Michael * Apple Maple Bacon Turkey Burgers
Michael: “I started making these burgers back in college, and I think they’re the perfect change-up from your typical backyard party burger. I love substituting turkey for beef, and out of all the turkey burger recipes I’ve tried, this one is the very best.”
It’s sweet. It’s sultry. It’s a little spicy. Ground turkey, chunky apple sauce, and crumbled maple-roasted bacon forms the perfect patty. Slather on a creamy, tangy maple-dijon sauce and load it up with all your favorite toppings. This burger is heaven on a bun.
Apple. Maple. Bacon. Need I say more?
Three Quick Questions…and Michael’s Answers
It’s your last meal. What do you have?
A potluck feast with all of my friends. Somehow most of my good friends are excellent cooks, so a mix of great food, friends and family seems like the perfect way to end my days.
Your kitchen is burning down. What’s the one thing you grab?
My camera. I’m rarely caught without it, so it’s an obvious choice for me.
Do you have a favorite cookbook?
Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. In my mind, you can never go wrong with an Ina Garten recipe — she just knows how to please a crowd.
*Visit Michael over at http://potluckcreative.com.
- FOR THE MAPLE-MUSTARD BACON:
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon
- 1 tbsp real maple syrup
- 2 tbsp stone ground mustard
- FOR THE MAPLE-DIJON SAUCE:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp real maple syrup
- FOR THE TURKEY BURGERS:
- Maple-Mustard Bacon (above), cooked and crumbled
- 1¼ lb ground turkey
- ½ cup chunky applesauce (must say "chunky" on packaging)
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 2 tbsp real maple syrup
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- tomato
- red onion
- lettuce
- avocado
- cheese (Cheddar, Pepperjack, or another favorite)
- Prepare the maple-mustard bacon: Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet, and arrange bacon strips on the wire rack. Whisk together maple syrup and stone ground mustard. Generously brush the topside of the bacon strips with the maple syrup and mustard mixture, to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the bacon over and brush the other side with more of the maple syrup and mustard mixture. Bake for another 10 minutes until golden and crispy. Allow to cool. Crumble into small pieces and set aside.
- Prepare the maple-dijon sauce: Stir together all ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
- Prepare and assemble the turkey burgers: Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Combine all ingredients for the burgers in a large mixing bowl. Wet hands and shape mixture into four patties (the mixture will be very sticky!). Cook patties on hot, oiled grill for about 5 minutes per side, or until done. (If you’re cooking indoors, heat a splash of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook 5-7 minutes per side, or until done.) Serve burgers on buns with a generous smear of the maple-Dijon sauce and your choice of toppings: tomato, red onion, greens, avocado, and/or cheese. Enjoy!
These were delicious! Lots of flavor and really tender.
Susan, I’m glad to hear they turned out well! 🙂
I love turkey burgers already, but the whole maple-mustard bacon part makes them sound absolutely irresistible! Gorgeous photos, too!
Kocinera – Thank you so much! I agree on the maple-mustard bacon thing. Can’t go wrong!
Wow! I just ate the leftover burger from last night and had to come to comment about how great it was – and I didn’t even make them right 🙂 My turkey burgers are usually so dry which I go ahead and accept because I generally make it with the 99% lean ground turkey breast, but even using that instead of regular ground turkey, this was the most tender and moist turkey burger I’ve ever made. That applesauce really does the trick! I also used Trader Joe’s uncured turkey bacon instead of real bacon cuz it’s what I had on hand. And I am a sweet fiend so the only mustard I had on hand was honey mustard which I knew would make everything too sweet, but they were great that way anyway (definitely better your way, though, I’m certain). Definitely used real maple syrup though! I will definitely be making this again! I want to just cook all my bacon that way for the rest of my life…
Kyla – Thanks so much for the feedback! It makes me SO happy to hear you liked the burgers. Also, I had the exact same reaction when I tasted the maple roasted bacon…there is no going back!
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