Goat Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper Relish
These are fabulous I had a hard time finding a turkey burger that was moist, but still low in fat The relish is delicious and also great served over cream cheese with crackers
These are fabulous I had a hard time finding a turkey burger that was moist, but still low in fat The relish is delicious and also great served over cream cheese with crackers
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 2 teaspoons lemon peel grated
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 1/2 cups onions chopped
- -- burgers --
- 1 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
- 6 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons soft fresh goat cheese (such as montrachet)
- 6 whole wheat hamburger buns
- -- relish --
- 4 7-ounce jars roasted sweet red peppers rinsed, drained, patted dry, chopped
- 3 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 4 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- Carbohydrate 29.6836734375 g
- Cholesterol 89.584493075 mg
- Fat 11.6077966071667 g
- Fiber 1.54757502234603 g
- Protein 21.4548036171667 g
- Saturated Fat 2.90721208125 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (198g)
- Sodium 160.463134033333 mg
- Sugar 28.136098415154 g
- Trans Fat 1.17311430841666 g
- Calories 309 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine turkey, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, lemon peel, thyme, salt and pepper in large bowl. Mix well. Divide turkey mixture into 6 equal portions. Form 1 portion into two 4-inch diameter patties. Place 1 tablespoon goat cheese atop 1 turkey patty; place second patty atop cheese. Seal patties at edges to enclose cheese. Repeat with remaining 5 portions. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill burgers until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Grill hamburger buns, cut side down, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Place turkey burgers on bottom half of buns. Top burgers with Roasted Red Pepper Relish, then bun tops and serve.
- Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red peppers and saut 2 minutes. Add onions and garlic. Cook until onions are tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Mix vinegar and sugar in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir vinegar mixture into red peppers. Mix in mustard and cayenne pepper. Season with salt. Continue cooking relish until all liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Cool to room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.) Makes about 2 cups.
While traditional beef patties rely entirely on their natural high fat content to prevent dryness during high-heat cooking, lean ground turkey requires deliberate internal moisture management, which is successfully achieved here by encasing soft goat cheese directly inside the meat while binding the protein with fresh breadcrumbs, lemon juice, and grated peel. Incorporating these specific mix-ins prevents the poultry from turning mealy on the grill grate.
Maximizing the Condiment
The acidic sweet relish yields two cups, easily outlasting the six assembled sandwiches. Spreading the cooled pepper mixture over a block of cream cheese alongside water crackers repurposes the condiment effectively. When cooking the relish down in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, continue stirring frequently until all liquid completely evaporates to concentrate the cider vinegar, sugar, and cayenne flavors.
- Form the dual-patty stuffed units tightly at the edges to prevent the goat cheese from melting out into the flames.
- Judge doneness visually by grilling the patties for approximately 5 minutes per side until fully cooked through rather than relying solely on guesswork.
- Chill assembled uncooked patties for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator prior to grilling if preparation ahead of time is required.
