What to Make Tonight: Turkey Burgers Inspired by Bistro Byronz

A good hamburger is good for one reason above all others: because it is juicy. No matter what ingredients have been added to class it up or make it hip, a burger falls short if it’s dry. Therein lies the perpetual challenge of the turkey burger. You want to master it because it’s a healthy alternative to the beef burger and its delicate profile pairs well with different ingredients. But its lack of fat means you have to fight to keep it moist.

Eager to develop a reliable weeknight turkey burger recipe, I turned to Emelie Alton and her father, Mike Kantrow, owners of Bistro Byronz in Baton Rouge, where the turkey burger au gruyere (pictured here) is one of the top five selling items on the menu. It’s an impressive rating for a dish that competes with the restaurant’s wildly popular beef burgers. The turkey burger au Gruyere is thoroughly juicy and delivers full-in-the-mouth flavor thanks in part to blending grated Gruyere cheese into high quality turkey meat. Gruyere’s nutty profile pairs nicely with the natural sweetness found in turkey. The inspiration stemmed from a neighbor of Alton’s who had experimented with several turkey burger recipes. They were largely unsuccessful, except for one that incorporated grated Gruyere. Bistro Byronz added other toppings, including fresh spinach, red bell pepper and a secret sauce, all of which help to deliver impressive texture and flavor depth.

Ground turkey meat is widely available, and some grocery stores feature breast meat and thigh meat. The latter has slightly higher fat content and considerably more flavor. If you’re slashing fat, go for the breast meat, or blend the two. Certainly, adding cheese adds fat, but it’s still less overall than a beef burger. Grill them outside or fry them up in cast iron, and remember to cook them through.