IN THE ROTATION: French Onion Turkey Burgers
Your new weeknight staple!
There’s a reason everyone is always trying to French onion-ify everything. It’s really good! This turkey burger is something I make for myself quite often when Steve is away. I keep a stash of turkey burgers in the freezer that I make in batches, and that’s frequently what I’ll make for dinner when I’m alone, especially when I’ve been cooking all day. It’s simple and comforting and filling and doesn't require much thought. I eventually shared my creation with Steve, and he really liked it too, so now I’m sharing it with you.
I know many of you are usually cooking for 2, as I usually am, but you can certainly scale this up to feed 4. I just find it’s one of those recipes that works better in a smaller pan. It starts to get a little unwieldy in a larger pan and with 4 burgers. If you want to cook 4, double everything and use a 12-inch skillet.
I have to admit, I don't usually eat it on a brioche bun, but wow, did that bring things up a notch. The textures were just perfect to bite into. And the flavors. So good. I had to do a number of passes on this recipe getting it ready for you, and every bit was eaten in our house, which is really saying something. They were even good reheated! Though Steve put one in the warm oven in anticipation of lunch the other day while I ran out to the store, and when I came home, I turned the oven back on. It was a work day, after all. Yes, I incinerated Steve’s lunch. The roll burnt, but the rest was fine, so he just put it on a fresh roll. Luckily my nose tells me when there’s something in the oven, so it wasn’t too far gone.
My grocery stores always have brioche burger buns and hot dog buns these days. What about yours? I’m curious!
As much as I like this on a brioche bun, you can use whatever bun you like, or skip the bun altogether and just have it on a plate with a nice green salad on the side. (But do the brioche bun 😉). Either way, have the green salad. Here’s a link to my favorite supermarket lettuce. It’s all I buy in the winter when all is frozen and cold here on the East Coast. Yes, you have to wash it, but it's incredibly crunchy and fresh, and beautiful too! It lasts a good long time unwashed, and once washed, it keeps for a good 4 to 5 days spun dry and in a zip-top bag.
I like to add shallot and grated zucchini to my turkey burgers to give them both moisture and flavor. The zucchini also works well to lighten the mixture, but it makes the burgers a touch fragile, so make sure they’ve browned before you try to turn them — and do so gently. If they fall apart a little, just push them back together. By the time they are cooked through and topped with cheese, they’ll be fine. The ketchup adds flavor, and a little sugar, which can burn if the heat’s too high, so moderate it as needed. The Worcestershire also adds flavor and moisture, and helps create the fond (the brown bits) that form the sauce. Just trust me, and try it tonight!!
If you need a refresher on caramelizing onions, here’s a video I made last year. This recipe isn't EXactly the same, but it’s roughly the same, and you might find the visuals helpful!
French Onion Turkey Burgers
Serves 2