Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Pears and Sweet Onion

Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Pears and Sweet Onion SM

These delicious and juicy burgers are perfect for a summer cookout. Firm-ripe USA Pears, sweet onion, ground turkey, and fresh thyme come together to make a quick and easy dinner. Creamy goat cheese and more pear slices top these fresh and light turkey burgers for a nice change of pace from a traditional beef burger. Throw some zucchini and red peppers on the grill, and the meal is complete! Make a double batch of these burgers and freeze the uncooked patties between sheets of waxed paper for a quick dinner down the road.

Ingredients
¾ pound ground white turkey
¾ pound ground dark turkey
1 firm-ripe USA Pear, such as Bartlett or Anjou, medium dice
½ a medium sweet onion, medium dice
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for brushing
For serving
4 burger buns of your choice
Whole grain mustard
6 ounces chevre (goat cheese), at room temperature
1 ripe USA Pear, such as Bartlett or Anjou
Leaf lettuce

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, diced pear, onion, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until combined. Form the mixture into 4 patties. Brush the patties lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking. You can refrigerate the burgers at this point until ready to grill.

When you’re ready to cook the burgers, preheat your grill to medium heat. Once hot, grill the burgers for 5-6 minutes per side, or until just cooked through. Spread the bottom bun with mustard and place a burger on top. Top each burger with a lettuce leaf and ¼ of a pear, sliced. Spread each of the bun tops with ¼ of the soft goat cheese and assemble to complete the burger.

About Hilary

I'm a personal chef and recipe writer here as well as at tummyrumblr.com. I grew up in Oregon where I ran, hiked, looked out over great distances, and fell in love with all of the beautiful produce this great state has to offer. I've worked as a caterer, a farmer, a pizza tosser, a line cook, a dishwasher, and a cooking school instructor. I'm thrilled to be writing for USA Pears because it gives me the opportunity to learn much more about all of the different and distinct pear varieties that are grown here in my favorite part of the world.

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