Grilled Turkey Burgers with Pimento Cheese and Pomegranate-Cola Glaze
Ground turkey patties infused with sautéed celery, onion, apple, and fresh herbs, grilled and brushed with a tangy pomegranate-cola reduction glaze. Topped with pimento cheese and coleslaw on buttered buns. The glaze combines pomegranate juice, Coca-Cola, and gelatin for a glossy finish that caramelizes on the grill.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup celery, chopped then finely minced
- ¼ cup Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped then finely minced
- 1 whole Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
- 1 ½ pounds ground turkey, mixed white and dark
- 2 tablespoons chutney, like Major Grey'sapple butter1:1condimentadds dairy
removes spice notes
- hot sauce, a couple dashes, to taste(optional)
- ½ cup quick cooking oatmeal, like Coach's Oatspanko breadcrumbs0.75:1binderadds gluten
removes whole grains
- fresh lemon zest, pinch
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon dried sage
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- pimento cheese, store-bought or homemade, to dresscheddar cheesenullcheese
homogeneous melt
- coleslaw, store-bought or homemade, to dress(optional)
- 4 whole burger buns, lightly buttered
- 1 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
- ¼ ounce unflavored gelatin, generally one packet, like Knox
- 1 cup Coca-Cola ClassicCoca-Cola Zero1:1beverage
removes sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- 1
Sauté celery, onion, and apple in butter until tender; cool completely.
- 2
Combine half the pomegranate juice with gelatin and let bloom for 10 minutes.
- 3
Bring cola, remaining pomegranate juice, and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan.
- 4
Remove from heat and whisk in the gelatin mixture.
- 5
Return to burner and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer over medium to medium-high until reduced to about half cup, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Keep warm over very low heat.
- 6
Once vegetables cool, combine them with ground turkey, chutney, hot sauce, oatmeal, lemon zest, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Mix gently.
- 7
Form mixture into four patties approximately 1 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- 8
Season burgers with salt and pepper.
- 9
Sear on a hot grill 3-4 minutes per side, then continue grilling 5-7 minutes total over medium until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- 10
Brush both sides of burgers with glaze.
- 11
Toast buttered buns on the top rack of the grill in the last few minutes of cooking.
- 12
Top burgers with pimento cheese and coleslaw; serve immediately.
Tips
Chill formed patties for at least 2 hours to help them hold together during grilling.
Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of the burger to ensure doneness without piercing the top.
Keep the glaze warm over low heat once reduced so it maintains the right consistency for brushing.
Good to Know
Uncooked patties can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before grilling. Store leftover glaze in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Form and refrigerate patties up to 24 hours ahead. Prepare glaze up to 2 hours ahead and keep warm over very low heat.
Serve immediately after assembly while burgers are hot and buns are toasted.
Common Mistakes
Do not overwork the meat mixture to avoid dense, tough burgers.
Do not skip the refrigeration step to avoid patties falling apart on the grill.
Do not cook past 165 degrees internal temperature to avoid dry turkey.
Substitutions
removes sugar
removes spice notes