Why This Recipe Works

With their frico crust, cheese mixed into the ground meat, and a quick red cabbage slaw piled on top, these are not your average turkey burgers. Combining cheese with the meat created juicy pockets of fat and flavor, while adding panko and a bit of mayonnaise kept the burgers from becoming too dense. To create the frico crust, we made burger-size circles of cheese in a skillet and then placed the burger patties on top. Once brown, crisp edges of cheese peeked out from the burgers, and we flipped them to cook their other side. For a quick red cabbage slaw, we made a dressing with mayonnaise and brine from banana peppers and combined it with some of the peppers and thinly sliced cabbage.

Before You Begin

It’s important to use a good nonstick skillet here. Be sure to use 93 percent lean ground turkey, not 99 percent fat-free ground turkey breast, or the burgers will be tough. When sprinkling the cheese in the skillet for the crust, be sure to leave room between the portions so that the cheese doesn’t run together. While crisping the cheese crust in step 3, avoid flipping the burgers too early; at first the cheese will be soft and melty, but it will crisp as it cooks.

Instructions

Whisk 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1½ teaspoons jarred banana pepper brine, ⅛ teaspoon table salt, and pinch sugar in bowl until smooth. Add 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage and ¼ cup jarred sliced banana peppers, chopped coarse, and toss to combine. Set aside.

Spread 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in cold 12-inch nonstick skillet. Sprinkle four 2-tablespoon portions of pepper Jack into circles approximately 4 inches in diameter in skillet. Combine 1 pound ground turkey, 1 cup panko, remaining ½ cup pepper Jack, ¼ cup mayonnaise, and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl. Pat turkey mixture into four ¾-inch-thick patties, about 4 inches in diameter, and transfer directly on top of cheese rounds.

Heat skillet over medium heat. When cheese is melted, cover and cook until edges of cheese beneath patties are well browned and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. (Do not slide spatula under burgers before cheese is crisp; it will ruin crust). When cheese is browned along edges, slide spatula underneath and flip patties. Cover, and continue to cook until second side is well browned and burgers register 160 degrees, 2 to 4 minutes longer.

Transfer burgers to plate. Let rest for 5 minutes. Build burgers among 4 toasted hamburger buns. Arrange lettuce and sliced tomato on bun bottoms then top with burgers and cabbage mixture. Cover with bun tops and serve immediately.