Operation Turkey Burgers

A few nights ago my family had an appetite for grilling and naturally, burgers came to mind. Along with the classic ground beef we bought ground turkey and I attempted to recreate a turkey burger recipe that I came across last summer. I found the recipe in CookingLight Magazine -- it is a simple, tasty combination of onions, OJ, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. I added my own twist to the Asian-inspired flavors by brushing on a teriyaki marinade during the grilling process. Here's the result:


TERIYAKI TURKEY BURGERS

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped onions (green, red or vidalia)
1 lb ground turkey
Your favorite teriyaki marinade

Directions:
1. Combine the first 5 ingredients and add to ground turkey in a mixing bowl. Form into 4 burger patties.
2. Grill about 5-6 minutes on one side. Flip. Brush the teriyaki marinade onto the flipped side. Grill about 5-6 minutes on second side. Flip again and brush the rest of the marinade onto the second side. Makes 4 servings.

The first time I made these burgers I did so without the teriyaki glaze. They turned out okay, but slightly dry. I came across another turkey burger recipe that incorporated a teriyaki sauce and I thought I would add that element to my own recipe. It was a good choice -- the marinade adds more flavor and keeps the burger moist. Needless to say, after grilling these burgers, even my beef-loving brother opted for the teriyaki turkey. Turkey burgers are a great change-up from the traditional hamburger and add variety to the summer grilling repertoire. There are a plethora of ways to make them, and I plan on experimenting now that I've mastered and tweaked this simple, yet satisfying recipe from CookingLight.