Turkey burgers break the grilling rut

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BY CAROL MIGHTON HADDIX/Chicago Tribune

Burgers become an easy choice for weeknight dining, especially in the summer, when the grill can be stoked up. Turkey burgers are a good variation to get you out of the beef patty rut. One way to keep the turkey moist is to add a bit of milk or cream and only lightly mix them together. Overhandling the meat can mean tough burgers.

One of my favorite burger toppings is caramelized onions. Here I’ve speeded up that cooking time by first stir-frying the onions in a skillet, then slow-cooking them for about 15 minutes. Adding a favorite barbecue sauce at the end gives the onions a sweet-smoky tang.

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Grilled turkey burgers are topped with caramelized onions for a great summer dish. (Bonnie Trafelet/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

Grilled turkey burgers are topped with caramelized onions for a great summer dish. (Bonnie Trafelet/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

MENU:

Grilled turkey burgers with barbecued onions

Baked beans

Carrot salad

Ice cream sundaes

TIPS:

Don’t like turkey? Try ground pork or a mixture of beef and pork.

Save slicing time by buying already-chopped onions at the store.

BEVERAGE SUGGESTION:

To me, lemonade is the perfect match for most barbecue flavors.



GRILLED TURKEY BURGERS WITH BARBECUED ONIONS

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 Spanish onions, halved, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons prepared barbecue sauce

1¼ pounds ground turkey (not lean)

¼ cup each: milk, chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika or regular paprika

¼ teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper

4 sesame seed buns

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add onions; stir-fry onions 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring often, until soft and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Stir in barbecue sauce; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cover; keep warm.

Meanwhile, prepare a grill or grill pan for medium-high heat. Lightly mix turkey, milk, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl; form into 4 patties. Grill until just cooked through, turning once, about 8 minutes. Place on bun bottoms; top each with onions and top buns.

Nutrition information per serving: 433 calories, 40% of calories from fat, 19 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 104 mg cholesterol, 32 g carbohydrates, 33 g protein, 568 mg sodium, 3 g fiber