All You Need Is A Dusting Of Flour For The Juiciest Turkey Burgers Ever

Flour and burgers might not seem like a match made in heaven. In fact, if you see flour listed on a turkey burger recipe, you might assume it has something to do with making the buns from scratch. But surprisingly, this baking ingredient can help your meat become as juicy as possible. And with ground turkey, dry patties are a notorious problem. This protein has less fat than other types, so it's easy to overcook it and turn it into a crumbly mess.

So, where does flour come into the mix? When you lightly dust your burgers with the powder before cooking them, it helps seal in the juices by preventing them from leaking into your pan. Instead, the flour soaks up the liquid, leaving it in your patties. But that's not the only benefit here. Dusting your ground turkey will also help it create a golden-brown, crispy crust on the grill or stove since the starches in the flour caramelize before the meat does. This means you'll end up with burgers that have a little crunchiness on the outside but are succulent and juicy on the inside.

If coating your burgers in flour seems like a tedious extra step, it's actually a quick and easy one that will result in a massive payoff. First, you'll want to form your ground turkey mixture into patties, taking into consideration that they should be a bit larger than beef burgers, then simply dip them in a plate or bowl of flour. You can use this step as an excuse to sneak in some extra flavor, too — feel free to season your flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or allspice. Then, once your patties are nice and coated, shake off the excess mixture and stick them in the freezer for about half an hour before cooking, which will also help keep them intact while you grill. Make sure to slide some parchment or wax paper between your burgers and pan while you freeze, so that nothing sticks when you pull them out.

Want yet another way to help your patties retain their moisture? Especially if you're using lean meat, incorporate creamed corn into your patties or stuff them with about a ½ tablespoon of butter. Not only will the latter make the patties extra tasty (after all, who doesn't love more butter?) but it will ensure that their centers stay nice and moist too.