Jalapeño Patty Melt Burger

Delicious and spicy, the jalapeño patty melt burger!

We love burgers, but we limit our red meat to one serving per week. Consequently, I look for alternatives to the juicy beef burger. (Boca Burgers and MorningStar Farms aren’t an option for me right now because they contain soy, which interferes with medication I take; however, veggie burgers are a good alternative if your doctor agrees)

I buy lean ground turkey for making my own sausage, pasta sauce, etc. and I’ve experimented with ways to make it more palatable as a burger. The problem is the taste. Turkey has a tendency to be bland, so it’s necessary to bump up the flavors. One solution is my recipe that’s a knock off of a popular beef burger at a fast food chain, the jalapeño patty melt burger. It has a kick, especially if the salsa is hot. If you aren’t a fan of spicy hot food, you can vary the recipe with milder cheese, salsa, and peppers.

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RECIPE

Ingredients:

1. ½ pound lean ground turkey
2. dash of salt and pepper
3. 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
4. 2 Tbsp. salsa, divided
5. 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
6. 2 ounces pepperjack cheese, divided in fourths
7. 2 whole wheat burger buns

Directions:

1. Preheat a cast iron grill pan, outdoor grill, or contact grill.
2. Combine ground turkey with the salsa, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper. Do not overwork the meat.
3. Form turkey mixture into two equal patties (make a bit thinner in the centers to prevent burger bulge)
4. Cook for five minutes on hot grill or grill pan, turn, and cook opposite sides of burgers five minutes.
5. While burgers cook, separate the bottoms and tops of the buns. Place on fourth of the cheese on each bottom.
6. Remove burgers from heat and place on the cheese on the bottom portions of the buns. Add a fourth of the pepperjack cheese, and the jalapeño slices.
7. Place burger, bun and all, back in the grill pan or on the grill. Weight the burger down and cook one minute or until cheese melts. (If using a contact grill, no weight is necessary)
8. Carefully remove jalapeño patty melt burger from the grill and serve.

Yield: 2 burgers

Variations: Mix the salsa with 1 Tbsp. sour cream and spread on each bun before adding the cheese.