Summer is finally here and this long weekend, Canadians across the country will be heading outdoors to fire up the BBQ and cook up delicious and healthy grilling recipes. Everyone knows that during the summer months, the barbecue is your best friend and the easiest way to get a quick dinner on the table during busy weeknights (before dashing to baseball and soccer games) or even entertaining large groups of family and friends on long weekends like Canada Day!
Turkey is a nutritious option that’s easy to prepare on the grill. The lean fat content of turkey also reduces flare-ups on the grill, so you’ll feel good knowing you are preparing a healthy BBQ meal. Everyone’s summer favourites like burgers, kabobs and sausages are full-flavoured and delicious when made with Canadian turkey.
Looking for a tried and true winner? Try turkey in any of your family favourite hamburger recipes.
This post is sponsored by Canadian Turkey, Turkey Burger recipe provided.
Great Canadian Turkey Burger with Maple Whiskey BBQ Sauce
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 25-30 mins
Ingredients:
For Burgers:
- 2 lbs ground Canadian turkey
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tsp each: mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tamari sauce (or light soy sauce)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 slices bacon, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 6-8 slices Canadian cheddar (optional)
- 6-8 slices Canadian bacon, cooked (optional)
- 6-8 hamburger buns
For Maple Whiskey BBQ Sauce:
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup Canadian whiskey
- ½ cup ketchup
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp each: cumin, mustard powder, sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Directions:
For burgers:
Heat olive oil in a frying pan.
Add onions and cook over medium heat until tender and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
While onions are cooking, add panko to a small bowl. Add milk and set aside for 5 minutes until fully absorbed.
Season turkey meat with spices, salt and pepper.
Add Worcestershire, tamari, garlic, bacon, egg, cooled onions and panko mixture.
Gently mix together until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Take care not to over mix.
Divide mixture into even portions (6 for larger burgers, 8 for smaller). Roughly shape into a tennis ball. Flatten into a patty shape.
Refrigerate for at least 60 minutes up to overnight. This will help patties hold their shape when cooking.
Pre-heat your grill. Grill over medium heat until cooked through and no longer pink, 6-8 minutes per side. Baste generously with BBQ sauce in the last 5 minutes of cooking. (Timing may vary according to your BBQ and heat settings. Burgers are cooked when an instant read thermometer reads 165ºF).
If using, top with cheddar cheese and cooked baconstrips in the last few minutes of grilling. Let burgers rest for 10 minutes before serving on a hamburger bun topped with additional BBQ sauce and all your favourite toppings.
TIP: These burgers can be made in advance and frozen for a quick lunch, dinner or grab-and-go snack. Freeze individual patties between sheets of freezer paper or freeze a batch on a baking tray and move to a Ziploc bag when frozen. Just thaw for 20 minutes before following grilling instructions.
For sauce:
While burgers are chilling, whisk together all BBQ sauce ingredients in a saucepan.
Bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes until sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and let cool. Sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Download this Build A Better Burger Guide for 10 pro tips to help you build the best burgers ever!
Are you looking for additional tips, recipes and HOW TO’s? Visit canadianturkey.ca for all your cooking inspiration. The Get Grilling recipe section is filled with tasty recipes to fire up on the grill. There are year-round WHOLE TURKEY HOW TO’s packed with helpful tips and techniques like brining and spatchcocking, and instructional and recipe videos that make it easy to create a delicious dinner all summer long.
Turkey Burger with Maple Whiskey BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground Canadian turkey
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tsp each: mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tamari sauce (or light soy sauce)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 slices bacon, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 6-8 slices Canadian cheddar (optional)
- 6-8 slices Canadian bacon, cooked (optional)
- 6-8 hamburger buns
- For Maple Whiskey BBQ Sauce:
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup Canadian whiskey
- ½ cup ketchup
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp each: cumin, mustard powder, sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan.
2. Add onions and cook over medium heat until tender and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. While onions are cooking, add panko to a small bowl. Add milk and set aside for 5 minutes until fully absorbed.
4. Season turkey meat with spices, salt and pepper.
5. Add Worcestershire, tamari, garlic, bacon, egg, cooled onions and panko mixture.
6. Gently mix together until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Take care not to over mix.
7. Divide mixture into even portions (6 for larger burgers, 8 for smaller). Roughly shape into a tennis ball. Flatten into a patty shape.
8. Refrigerate for at least 60 minutes up to overnight. This will help patties hold their shape when cooking.
9. Pre-heat your grill. Grill over medium heat until cooked through and no longer pink, 6-8 minutes per side. Baste generously with BBQ sauce in the last 5 minutes of cooking. (Timing may vary according to your BBQ and heat settings. Burgers are cooked when an instant read thermometer reads 165ºF).
10. If using, top with cheddar cheese and cooked baconstrips in the last few minutes of grilling. Let burgers rest for 10 minutes before serving on a hamburger bun topped with additional BBQ sauce and all your favourite toppings.
For sauce:
1. While burgers are chilling, whisk together all BBQ sauce ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes until sauce thickens.
