How Martha Stewart Keeps Turkey Burgers Extra-Juicy (The Trick Is In The Toppings)

Turkey burgers are often underrated, but at a time of rising beef prices and an ongoing international affordability crisis, many may be reconsidering this delicious and budget-friendly alternative to the traditional hamburger. However, an enduring dilemma with turkey burgers is how to keep them moist and tender — a problem solved by the author, TV host, and domestic specialist Martha Stewart with the application of some ingredients you might normally think of as burger toppings.

Since the USDA instructs that ground poultry, such as turkey, should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, 5 degrees more than beef burgers, we have to try harder to keep the turkey patties succulent. The issue is that turkey is leaner and has less fat than beef, so additional ingredients are necessary if you want to keep your fully-cooked turkey burgers juicy and prevent them from drying out.

In a recipe available on Stewart's YouTube channel, she explains that good-quality ground turkey breast from the butcher will preferably be 90-93% lean meat. To one-and-a-half pounds of ground turkey, she incorporates half a cup of finely-grated gruyere cheese, four thinly sliced scallions, a quarter-cup of Dijon mustard (Stewart advises against using "hot dog mustard"), and one minced clove of garlic, plus salt and pepper, and a quarter-cup of dried breadcrumbs for texture. To further address turkey's lack of fat, Stewart cautions that your grill should be lightly sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray. The result, in Stewart's words, will be "succulent."

Martha Stewart's isn't the only turkey-based recipe to use mustard mixed in with the meat to help keep your burger juicy — if you're feeling truly adventurous, you can also use it when making a Thanksgiving-style turducken burger. And although most of us would trust that Stewart knows what she's doing in the kitchen, there are plenty of other techniques for ensuring a moist, flavorful turkey burger if you are in the mood to experiment.

The signature turkey burger of chef, author, and food blogger Angela Davis, otherwise known as Kitchenista, adds moistness, flavor, and a little decadence by drizzling melted duck fat into the ground meat. Adding a spoonful or two of mayonnaise to your meat mixture is also favored by chefs, including recipe developer Michelle McGlinn. Some have likened it to using an egg yolk as a binder, but McGlinn's turkey burger recipe doubles down on the juiciness by utilizing not just mayo, but creamy goat's milk as well. Of course, you may want to try combining elements of all of these methods for a turkey burger you can truly call your own.