In the world of meats, turkey can be a great choice if you’re looking for something lean with a lot of protein that can be nicely seasoned. Of course, when it comes to turkey burgers, you may shy away in favor of a proper beef patty that is often that juicy bite we’re looking for. But don’t give up on turkey so soon; a simple butter hack will help you prevent a dry burger and boost the flavor. To find out more, we spoke with former kitchen manager and restaurant-culinary consultant, David Acosta.
The essence of the technique is incorporating grated butter into your turkey meat as you form the patties. “So turkey naturally lacks fat, [it’s a] super lean protein,” says Acosta, “so the butter compensates [for that by adding] back some juiciness.” How exactly does this work without making the turkey extra greasy? Acosta explains that “as [the butter] melts it enters and bastes the turkey internally [which] prevents dryness. If you grate frozen butter it tends to distribute more evenly.” So instead of just throwing a cube of butter in the center of your turkey burger, you allow the shreds to come in contact with the whole burger. It’s a similar premise to the ice cube burger hack for more moisture, but this time you’re upping the moisture and flavor. Don’t forget to add seasoning to your burgers as well, but once you’ve incorporated the butter you’re set to throw the patties on the grill.
Make the most of this turkey hack
To really succeed at this burger hack, you’ll need to follow David Acosta’s food prep tips. When it comes to the butter, Acosta suggests “[using] unsalted butter and freeze it for about 30 min before grating,” which will help when forming the patties. Once they’re formed, Acosta says to “press your thumb in the center of the ground turkey patty to [prevent it from puffing up], and don’t press down on your patties when cooking, try to only flip them once.” This will help keep the moisture locked in because pressing on the patties releases their natural oils. Adding the butter will also act as a binding agent to prevent your turkey burger patties from falling apart on the grill.
There are plenty of other ways to add moisture to your turkey burgers as well, including mixing a certain veggie into your patties. The easiest way though is to add rich toppings to your burger that have natural moisture and equally complement the burger’s seasonings. Classic veggies like lettuce and tomato slices, along with a higher-fat cheese like cheddar bring out the signature burger taste and won’t make you feel like you’re biting into cardboard. You can also try recreating your favorite fast-food burger sauce at home by mixing pantry staples like mayonnaise and ketchup. Or, stick to butter and give your buns a good toasting and coating for an extra textured bite. Just remember, adding butter to your turkey burger is the first step away from a dry burger.
