Cran-Apple Turkey Burgers

About to be grilled

About to be grilled

Happy November guys! Pumpkins, colorful leaves, and turkey are all things that come to mind when we think of November. I thought I would kick things off with a Fall recipe.

Growing up, I was not a fan of burgers. It was too much meat in a condensed form and the taste wasn’t appealing to me. Once I was out on my own cooking for the two of us, I realized that it wasn’t burgers as a whole that I disliked, it was the specific burger I was given. The burgers in restaurants were huge and too messy to handle. All the toppings came out the back ending up on the plate instead of accompanying the burger.

My mom’s burgers didn’t have a lot of seasoning to them and didn’t appeal to me. Cooking for Scott and myself, I realized I could make burgers however I wanted. I could make them with tons of seasonings and I didn’t have to make a mammoth burger that you couldn’t even take a bite out of.

Burgers are now one of my very favorite things to make. You can make a burger out of anything and play around with flavors. You can make them any size and serve them on the vessel of your choice. This is what I adore about cooking, making it your own. No rules, it’s all about you and what you want.

I’m still experimenting with apples and finding new ways to incorporate them into meals. I saw a turkey burger in Rachael Ray’s magazine that had some apple slices on it with a cranberry sauce. I thought that was okay but wondered if I could put the apple and cranberries IN the burger instead of just using them as extras on the bun. That’s how this particular burger came to be.

Andrea’s Cran-Apple Turkey Burgers

  • 1lb ground dark meat turkey
  • 1 granny smith apple chopped, small pieces
  • 1/4 red onion chopped
  • 1/2 TBSP of dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp grill seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp of poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp of smoked paprika
  • 1/4 C of dried cranberries
  • Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

In a mixing bowl, combine all of the above ingredients. Divide mixture into four equal parts and form into patties. Place patties on a hot grill and grill on each side for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 2 minutes before serving.

You can cook these in a large skillet with about 2 TBSP of olive oil if you don’t want to or cannot grill them. You can also use ground turkey breast if you don’t care for dark meat turkey.

On the grill

On the grill

Whenever you make burgers out of poultry, they tend to be very delicate until the first side gets cooked. These are burgers of love, you have to handle them with care so they don’t fall apart on you. Ease them onto the grill and do not move them until the first side is cooked. When you flip them, it helps to use two spatulas, one on the bottom and one on top to help keep things in place. They will hold up for you but you have to treat them gently.

Cran-Apple Turkey Burger

Cran-Apple Turkey Burger

I served these burgers topped with cheddar and placed on kaiser roles with some lettuce and dijon mustard. They were moist and so flavorful. The apples were warmed through while still remaining crisp and the cranberries gave nice little bursts of sweetness that paired well with the red onion. This is probably my favorite burger I have made so far. Both of us just loved the way these turned out and even again as leftovers the next day. The apples didn’t get mushy or turn brown. I’ve been dreaming about these burgers ever since!

Enjoy guys, and remember, always play with your food!

10 thoughts on “Cran-Apple Turkey Burgers

  1. I’m bookmarking this one…. yumm!

    The apple/cheese/onion quesadilla recipe you had on your blog a little while back was a HUGE hit with me. Man was that good. I actually CRAVE it now. Most of the time, I’ll leave out the tortilla and just layer cheese, onions and apples on a plate and nuke it. I honestly could eat that every day. :)

    Too bad you don’t live in Seattle. I’m having a party in a couple of weeks and we’re having an appetizer contest with prizes!

  2. love the combo of turkey & apples!

    i saw your post earlier about how i am luck to have seasonal clif bars but guess what? i sadly have NO fun clif z bar flavors located near me… all i have is pb, brownie, and choc chip! ive been dying to try honey graham and spooky smores!

  3. I love this! I make a lot of Rachel Rays Turkey burger recipies and I tend to have them all fall apart on me, there so delicate! Thanks for the tips!

  4. I love the idea for this recipe! I actually make a chicken salad sandwich that uses apples and cranberries – which my entire family loves. I bet this burger will be right up their with it. A great way to mix savory and sweet. Thanks for the recipe!

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