Kimchi Turkey Burger Sliders
I love Asian cuisine. Japanese, Chinese, Korean, it's all wonderful. Really great spices and interesting flavor combinations. I love the International District in Seattle and especially the grocery store, Uwajimaya. I could spend hours in that store and sometimes do! The first time I visited I walked there; big mistake. I kept putting things in my basket and then putting them back on the shelf, realizing that I didn't want to carry 40 lbs of groceries the two miles it would take to get back to my apartment. Thankfully, Uwajimaya has a generous parking lot and validates if you spend above a certain amount. I try not to drive in Seattle if I don't have to; traffic is usually a nightmare, parking is nonexistent, and walking or public transit are better for the environment. But I will always drive to Uwajimaya. Besides, nobody wants to sit next to someone on the bus that just bought four different kinds of fermented vegetables. Stinky but delicious!
Kimchi turkey burger sliders were born out of a spur of the moment idea to make kimchi mayonnaise. I love kimchi and I love mayonnaise and sometimes you just have to combine things to see what works. It turns out that kimchi mayonnaise is one of the best things ever. What do you do with an awesome new condiment? (besides eat it straight with a spoon - don't judge until you've tried it) Burgers of course.
I don't eat a lot of ground beef but love a good turkey burger. When cooked well and not overdone, turkey burgers can have great flavor and don't give me the heavy stuffed feeling I often get from eating a ground beef burger. These turkey burgers have Korean flavors throughout, with just the right amount of spiciness.
Start with 3/4 of a pound of ground turkey. Mix in 1 tablespoon of gochujang paste and 1 tablepoon of sriracha. Gochujang is a spicy fermented bean paste that is used in a lot of Korean cooking. If you don't have an Asian market near you, Amazon carries tubs of it. Refrigerated it will last years.
Add a clove of minced garlic and a tablespoon of fresh minced ginger. Season the meat with salt and pepper and mix well. Divide into four small patties. In a large non stick skillet, cook the slider patties over medium high heat 5-7 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
While burgers are cooking, make the kimchi mayonnaise. In a food processor bowl (I used my immersion blender and a large measuring cup) combine 1/4 cup of kimchi, drained, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon of gochujang paste. Puree and set aside.
Split slider buns in half, butter and toast in a hot skillet. When turkey burgers are done, wrap in tinfoil and set aside to rest. While burgers are resting, fry 1 egg per slider, sunny side up, keeping yolk runny.
To assemble the burgers, spread kimchi mayo on each side of the slider buns. Layer burger patty, fried egg, fresh sprouts, sliced tomato, and thinly sliced red onion. Just before taking that first bite, gently press the top of the bun to break the egg yolk.
The verdict? These burgers are so good that this morning I wanted them for breakfast. I'm not kidding. This is the kind of burger I dream about. Juicy, spicy, a little sweet, all on a toasted bun. The fried egg makes them a bit messy, so have lots of napkins on hand.
Recipe
Kimchi Turkey Burger Sliders
By Land of Noms, February 18, 2015
Korean flavors throughout, this is the kind of burger I dream about
burgers, turkey, kimchi,
Ingredients
- 3/4 of a pound of ground turkey
- 4 slider buns
- 2 tablespoons of gochujang paste, divided
- 1 tablespoon of sriracha
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup of kimchi, drained
- 1/4 up of mayonnaise
- 4 eggs
- 2-4 tablespoons of butter
- Fresh sliced tomato
- Fresh alfalfa sprouts
- Thinly sliced red onion
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, 1 tablespoon of gochujang paste, sriracha, minced garlic and minced ginger; season with salt and pepper and combine well
- Divide meat into four equal portions and form patties; cook in a non stick skillet over medium high heat 5-7 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees
- while burgers are cooking, combine kimchi, mayonnaise, and remaining tablespoon of gochujang paste in a food processor; puree until smooth and set aside
- Split slider buns, butter and toast in a skillet
- When patties are done, remove from heat and wrap in tinfoil to rest
- Fry eggs sunny side up in butter, just until whites are set
- Assemble sliders; spread kimchi mayo on both sides of slider buns and top with patties, fried egg, alfalfa sprouts, sliced tomato, and sliced red onion
- Remaining kimchi mayo will keep refrigerated for 3-4 days
Sharing our culinary adventures in Cascadia with simple, sustainable & satisfying eats. Bon Appétit!
