Here’s what you need:
- 20 oz lean ground turkey (I used 99/1 extra lean ground turkey from Jennie-O.)
- 8 oz lean ground sirloin
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 large sweet onion
- 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes (I highly recommend the ones packed in oil. They have more flavor.)
- 1/3 c reduced fat, shredded Italian cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tbs olive oil — or 1 Tbs olive oil and 1 Tbs reserved sun-dried tomato oil
Preheat your oven to 375 or prepare your outdoor grill.
Cut the garlic clove and sun-dried tomatoes in a small dice, and set them aside in a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice the onion, and leave it on the board.
In a medium skillet set on medium-high heat, add 1 Tbs olive oil, add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and reduce heat to medium. Cook onions under a watchful eye, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown. This should take about 15-20 minutes. (If you like your onions a little sweeter, you can add 1/2 Tbs sugar while they cook. But, shhh, don’t tell!)
Return to your large bowl with the garlic and sun-drieds, and add the balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, cheese, and healthy pinch of salt and pepper (about 1 tsp each). Stir to combine. Toss in the two meats and gently combine just until the ingredients are incorporated. Make sure you do not overwork the meat because nobody likes a tough burger.
Divide the meat evenly, and shape into 8 burger patties. Brush each side with the reserved olive oil (or sun-dried tomato oil) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
If you are cooking the burgers on an outdoor grill, then head outside and get cooking. Just don’t forget about your onions!
If you want to make them indoors, then heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burger patties, cook them for about 2 minutes per side, and then transfer them to a baking dish. (I highly recommend using a broiler tray or something with slats on the bottom so that any extra fat has somewhere to go during cooking, but that’s just me.) Bake in the oven for about 5-7 minutes. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes so that the juices settle before you dig in.
Serve on dry, whole wheat buns alongside the caramelized onions and any other fixin’s you fancy.
Other variation ideas:
- Swap the sun-dried tomatoes with 1/3 c chopped roasted bell peppers
- Use sharp cheddar cheese instead of the mild Italian cheeses
- Add the caramelized onions directly to the meat
- Add a dry onion soup mix for extra flavors
- The list goes on and on
Yield: 8 servings
Nutritional Info (per serving)
Calories – 146
Total fat – 4.7 g
Saturated fat – 1.9 g
Carbohydrate – 2.2 g
Protein – 23.5 g
BusyBethB 