey burgers, it’s best to add a little fat. Fat adds flavor and keeps turkey burgers from drying out.

Though the 80/20 mix remains the standard for ground beef, with just the right amount of meat-to-fat ratio for that juicy hamburger, it can contain as much as 27% fat content. Ground turkey, a versatile ingredient, comes in blends of 93% lean meat and 7% fat, or 85% to 15%. With less saturated fat than beef, it’s a heart-healthy choice for those mindful of their cholesterol levels. (Saturated fats can lead to an increase in LDL, or bad cholesterol.)

At about $4 a pound, ground turkey is also less expensive than its beef counterpart (about $5 a pound), but that lack of fat can translate to lost appeal. First, fat means flavor. There are several scientific reasons for this, but in short, fat carries flavor that tantalizes your taste buds,

When ground turkey cooks — as in the form of a burger — it doesn’t release any of that delicious fat that bathes a beef burger. Instead, the turkey sits on the grill or in the skillet, cooking and drying out in despair.

That said, it’s not a lost cause. Cooks can use several tips to help keep their turkey burgers juicy and flavorful enough to become fast favorites. Some are seriously unexpected — and as cookout season kicks off this holiday weekend, the 10 below might be worth trying when you’re craving a burger.

1. Consider mayo more than a condiment

Use a tablespoon of mayo for every pound of ground turkey. The mayo will add fat content to the burgers.

2. Go Greek for a tangier bite

Instead of mayo, try a dollop of Greek yogurt for a little more bite.

3. Butter makes it better

Grate cold butter into the raw ground turkey before forming it into patties. As the saying goes, “Everything is better with butter” — probably because it provides a ton of flavor.

4. Fight the crumble with breadcrumbs

Mix in breadcrumbs soaked in milk. This method works great in a meatloaf containing other fillers; similarly, it keeps burgers from drying out.

5. Make ’em steamy

Steam turkey burgers: Pan-cook the burgers on one side until well browned, then add a little vegetable of chicken stock and cover until cooked through. The stock will help the burger maintain its juiciness.

6. Get saucy

If you’re looking for other ways to infuse flavor and moisture into ground turkey, poach it in a red sauce. This works best for making turkey meatballs light and flavorful — equally perfect for use in pasta or a meatball hero. Cook the meatballs in an oven until they brown, and then add them to your sauce. They will infuse flavors into the sauce while staying nice and moist.

7. Find a new use for avocado

Mix mashed avocado into turkey meat. Properly ripened avocado has a mild flavor and won’t interfere with taste, while the fat will add a decadence. And of course, a little guacamole on your burger can be tasty, too.

8. Sneak in some fiber

For a healthier twist on the breadcrumb trick, you can add finely ground rolled oats to act as a binder when mixing with eggs and/or milk, keeping the ground turkey moist.

9. Dial up the dips

Mix in olive oil and mustard. Mustard doesn’t have fat, but olive oil does. Combining the two makes ground turkey both moist and flavorful.

10. Veg out with mushrooms and black beans

Add diced mushrooms and black beans. Neither has fat, but the mushrooms’ water content will keep the turkey meat moist. The mushroom-black bean combination can also make your turkey meat taste great.