Bacon Balsamic Turkey Burgers

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Hey y’all! It’s still January. It’s still cold out. I’m dreaming of warmer weather and sunshine. In the meantime, I’m still cooking my lil heart away in the kitchen dreaming up lots delicious goodies to put on this here blog. To me, January is a perfect time to get back on track with everything in life: organization, weight loss, working out, cleaning out the closet, whatever it is that you’ve put off for months and months after pumpkin spice season hit. I feel like once that season hits…. we kind of all forget about the real world, okay maybe not everyone, maybe just me. Anyhow, It’s a brand new year. a fresh start. a blank slate. It always makes me hopeful and it always makes me want to start taking care of myself a bit better. I think these Bacon Balsamic Turkey Burgers are the perfect little things to help me (and you!) kick off this new start.

In November of last year, Jennie-O reached out to me asking if I could feature some of their product with my recipes here on Daily Dose of Pepper. Of course, I replied with a big ol’ fat “yes”. I have used Jennie-O products for years and years. I promise that I will only ever feature something here if I actually use it and like it! As you may or may not already know one of my most popular recipes to date was actually created using Jennie-O Lean Breakfast Turkey Sausage… Biscuits N’ Gravy Bake!! and also, one of my favorite go-to breakfasts Cheesy Sausage Hash Brown Bake! Honestly, anything on here that calls for ground turkey is most likely Jennie-0. I have a small stockpile in my freezer almost always so even if a recipe calls for beef, I’ll use lean ground turkey in place of it a lot of the time and Eric never, ever knows the difference. (Let’s keep that between you and me!) Earlier this month, they sent me some extra lean ground turkey! I’ll be honest, I like a lil’ fat with my meat so I have never tried the extra lean type before. I was a little thrown off and I wasn’t sure what to do… so I kept putting off this post. I finally just decided that I would share with you a version of my killer turkey burgers! I love these things. They remind me of summer.  Eric and I have been makin’ em this way for a long time. We love to put them on the grill during warmer months, and in the oven in the winter. Sometimes I add different spices, sometimes I’ll add a little chopped onion, or I’ll make some balsamic grilled onions to pile high on top! (I’ll show ya how to do those one day soon!)

Anyhow, These are pretty dang delicious. I’ve had them for precisely three meals in a row now and I’m not tired of them. Not even a little. And I really think you’ll enjoy these too! I’m going to show you how to do the skillet to oven method today because that’s my favorite method. Also, truth be told, I don’t know how to grill. We charcoal grill so, I’m still working on my technique. Side note: I’ve been working on my technique for about 10 years…. I leave the grilling to Eric and before him, my Dad was the grill master. I personally feel like I have no control over the temperature and it drives me a little nuts. I will list the things I have mastered on the grill for y’all.

1. Hot Dogs (only because I like them burnt)
2. Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (only because I like them burnt)

That’s literally it.

About these burgers, They are delicious and insanely low in calories and weight watcher points. So for y’all looking to lose a little of the extra jiggle. (Lord knows I am) These are going to make your belly and waist super happy! I enjoyed quite literally all of the oven baked french fries next to these babies.. because life is about balance, dontcha know?

Let’s get cooking!

Throw two pounds  Extra Lean Ground Turkey in a large bowl.

Also throw some chopped bacon… because it’s the right thing to do.

Ahem, when working with super lean meat and you want to make a burger patty. It needs a little fat Enter: Bacon.

This is where the recipe gets fun. I’m always trying new things. The world is your oyster turkey burger.

No really though, these ingredients have been my super tried a true ones. So I’ll share these ones for now. Add a little of this a little of that.. light mayo, a few or five dashes of hot sauce, 2 tsp of balsamic vinegar, and a few tsp of Worcestershire Sauce! They mayo will be your binder basically so that the burger does not break up while cooking.

‘

You either love this or hate this. I don’t mind this, but I hate this when precisely 1.3 seconds of mashing has gone by and my baby girl starts screaming from the other room. What was wrong you ask? Why, She put herself into a laundry basket and didn’t know how to get out of it!

Okay… Wash your hands and get in there. Mash up the meat real good with your hands to make sure you  incorporate all of the ingredients into each burger patty.

Form 7- 4 1/2 ounce burger patties and lay on a plate or cutting board.

I’m kind of generous with the salt here. You don’t have to be. If you can, use Kosher salt. The flakes of salt adhere much better to the meat rather than regular salt. Salt and Pepper one side of each patty.

Lightly spray the pan with a bit of cooking spray. I used canola oil here. Throw’m salt n’ pepper side down in a large fry pan lightly spraying with a bit of cooking spray over medium-high heat. On the side that is right side up salt n’ pepper it! Drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar on one side of each patty. Brown on each side for 2 minutes.

When they are done in the fry pan, transfer onto a sheet pan. Place in a 375 degree oven to finish cooking for about 8-10 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove from oven and let them rest for a few minutes. (They will continue cooking without overcooking while sitting.)

and then you’ll have this. Oh my gosh. It looks like it came off the grill! (It didn’t, I promise.) What you see is exactly what I did and It’s exactly what I eat. It’s moist, flavorful, and just perfect!

Grab some burger fixin’s. Whatever you fancy. In this house, we prefer the onion, tomato, and lettuce trifecta.

Grab a bun! These ones are reduced calorie made with whole grains.

Or, make yourself a lettuce wrapped burger!

and if you’re like me, add cheese!! Mozzarella compliments this burger quite perfectly.

This afternoon I went to photograph these burgers because I kept forgetting to do a finished photograph. I had no intentions of eating this until later or tomorrow, but I couldn’t resist. Every part of this lettuce wrapped burger is pretty much perfect and that’s saying a lot because bread pretty much is my world. I love how fresh it tastes. It reminds me of Spring! Spring? Where are you? Come back to mama. Pretty please?

And here’s both of them, just hangin’ out, ready to be eaten!

Get cooking! and make sure to Let me know how it goes!

With love from my kitchen to yours, 

Star

P.S. This recipe can easily be halved if you’d rather just use 1 lb of meat.

P.P.S. We just like to eat in this house.

P.P.P.S. I will edit this post when I see how the couple that I threw in the freezer turn out.

*This post is sponsored by Jennie O as part of the Switch Circle Blogger program. Recipe and opinions are my own.*

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5 from 8 votes

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Bacon Balsamic Turkey Burgers

a super simple and delicious healthier take on a turkey burger

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Yield: 7

Author: Star @ the skinny-ish dish

Materials

• 2 lbs ground turkey , extra lean (99% lean)
• 6 slices center cut bacon , raw and chopped
• 1/4 cup light mayo
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar + more for drizzling
• 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• a few dashes of hot sauce , depending on spice preference
• Kosher Salt & Pepper
• Cooking Spray

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl add the first 6 ingredients. With clean hands, mash together the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Form 7 4-1/2 ounce patties and lay on a cutting board. Salt and Pepper one side of patty. In a large frying pan over medium high heat, lightly spray with cooking spray, place the patty salt & pepper’d side down. On the side that is upright add salt & pepper then drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes. Repeat for all patties. Place patties on a sheet pan and then into the oven for about 8 minutes or until the a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove from oven and let the burgers rest for a few minutes to finish cooking without over cooking. Assemble your burgers however you like’m on a bun or in a lettuce wrap. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Serving size: 1 patty

170 calories 4g fat. 1g saturated fat. 1g carbohydrates. 0g fiber. 0.5g sugar. 30g protein 

WeightWatchers Points: 2 Points