We’ve made these southwestern turkey-cheddar burgers at least two or three times, using both ground turkey and lean ground beef, and have enjoyed them equally with both. The spices in the burgers give them great flavor, but don’t actually add much heat. That’s what the chipotle-poblano ketchup is for! And even there, you could adjust the heat to your own preferences by adding more or less of the chipotles. These burgers include a somewhat unusual ingredient that you’d probably not expect – wheat germ.
By Tracey
Southwestern Turkey-Cheddar Burgers with Chipotle-Poblano Ketchup
barely adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients:
Chipotle-Poblano Ketchup
- 1 poblano chile
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Burgers
- 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
- 1/3 cup wheat germ
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
- 6 slices cheddar cheese
To Serve
- 1/2-inch-thick slices sweet onion
- burger rolls, toasted
Directions:
To make the ketchup: Preheat your broiler. Place the poblano on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for about 8-10 minutes, turning a few times so the pepper is blackened all over (you could also do this on your stove top if you have a gas stove). Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and set aside for 15 minutes (or until cool enough to handle). Remove from the bag and peel the blackened skin. Finely chop the pepper, removing the ribs and seeds. In a small bowl, stir together the poblano, ketchup, chipotle chiles and cumin. Refrigerate while you make the burgers (the ketchup will be fine in the fridge for a few weeks so feel free to make it ahead of time).
To make the burgers: In a medium bowl, combine the onion, wheat germ, chile powder, cumin, salt, red pepper, and ground turkey. Use your hands to gently mix until everything is combined (don’t overwork the meat). Divide the meat into 6 equal portions and shape each into a patty about 1/2-inch thick. Make a deep depression in the center of each burger with your thumb (this will help them keep their shape as they cook).
Set a grill pan over medium-high heat. Spritz with nonstick cooking spray. When the pan is hot, add the burgers (the side with the impression should be face-up) and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until they are cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should register 165 F). In the last minute of cooking, top each burger with one slice of cheese and allow to melt (I like to tent the burgers with foil to encourage the cheese to melt). Remove the burgers from the pan and allow to rest for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, place the thick onion slices on the grill pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until they are tender and browned. Serve the burgers on toasted rolls topped with the grilled onions and chipotle-poblano ketchup.
Makes 6 burgers.
