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Turkey meat is ground raw poultry meat, a semi-finished product for cooking various dishes. It is a dietary and nutritious product, part of many wellness diets. What can you cook from ground turkey and how to do it right?
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Turkey is healthy meat rich in vitamins and minerals. The product contains a high level of iron and other nutrients. The protein and water content is also high.
Turkey contains potassium – a valuable element for the human body. It takes part in the formation of bone tissue.
According to nutritionists, only 100 grams of turkey meat provides about 60% of the daily norm of nutrients. Turkey retains its beneficial properties in baked, boiled, and fried form.
Ground turkey: pros and cons
Due to its vitamin and mineral composition, turkey has many beneficial properties on the human body:
- Participates in the processes of bone tissue restoration.
- Improves the condition of the central nervous system
- Reduces the likelihood of depression.
- Restores strength after long workouts.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Improves the state of the organisms of people with AIDS and tuberculosis.
- Promotes recovery after prolonged chronic diseases.
However, this product may also have negative effects:
- High protein content can provoke the development of gout.
- A large amount of sodium can increase blood pressure.
Contraindications to use
The list of contraindications to use is quite low. Turkey is a hypoallergenic product. However, in admixtures with various additives, the product loses some of its beneficial properties. Experts distinguish the following contraindications to use:
- acute form of gout
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Kidney failure
However, with the dosed use of turkey and products containing this meat, there is practically no danger to health. However, it is best to consult with a specialist to identify the desired rate of the product.
What to cook with ground turkey
There are many dishes that you can make with ground turkey. You can cook soup, a variety of snacks and even make burgers. The most common dishes with turkey ground meat: satsivi, basturma, and cutlets.
The main thing in choosing a dish is the right recipe and cooking method. Turkey is dry and fibrous meat, which is quite difficult to make juicy and tender. Add some lean protein to pasta and green salads!
However, if you know some tips and life hacks, it won’t be difficult.
How to make juicy ground turkey
The main difficulty in cooking a turkey is the ability to make minced meat juicy. To achieve this effect, follow the advice from experts:
- Rinse and dry the turkey meat.
- Make minced meat without adding a bun to it.
- Add onion to the minced meat, it will soften the fibers.
- Pass the minced meat through the meat grinder at least 3 times.
- Use a grid with small holes.
- Before cooking the minced meat, beat off the meat with a kitchen hammer.
The main reasons why the minced meat turns out to be of poor quality:
- using of old poultry meat
- using of unsuitable turkey parts
- installation of a large grate on a meat grinder
- using of a blunt knife in a meat grinder
How to Brown Ground Turkey
Professional chefs identify 2 main ways that will help you brown ground turkey. You can choose the most convenient one for you:
Browning on the Stove Top. Defrost the meat in the refrigerator. Heat a frying pan. Add a few tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil to avoid burning. Place the ground turkey in a frying pan and fry it for 15 minutes. The readiness indicator is the appearance of a caramel shade. You can also put the ground turkey on paper towels to absorb excess fat.
Browning in the Microwave. Prepare dishes suitable for heating in the microwave. Place the defrosted turkey mince there and cover with a lid. The cooking time is 2 minutes. Next, remove the lid and cook the product for another 2 minutes until a golden crust appears.
TIP: You can quickly brown it, add it to just about any recipe.
What to Serve with Turkey Taco Meat
Turkey Taco recipe is popular in many cuisines. You can serve it on tortillas with cheese or in thick pita bread. Cheese, iceberg lettuce, and tomatoes are also suitable as an additional serving. Pay special attention to the sauce – it should be spicy.
Also, many chefs serve tacos with French fries or other quick snacks. The main task is not to block the taste of turkey.
Ground turkey for meatballs
The most common use of ground turkey is cooking meatballs. The minced meat should be dense and juicy. To repeat the recipe, prepare all the necessary ingredients:
- turkey meat – 600 g
- eggs – 1 pc
- onion – 2 pcs
- lard – 60 g
- spices (pepper, curry) – to taste
- salt – 1 teaspoon
- vegetable oil – 3 tablespoons
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Cut the turkey meat and lard into small pieces.
- Wash and chop the onion.
- Pass the turkey meat and onion through a meat grinder.
- Beat the egg, add spices and salt.
- Add the mixture to the minced meat and form small patties.
- Heat a frying pan, pour olive oil into it, and place the cutlets there.
- Fry the cutlets on both sides for 5 minutes.
- Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the cutlets for another 15 minutes.
Ground turkey for dumplings
There are many recipes to cook ground turkey meat for dumplings. However, there is a classic proven way. To repeat this recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- turkey breast fillet – 1 kg
- onion – 0.3 kg
- butter – 100 g
- garlic – 1 head
- salt, pepper – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Remove the butter from the refrigerator in advance so that it has time to soften by the time the minced meat is cooked.
- Wash the turkey breast fillet, pat it with a towel, cut it into pieces that pass freely into the bell of the meat grinder.
- Peel the onion cut each onion into 6-8 pieces.
- Peel the garlic cloves.
- Pass through the meat grinder pieces of turkey and onion, garlic cloves, alternating products.
- Add salt and pepper to the minced meat, mix.
- Add butter to the minced meat, stir until smooth.
Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes
Asian ground turkey recipes
Asians make ground turkey spicy to remove the bland taste of the product. To do this, they add a lot of spices to the meat. If you want to make Asian ground turkey, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- turkey meat – 500 g
- onion – 1 pс
- ground black pepper
- curry
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Defrost the meat to room temperature.
- Rinse it and cut it into small pieces.
- Rinse and finely chop the onion.
- Pass the turkey and onion through a meat grinder with a fine grate.
- Add ground black pepper and curry to the minced meat.
Baked turkey meatballs recipe
Ground turkey meatballs with lemon are one of the most popular recipes. To repeat it, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- turkey meat – 500 g
- rice – 100 g
- lemon – 1 large
- dry herbs and spices – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Defrost the turkey and make minced meat, adding rice.
- Form the meatballs and place them in a greased baking dish.
- Place the dish in a preheated oven and sprinkle with salt and dried herbs.
- Bake the product for 30-40 minutes.
Best ground turkey recipes
There are many options for cooking minced turkey. The best recipe will be convenient for you in terms of time and selected ingredients. The main feature and disadvantage of turkey is the high degree of dryness of the product.
It is fibrous meat that is quite easy to make even drier during the cooking process. When choosing a recipe, try to make the ground meat juicy and tender.
Southern ground turkey recipe
This recipe involves adding spices – oregano, thyme, basil. To repeat the southern ground turkey, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- turkey thigh meat – 0.5 kg
- turkey breast fillet – 0.5 kg
- onion – 0.2 kg
- garlic – 2 cloves
- salt, ground black pepper – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Peel the turkey meat from the skin, remove the sinewy areas. Cut the meat into small pieces.
- Peel the onion and garlic. Crush the garlic with a special press. Cut the onion into large pieces.
- Pass the pieces of turkey fillet and onion through a meat grinder, alternating the pieces. Add garlic, pepper, and salt to the resulting mass. Mix everything well.
Ground turkey burgers
There is another popular recipe – burgers with ground turkey. It’s easy, fast to cook, and loved one’s dish. A great way to lighten things up for taco night. Prepare the necessary ingredients:
Prepare the necessary ingredients:
- buckwheat loaf
- lean ground turkey – 200 grams
- smoked mozzarella – 2 slices
- lettuce – 2 leaves
- tomato – 1 large slice (or tomato sauce)
- pickled cucumber – 3 slices
- half an onion
- crunch onion
- sour cream
- vegetable oil
- salt
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Cut the onion into small cubes. Roast in a skillet with preheated vegetable oil until golden brown.
- Mix with turkey minced meat, add salt. Form a cutlet. Roast, preferably on the grill, sprinkling with vegetable oil until fully cooked, 10-15 minutes.
- Bake the bun on the grill or in the oven so that it crunches a little.
- Brush the bottom of the bun with sour cream. Put lettuce leaves, a slice of tomato, and a couple of slices of cucumber on it. Then cutlet and cheese.
- Garnish with onion fries and carefully cover with the second half of bread, also smeared with mayonnaise.
- Serve with corn cobs, French fries, and ketchup.
Tips for best results
Professional chefs highlight some tips that will help you choose the right meat for cooking ground turkey. Here are some of them:
- Choose fresh young turkey meat. It is less fibrous and will turn out to be softer.
- Pay attention to the scallop of the bird, if it is light – the meat is fresh.
- Choose meat without blood and visual damage.
- The smell of turkey should be light and not too saturated.
- Touch the meat before buying – if you feel dents, do not buy such a product.
- The color of high-quality turkey meat is pale pink. The dark red shade suggests that the turkey is already old(especially for Ground Turkey Stir Fry).
How to serve
There are many options for serving ground turkey. If you make the meatballs, serve them with side dishes – mashed potatoes, pasta, or vegetables.
If we are talking about dumplings, just add some fresh herbs. Burgers also require special serving – it can be a variety of sauces or French fries.
If you just cooked ground turkey and want to serve it quickly, make pasta. It is everyone’s favorite dish that does not require special serving or long cooking. The choice of sauces also plays a special role in serving turkey – they should be spicy, but not too thick.
How to season
Roast turkey is best served with black pepper, onion, and fresh ginger, as well as raw herbs – celery, basil, and parsley with dill. For piquancy, you can add cumin, coriander, rosemary, or nutmeg. To add spice, use red pepper or paprika.
If you want something unusual, you can use cinnamon and ginger, but only in very small quantities. Professional chefs give some tips on choosing seasonings and spices for ground turkey:
- Fresh dill and parsley greens will give piquancy and unusual taste. Meat goes very well with fresh green onions, paprika, and oregano.
- Aromatic spicy seasonings help to increase appetite, so do not add them to recipes in large quantities.
- Classic sets of spices from garlic, onions, and a mixture of peppers are suitable for ground meat.
Final thoughts
Ground turkey is a great weeknight meal. You can easily cook such meat by choosing a suitable recipe. Ground turkey, unlike ground beef, contains more b vitamins. Also, red meat is tougher and contains higher cholesterol levels.
You can buy fresh turkey meat at any grocery store. The product is as easy to find as tomato paste. Despite the usual meatballs, you can easily cook turkey meatloaf, stuffed peppers, and even turkey chili.
The main thing is to follow the recipe to make the ground meat juicy and tender.