SMOKED TURKEY CHERRY BURGERS

Smoked Turkey Cherry Burgers

Although Stephen BBQs all year round, he only starts smoking things once warmer weather arrives. Last year, we made smoked Turkey Legs regularly. This year, we started thinking, what else can we smoke? Stephen came up with this recipe for Smoked Turkey Cherry Burgers that was phenomenal, and we had all the ingredients handy in our freezer. The chunks of frozen cherries added sweetness to the turkey patty as well as texture and a slight tartness. We used a hickory wood to smoke the burgers and the ground turkey took on the smoke flavour wonderfully.

Ground turkey has become a grocery staple and we always have a pack fresh or frozen in our kitchen. The natural mild flavour of turkey takes on seasoning so well and makes it an incredibly versatile ingredient. I also like how lean ground turkey is, making it an easy and healthy choice for meals. Alivia loved these turkey burgers and extra patties are a great quick lunch option for her during the week to reheat.

For more inspiration and recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Smoked Turkey Cherry Burgers

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4

Ingredients

  • 1lb of ground turkey
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion flake
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 clove of garlic, grated
  • 10 cherries, chopped
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
  • 1/2 tbsp ketchup (optional)
  • 1/2 tbsp sweet relish (optional)
  • 4 burger buns
  • 4 romaine lettuce leaves
  • 1 tomato, sliced

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, spices, garlic and cherries, then mix until fully incorporated.
  2. Cut 4 parchment paper squares and place 1/4 of the burger mixture onto each sheet. Form into burger patties.
  3. Place patties (on the parchment paper) on a sheet pan and chill for 15 minutes in the freezer to firm up.
  4. While the patties are chilling, start the smoker/bbq and set to a temperature of 275°F. Soak a handful of wood chips and place either in a smoke box or directly on the charcoal.
  5. When the smoker has hit the desired temperature and the patties are sufficiently chilled, place the patties in the smoker and smoke until the burgers reach an internal temperature of 165°F (~30mins). Continue to add wood chips every 10-15 minutes or if the smoke stops.
  6. Optional, combine mayonnaise, ketchup and sweet relish to make a burger sauce
  7. Assemble burger on buns with smoked turkey patty, lettuce leaves, slices of tomato and burger sauce (optional).

Smoked Turkey Cherry BurgersSmoked Turkey Cherry BurgersSmoked Turkey Cherry BurgersSmoked Turkey Cherry BurgersSmoked Turkey Cherry Burgers

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