Did you know…
Burger patties (or minced meat) were once considered a health food? New York doctor, James H. Salisbury, regularly prescribed cooked beef patties to his patients with digestive issues. This led to other doctors and cooks adopting the “Salisbury Steak” remedy.
Origins of the burger
Many argue when and where burgers on a bun came into the picture. Lunch wagons, fair stands and roadside restaurants across the Midwest, Texas, Ohio and Wisconsin all claim to be the birthplace of the American hamburger. Regardless of its state of origin, the burger ultimately took the national stage in 1904 at the St. Louis World Fair. However, the grimey reality of industrial ground beef in the early 20th century, highlighted in The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, nearly destroyed its reputation.
It wasn’t until 1921 when White Castle founders, Edgar “Billy” Ingram and Walter Anderson, created a system for hygienic, on-site meat grinding that ultimately off-set the public concern around shady practices in the meat industry. Ingram even went as far as to solicit a medical school to conduct a study on the health benefits of their burgers! This set the stage for subsequent fast-food chains like McDonalds, In-&-Out Burger, and Burger King to garner public support for the burgers we’ve come to enjoy as a nation.
This burger recipe is not quite like it’s fast food sibling.
These juicy, turkey and wagyu beef burgers are the perfect dish for a warm, spring afternoon. Throwing them in the air fryer also makes for quick and easy clean-up. I was introduced to this Ninja Foodi Air Fryer through a friend while on a cabin trip back in 2020 and have been obsessed ever since. It’s got five settings: grill, roast, bake, dehydrate and air crisp/fry! This thing is so easy to use and makes clean-up a breeze!
First step in making these yummy burgers…
In a large bowl, mix together your wagyu beef, ground turkey, seasonings, egg, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs and cheese. Form into medium-sized patties and set aside in the fridge.
Next you’ll need to preheat the air fryer…
Set the air fryer to 375 degrees before placing your formed patties in the air fryer to cook for 10-12 minutes. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
While the burgers cook, spread mayo or butter on your sesame seed buns and throw in the oven for a few minutes to brown. Once the burgers are done, dress them up on the bun with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Air Fryer Turkey Burger
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
Burger Patty Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 lb wagyu ground beef
- 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg large
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Italian blend)
- 1/2 tsp BBQ seasoning
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp creole seasoning
Burger Toppings
- sesame seed buns
- 2 tbsp butter or mayo
- sliced cheese
- bacon
- tomatoes
- lettuce
Instructions
- Combine all the burger patty ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
- Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees
- Form your burgers into medium-sized patties (approximately 4 oz. each).
- Once the air fryer has finished pre-heating, place the burger patties in the air fryer and let cook for approximately 10-12 minutes. Be sure to use a thermometer to confirm the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees in the center.
- While you burgers cook, turn your oven broiler on to low or medium heat. Spread butter or mayo on your sesame seed buns before placing in the oven let brown for approximately 5 minutes.
- Once the burgers are fully cooked and the buns toasted to your liking, it's time to assemble! Load up with cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon and any other toppings you like!
- Enjoy!
Notes
- To store, either wrap the burger patties tightly in aluminum foil or place in an airtight container and refrigerate. These are usually good up to 3-4 days later.
- I usually use ground turkey meat only for my burgers, but my local grocery store recently started carrying wagyu beef which has been a nice addition to the burger mix.
- There’s a lot of debate in the culinary community over whether butter or mayo is a better spread for toasting and browning bread. I’m partial to mayo because of the added flavor it provides, but I honestly think a 50/50 mix of both yields the best results. Either way, if you’re in a rush, just throw on whatever fatty spread you have available and let it toast up.
