Turkey burgers are a flavorful way to change things up at your next cookout. They might not be your traditional burger, but ground turkey patties are still packed full of flavor and char up nicely on the grill, or in a pan. However, one of the greatest challenges of making your own turkey burgers is keeping them from falling apart.
The secret to keeping your patties together is to use binding agents like eggs to add moisture that helps the burgers from falling apart. This egg solution creates another problem, though: Too much moisture in the patties, and you end up with something thats closer to a turkey meatloaf patty. Even worse, these overly hydrated patties are more prone to falling apart.
The best turkey burgers are going to have an ideal balance of moisture. An easy way to get the perfect balance without using eggs is to use natural binders like fat — whether thats animal fat or olive oil – combined with dry agents like bread crumbs.
Just like in a traditional meatloaf, you need something to hold the meat together. Try adding some dry breadcrumbs to the turkey mixture before you shape the patties. The crumbs will absorb the moisture and, together with the egg, will act like glue and help your burgers maintain their shape on the grill.
Why do turkey burgers always fall apart?
Turkey burgers are more prone to falling apart because they dont have the same fat content as ground beef patties. Turkey patties tend to dry out more during cooking because of their lean nature. This also causes them to shrink more when cooking, and end up with a texture more akin to a sausage than a tender hamburger due to the higher ratio of proteins. To counter this we can add fat to the ground meat that will lock in more flavor and moisture.
The problem with this is now we need to ensure the higher moisture in the patty wont get in the way of those proteins binding, causing the burger to fall apart. Thats why its important to be careful with what you choose to add. Added fats like olive oil are easy and predictable to measure when working with batches of ground turkey. Knowing exactly how much fat is added to your patties will help you manage moisture levels, and keep your burger in one piece.
Adding binders like breadcrumbs will also help keep that moisture in your burger by soaking up the oil instead of letting it drip onto your grill.
How to Keep Hamburgers From Falling Apart
FAQ
How do I keep my turkey burgers from falling apart?
What can I put in my turkey burgers to hold them together?
How do you keep a turkey from falling apart?
Why aren’t my burgers sticking together?
How do you bind turkey burgers together?
Turkey burgers need some type of ingredient to bind the burgers together and keep them from falling apart. I recommend using breadcrumbs and an egg – breadcrumbs will absorb the moisture and the egg will act like a glue to hold the burgers together while you grill them.
Do turkey burgers break up when defrosted?
Mostly always, they break up when defrosted or after cooking the inner most portions of the turkey burger remains cold! You can also use rice or flavored rice as fillers, but remember that rice as against cracker or oats bring to the burger a different texture. Use rice if you don’t have a problem with a sticky, stuffy texture.
How do you make a burger from ground turkey?
Break up the ground turkey in the bowl. Add 1/2 cup of bread crumbs or crushed crackers. Use 1/2 cup of filler per pound of ground turkey. You can also use one egg per pound of ground turkey. Combine the filler and meat with your hands. Remove a chunk of the meat and shape into a burger. Place the burger on a platter or plate. Cook as desired.
How do you make a no fail turkey burger?
No Fail, Amazing Turkey Burgers! Tired of dried out, falling apart turkey burgers? Then this flavor packed, healthy, sticks-together-and-doesn’t-fall-apart turkey burger is the one for you! Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; form into 4 patties. Dust each patty with flour, shaking off the excess.