3. Remove from heat and let cool. Sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
TIP: These burgers can be made in advance and frozen for a quick lunch, dinner or grab-and-go snack. Freeze individual patties between sheets of freezer paper or freeze a batch on a baking tray and move to a Ziploc bag when frozen. Just thaw for 20 minutes before following grilling instructions.
Winner, Winner Turkey Dinner!
To help you celebrate summer with your family, enter below for a chance to win a $75 Amazon e-card Open to Canadian residents including Quebec, ends July 14 2019 11:59pm est. Good Luck!
I will be trying the Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs recipe.
Deconstructed BBQ Turkey Caesar Salad sounds really good!
I would like to try the Turkey Taco burgers
I’ll be making the turkey kabobs!
I’ll be trying the Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs on the grill this summer – looks delicious, although I will skip the zucchini.
I will be trying the Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs
The Mango-Chili-Lime BBQ’d Drummettes sound delicious
sweet ginger turkey kabobs !
Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs looks colourful!
I have to try the SMOKEY MAPLE TURKEY WINGS
The Cheddar Smokey Turkey & Lentil Burgers look interesting to try.
the sweet ginger turkey kabobs would be nice to try
I will be trying the turkey taco burger.
TURKEY TERIYAKI sounds like it’s really very much to my taste. 🙂
Grilled Turkey and Mushroom Pesto Burgers looks like a great recipe to try.
I would love to try MANGO-CHILI-LIME BBQ’D DRUMMETTES
I would try the garlic sesame turkey steaks
I’ll be trying Mango-Chili-Lime BBQ’d Drummettes .
I want to try the taco burger
I’ll try the smoky maple turkey wings!
The sweet ginger turkey kabobs, we love making kabobs as the are easy and the kids love them
cheddar smokey bacon turkey burger
Turkey burger 🍔
DECONSTRUCTED BBQ TURKEY CAESAR SALAD would be on my list to try !
Turkey Black Bean Salad looks good
Garlicky Turkey Souvlaki.
Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs. Sounds yummy
I’ll be making the Turkey Kabobs.
I’d like to try the GREAT CANADIAN TURKEY BURGER WITH MAPLE WHISKEY BBQ SAUCE.
smokey turkey wings
The Grilled Turkey and Mushroom Pesto Burgers recipe sounds perfect!
I think I will try Sweet Ginger Turkey Kabobs as they sound delicious.
Ill try Turkey Taco Burgers!
Would like to try the …BBQ Turkey Breast with a Brown Sugar Rub and BBQ Sauce
I’m going to grill the Bacon-Mushroom Cheese Turkey Burger this summer.
Maple chili lime drummettes.
I’d try the turkey teriyaki
The Turkey Souvlaki with wine sauce is one I would try.
We’ll be enjoying the Hawaiian kebabs
Sweet Ginger Turkey Kabobs look tasty and easy!
GREAT CANADIAN TURKEY BURGER WITH MAPLE WHISKEY BBQ SAUCE
I have to say that the Turkey Black Bean Salad looks and sounds delicious.
I’d try the DECONSTRUCTED BBQ TURKEY CAESAR SALAD
The sweet ginger turkey kabobs is something my family would love, so I will be giving this recipe a try.
BBQ TURKEY CAESAR SALAD Looks amazing!!! Happy Canada day !!!
I think the Turkey Burger with Maple Whiskey BBQ Sauce sounds super-yummy!
I would love to try the SWEET GINGER TURKEY KABOBS.
Turkey with maple whiskey and BBQ sauce sounds amazing!
I’d like to try the Green Goodness BBQ’d Turkey Sliders.
I would love to try the Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs
I’m definitely trying the Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs!
We’ll be trying the Tex-Mex Turkey Burger
We will try to turkey teriyaki.
Green Goodness BBQ’d Turkey Sliders
I would try MANGO-CHILI-LIME BBQ’D DRUMMETTES on the BBQ
The Great Canadian Turkey Burger looks awesome! I’ll definitely be trying it this summer!
I’m always looking for new salad recipes. I’d give Deconstructed BBQ Turkey Caesar Salad a try!
Turkey black bean salad is a recipe i would love to try.
The Sweet Ginger Turkey Kabobs look amazing but I’m always afraid of salmonella when stacking that way… getting them cooked through. I might try them though as they look soooooo good.
I would like to try the MANGO-CHILI-LIME BBQ’D DRUMMETTES.
The turkey Kabobs!
GARLICKY TURKEY SOUVLAKI would be delicious!
I would like to try the Garlicky Turkey Souvlaki
I am going to try grilling the Zesty Turkey Tikka Kebobs. They look yummy!
I would like to try the MANGO-CHILI-LIME BBQ’D DRUMMETTES
I would love to try the cheddar smokey bacon turkey burger
Turkey Black Bean Salad
I’ll be trying the CHILI LIME TURKEY WITH FRESH SALSA
Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs.
I really want to try the Feta Stuffed Greek Burgers this summer; it looks delicious!
