Beef ‘n Zucchini Burgers

Ever had a burger that was too juicy?

Yeah, me neither. I don’t think it exists. No such thing as a too juicy of a burger. Because dry burgers are just no bueno. However, achieving a perfectly juicy burger is no easy feat.

Or is it?

Yes, yes it is. Folks, there IS a way to guarantee your burgers to be juicy every single time you make them. From what I’ve been experimenting with, it doesn’t matter what kind of meat you use. You can use something a fatty as ground beef or as lean as turkey and all the results end up the same: juicy and delicious. But the technique for this juiciness isn’t in the technique – it’s in the ingredients. What ingredient guarantees juiciness?

Zucchini! 

That’s right. Good ol’ zucchini. Shred up some of these veggies on a fine shredder, mix it in with your meat, and BAM! Guaranteed juiciness. As you will see in the picture, there are green flecks. That’s the zucchini. If the color puts you off, you can always peel the zucchini before shredding it. As for me and the hubs, we like the added color. This is a bonus if you have picky eaters at home, what a sneaky way to put in a veggie without the kids even knowing it! Because they won’t be able to taste the zucchini, the meat will be all they taste. Score!

 

Beef ‘n Zucchini Burgers

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 lb. ground meat (in this specific example, I used 1 lb. ground turkey and 1 lb. ground beef)
• 3 medium-sized zucchini
• 2 eggs
• Seasonings (italian seasoning, salt and pepper, grill seasoning, cayenne pepper, whatever your heart desires)
• Hamburger buns
• Hamburger toppings

 

1. Shred the zucchini on the fine side of your grater. (Do not use the larger size for shredding, it will not mix well into the meat)

2. Once zucchini is shredded, put it all into a towel and squeeze tightly to get most of the water out. This step is essential otherwise you will have very sloppy burgers and they will not hold at all.

3. Mix zucchini, eggs, meat, and seasonings all together in a big bowl. Try not to mix too much or too hard, or the meat will be overworked, making a tough hamburger.

4. Shape the burgers and press your thumb slightly into the middle of each patty. This helps the patty not to swell when cooking. (I forgot to take a picture of the pattys after doing this, just imagine them slightly pressed down 🙂 )

5. Cook the burgers any way you want. For me, I cooked them in a skillet over medium-high heat a few minutes on each side to get a sear. Then I placed them on a baking sheet to cook in a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes to ensure they cooked through. I have found that even though I cook these burgers two different ways, they are still extremely juicy.

6. Serve them in some buns and enjoy!