The Best Type Of Cheese To Bind Juicy Turkey Burgers
Turkey burgers need extra fat and flavors, there are no two ways about it. Because of how lean the meat is, turkey does not contain the same saturated fat as beef which means it often doesn't come out as juicy. On its own turkey has a tendency to dry out, which is why additives and binders like cheese are so necessary to get your desired outcome. However, we're not talking about just putting it on top of your burger.
Putting cheese into the actual body of the turkey burger is what will give you the ideal texture. To do this, you'll want to seek out a great, semi-soft cheese that can easily be grated and incorporated into the meat mixture. You could splurge a little bit on something tangy like gruyère or gouda or you could opt for something more classic and simple like a sharp cheddar, salty feta, or mild swiss. The cheese not only provides some great flavor but also necessary fat to the mix.
How to incorporate cheese into your turkey burger meat
You don't need to grate the cheese fresh into your patty mix, but we highly recommend that you do. Purchasing cheese at the grocery store that has been pre-shredded is easy, but these products often contain additives that affect the true flavor. Of course, if you're using the likes of blue cheese or feta, they are very easy to crumble into manageable sizes. You'll also want to add a few other binders and fats to your cheese.
We recommend using mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, miso, soy sauce, or ketchup. Likewise, a few bread crumbs will help bind everything into nice, even patties. Just make sure that the turkey meat is cold when you add it in. It will be firmer and cling better to the binders better. The burger patties should be about half an inch wider than the bun to accommodate for shrinkage when cooked.
Then cook the turkey burgers all the way through, until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. They will continue to cook and reach their desired temperature of 165 degrees as they rest. You can do this over the grill or on the stove top with a skillet. Feel free to add an additional slice of cheese on top of your turkey meat, and now you're ready to enjoy the perfect juicy burger.