Time for the Sweet Ginger Turkey Kabobs on our grill
I would love to try MANGO-CHILI-LIME BBQ’D DRUMMETTES
turkey kabobs for sure . they taste amazing grilled on BBQ
the sweet ginger turkey kabobs look like something my family would love
Turkey burger 🍔
The Turkey Souvlaki with Wine Sauce would be delicious!
I will try the sweet ginger turkey kabobs
I will try the texmex turkey burgers
Will be trying the MANGO-CHILI-LIME BBQ’D DRUMMETTES on the grill.
Deconstructed BBQ Turkey Caesar Salad
The Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs is what I will be making
turkey kabobs
I believe the Pineapple Turkey Kabobs would be a great hit at a family BBQ this summer.
We will definitely be having Chili Lime Turkey with Fresh Salsa one evening this week. Thanks for the super giveaway opportunity.
The kids love tacos… the kids love burgers… what better than to combine those loves into the Turkey Taco Burgers! That’s what will be on my grill this summer!
I like to try the turkey black been salad
I will be trying the Turkey Burger with Maple Whiskey BBQ Sauce.
I’ll be giving the DECONSTRUCTED BBQ TURKEY CAESAR SALAD a try!
I’m excited to try the Sweet Ginger Turkey Kabobs this summer.
It’ll be Peruvian grilled turkey for me. I love soy sauce based marinades!
Grilled Turkey, Portabello Mushrooms & Vegetable Kabobs
The burger looks great!
Ummmmm, the Cheddar Smokey Bacon Turkey Burger sounds yummy, want to try it!
Garlicky Turkey Souvlaki
Pineapple Turkey Kabobs would be a great hit at the family
would love to try the Feta Stuffed Greek Turkey Burgers this summer…all the flavours my family loves!
The GRILLED TURKEY, PORTABELLO MUSHROOMS & VEGETABLE KABOBS sound like the perfect summer bbq food!
Can wait to try the Turkey Kabobs!
I would love to try the GARLICKY TURKEY SOUVLAKI!
SO love the lean protein of white meat. I often sub in chicken or turkey for things like stroganoff. Would like to try Chili Lime Turkey with fresh salsa
MANGO-CHILI-LIME BBQ’D DRUMMETTES on the BBQ
I want to try the Turkey Caesar salad.
The BBQ TURKEY CAESAR SALAD looks delicious!
I’d like to try making the turkey black bean salad!
So many great recipes! Garlicky turkey souvlaki, sounds yummy or turkey teriyaki! I also want to try spatchcocking my own!
The Mango-Chili-Lime BBQ’d Drummettes sound really good and would like to try that recipe this summer.
I’d like to try the Sweet Ginger Turkey Kabobs on the grill this summer.
Turkey Kabobs are happening this coming weekend!
I think the cheddar smokey bacon turkey burgers would be something my family would like to try.
I would like to make the DECONSTRUCTED BBQ TURKEY CAESAR SALAD.
I would love to try the DECONSTRUCTED BBQ TURKEY CAESAR SALAD!
Haven’t had a turkey burger this summer but now I think I might.
I would love to try the TURKEY TACO BURGERS. I’m sure my kids would love those.
I would like to make the Mango-Chili-Lime BBQ’d Drummettes. They would be a nice addition to our regular menu.
I’d like to try the Cheddar Smokey Turkey & Lentil Burger
I would like to try Turkey Taco Burgers on the grill.
We’ll be trying DECONSTRUCTED BBQ TURKEY CAESAR SALAD on the grill this summer!
Looks delish!
I will try the Turkey Black Bean Salad
The TURKEY TACO BURGERS look really good!
Turkey Souvlaki with Wine Sauce
I’d love to try the Turkey Souvlaki with Wine Sauce.
I would like to try the tex mex turkey burgers
FLORENTINE TURKEY BURGERS looks like a great recipe to try
I’d love to try out the MANGO-CHILI-LIME BBQ’D DRUMMETTES
The cheddar smoky bacon turkey burger sounds really delish!
The turkey recipe that I will be trying on the grill this summer is the GREAT CANADIAN TURKEY BURGER WITH MAPLE WHISKEY BBQ SAUCE.
I would love to try the SMOKEY MAPLE TURKEY WINGS.
The Mango-Chili-Lime BBQ’d Drummettes sound amazing!
The garlickly turkey souvlaki sounds yum!
I will be trying the Sweet Ginger Turkey kabobs.
I’d love to make the turkey black bean salad!
The fam would love the Doug Speirs’ Grilled Turkey Torpedoes!
CAJUN TURKEY SAUSAGE FOIL PACK love the way foil packs combine flavours
CAJUN TURKEY SAUSAGE FOIL PACK would be nice at the lake
I’ll be making the Just Peachy Grilled Turkey Breast.
I would love to try the Grilled Teriyaki Turkey!
I would love to try the Grilled Teriyaki Turkey
Would love to try the Grilled Turkey Fajitas this summer, in fact I might just put them on the menu for next weekend.
I would like to try the greek turkey burgers
my family would really enjoy Cheddar Smokey Turkey & Lentil Burgers
Sweet Ginger Turkey Kabobs❤️
The turkey black bean salad looks good.