Spring-Inspired Wild Turkey Burger
Liven up your springtime dinner table with ground wild turkey patties, fresh mango slices, smoky jalapeño mayo, and freshly toasted greens
A common complaint about wild turkey, especially the thighs and legs, is that the meat can be tough and dry. These reasons are exactly why pitmasters cut brisket pencil-thin; we can grind or slice these tougher cuts to achieve shorter muscle striations, reducing the overall “chewiness” experienced when biting in. In this recipe, we’ll be grinding wild turkey meat to combat its reputation for toughness.
You can indeed use any cut of wild turkey for this recipe or any wild bird, for that matter. Personally, I have found that wild turkey thighs make great ground meat. If you’re going to use the legs in addition to the thighs, make sure to carve out the tendons. The legs are packed full of tough, not-so-pleasant tendons.
When forming the patties, the addition of mayonnaise helps bind the turkey meat together while also providing a bit of juiciness. The mayo helps counter any dry texture that may occur while cooking this incredibly lean wild meat.
All the ingredients, including an especially delicious mayo blend containing smoked jalapeños, are meant to balance savory tones with a hint of bright sweetness. Those fresh flavors inspired by spring results from the freshly sliced mangos. This burger itself is a great option for any set of wild longbeard thighs you pack out, and the flavor composition serves as the perfect salute to spring and all that this season brings.
Spring Turkey Burger
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground wild turkey all tendons removed
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ tsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp granulated garlic
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper freshly cracked
- Peanut oil
- 4 brioche buns
Special Mayo
- 4 jalapeños smoked
- 2 avocados
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- ¾ lime juiced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
Toppings
- Pepper Jack cheese
- 4 Poblano peppers smoked
- 2 fresh mangoes skinned and thinly sliced
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- Kale or turnip greens stems removed and toasted
Instructions
- Smoke jalapeños and poblano peppers at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 hours. Pull and seed the poblanos, then set aside.
- Cut off the stems of jalapeños and add to the stemless peppers to a food processor, along with all the other ingredients for special mayo (besides the mayonnaise). Blend thoroughly, then add the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the mayonnaise. Thoroughly hand mix. Set the special mayo aside until you are ready to serve.
- Grind the wild turkey meat through a fine die. Make sure to remove the tendons before grinding. Mix the ground turkey with mayo, fish sauce, granulated garlic, ground ginger, and paprika. Form the meat mixture into four patties.
- Skin the mangoes. Thinly slice the mangoes and red onion.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the stems off the greens and lightly oil the leaves. Toast the leaves in the oven and remove them once they’re slightly charred (about 5-10 minutes).
- To cook the turkey burgers, in a large skillet, heat half an inch of peanut oil to 375 Fahrenheit. Do not crowd the pan, so only fill the skillet half full. Add the patties to the oil to cook. Flip once the underside is golden brown, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add a generous amount of freshly sliced mango and one poblano to each patty, top with cheese, and cover skillet if necessary. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the burger is fully cooked to 160 F.
- To serve, toast the buns and add a healthy amount of special mayo to each side. On the bottom bun, add the toasted greens, followed by the burger, then a layer of sliced red onions, and then the top bun. Enjoy!
Nutrition
