We don’t have a barbeque. It’s something I lament on the days I crave something grilled – steak, fish, or burgers especially – but until I get my act together and buy one, our stove and oven will have to do. Two burgers I made recently didn’t require a grill, or (the usual) ground beef, for that matter.
Black Bean Burgers
I remembered Maki’s recipe for black bean burgers because she had modified the recipe to make the black bean crostini that she had brought to our potluck foodie meetup last year.
My first mistake was choosing the evening after the Wild Boar and Beer BBQ to make them for the first time – exhaustion does not mix well with new recipes. The process of flipping the crumbling burgers was more trying than it had to be, and hoping for a more crispy exterior, I probably cooked them on the stove longer than I should have.
Black bean burgers
The final product was creamy and satisfying – though I think the black bean mixture would have made a better dip (or a spread like Maki’s crostini). More than anything, I learned not to cook when utterly beat.
Turkey Oat Burgers
For a weeknight housewarming with my sisters and Jeff, I wanted a casual but tasty recipe I could prepare in advance, and cook in the oven unattended after their arrival. A recipe for turkey oat burgers fit the bill, and was one that allowed us to incorporate many locally-sourced ingredients – lean ground turkey from Greens, Eggs and Ham, onions from Green Valley Farms, yogurt from Bles Wold, rolled oats from Highwood Crossing, side bacon from Irvings – and lettuce from Kimmi’s garden!
I made the patties and put them in the fridge until I was ready to cook them, which worked well. By the time we had cleared the salad bowls, the main course was ready!
Turkey oat burgers
The burgers came out nice and moist. I have never used rolled oats in burgers before, but it worked well, and punched up the fibre content (in place of breadcrumbs). Amanda commented that bean alfalfa sprouts would have made a good topping addition, and I had to agree.
We will definitely be making these again!
Only Here for the Food 
Next time you make them, you have to invite us over again 🙂
I love the skyline in the background of the black bean burger!
Not bean sprouts, alfala! 🙂
Nice idea – and almost gluten free. Wonder about substituting the oatmeal with another grain???
Again, great photos, and loved yesterday’s post featuring Che…whom I’ve known from his earliest wine days at WineLine.
Try mixing the black bean mixture with some wheat gluten- enough to form gluten strings and get a more dough-like consistency. Just knead it like bread, or if you’re lazy pulse a few times in a food processor and then just knead out the patties, it will hold it all together. Also, if you don’t pulverize the beans completely it helps 🙂 Happy cooking!
Felicia – sure.
Helen – I do too!
Amanda – funny how I wrote the post with you across the room, and still got it wrong, haha.
Katharine – I’m sure a substitution could be done.
virtual.jess – some beans in the patties were unpulsed (as per the recipe). I didn’t think about adding wheat gluten though. Is it readily available?