Big Mouth Burgers

by Brooke on January 31, 2011

I tell my husband everything. He knows about the time I tried to impress a cute LDS missionary by kicking so incredibly high that I lost my balance and landed flat on my back. (That one was for you, Elder Palmatier). He knows I sometimes clean the kitchen floor with a rag on my foot, that I have a penchant for Swedish Fish eaten with Hot Tamales, and that I have a British boyfriend (Hi Warnick!).

My husband is my uber bestie. We look each other in the eye. We tell each other the good, the bad, the ugly. Thoughts we’re thinking. The hopes we’re hoping. The pittances we’re…pittancing. When I married that man two handfuls ago, I knew I was getting a goodie. But, I don’t know if I could have guessed how blessed we’d be to walk the same path of growth together, to share so many parallel moments of change, stretching, laughter, tears, perserverance, faith, and love.

I feel confident that I can attribute much of our relationship success to the heart inside that man of mine. It’s so good. So honest. It beats to do right, to be kind, to learn the best ways. I love that heart of his. Also, I love his pecs. Those are dang nice, too.

Which is why it pains me so much to offer a public confession that will affect him deeply. There’s one thing I haven’t been honest about with that hubby of mine. Something I’ve got to say. Something he should know.

Last nights dinner? It wasn’t technically a burger. It was a turkey burger.

And there were mushrooms in it.

(That sweet man of mine detests mushrooms).

But, ooooh. That’s the thing about these burgers. Even mushroom haters (even SEXY mushroom haters) will like them. There’s a secret technique my sis taught me for turning ground turkey and mushrooms into a hearty, juicy burger that tastes exactly like the real thing (with a billion less calories).

I’m willing to let you in on the secret. But first, I’ve gotta go share my stash of Swedish Fish and Hot Tamales with that loverboy of mine. That (plus a big, juicy kiss) should wipe the mushroom slate clean. Wish me luck.

Big Mouth Burgers

These juicy, hearty burgers aren't really burgers at all. They are a clever combination of ground turkey and chopped mushrooms simmered with garlic and onions. I always struggle with making actual hamburgers because they never seem to turn out as mouthwateringly delicious as I think they should. But these burgers are positively unreal. Totally bursting with flavor and tenderness. They taste like the best hamburgers you've eaten anywhere...only they aren't hamburgers. Shhhh! Don't tell! Know one will ever know.

Ingredients:

16 ounces cremini mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1/4 yellow onion
1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds turkey
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Place mushrooms, garlic, and onion in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground. In a large cast iron skillet, melt the butter and cook the mushroom mixture until very soft, about 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Transfer the mixture into a large bowl. Add the ground turkey, liquid smoke, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix all together until very well combined. Split the mixture into 6 even portions. Roll into balls and flatten into thick burgers. Refrigerate until ready to cook. Wipe the cast iron pan clean with a paper towel. Heat the pan to medium-high heat and cook the burgers until browned on each side and fully cooked all the way through (about 4-5 minutes per side). Once both sides are browned, cover the pan with a lid to ensure even cooking throughout each burger.

Serve on toasted buns with your favorite fixin's. Mine? Swiss cheese, avocado, fresh spinach, red onion slices & bacon. Johns? Ketchup and mustard with a side of deception. Deeelish!

See those gorgeous chips up there?
I’m addicted! They are TERRA’s new Thai Basil Curry Chips (want a coupon?) and I would eat them three times a day and twice for breakfast if I could. Oh, wait. I might have done that today. Honesty, Brooke. Honesty.

Posted in Dinners, Meat, Party Food

9 comments »

9 Responses to “Big Mouth Burgers”

1

Trista on March 10, 2011 at 10:44 pm Reply
How finely do you pulse the mushrooms and onion? Do you take it all the way to a paste?
- Brooke replied: — March 11th, 2011 @ 10:09 pm
  
  My food processor won’t go so far as a paste. I just pulse them until they are teensy, tiny little mushroom granules. I wouldn’t think a paste would cook as well as the finely chopped mushrooms do. Does that help?
2

Sara on March 13, 2011 at 7:29 am Reply
This may be a silly question, but would these cook OK on a George Foreman grill? I am kind of a burger amateur, but I can’t wait to try these on my BF–he detests mushrooms, too!
- Brooke replied: — March 13th, 2011 @ 9:18 pm
  
  I absolutely think you can cook them on a Foreman grill, or a regular barbecue grill, should you so desire. They are quite as versatile as regular hamburgers…just a heck of a lot healthier!
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