Turkey Shepherd's Pie Recipe With Ground Turkey (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to ground turkey to make it taste better? ›

Even 93 percent lean ground turkey—often the fattiest preground turkey you can buy—can still taste too lean and can easily dry out during cooking. To temper those effects, we added 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the meat, along with a panade of milk and panko.

Mushrooms add moisture, mouthfeel, and umami (beefy) flavor to the otherwise dry ground turkey. When mushrooms are chopped up into little bits, they easily and evenly mix with ground turkey making the protein so tender and flavorful while also giving the dish a veggie boost.

Whether hosting a holiday cookout, serving up some stir-fry or tackling game meats, baking soda is the go-to meat tenderizer to help make your steak, chicken or turkey silkier, juicier and yummier.

How do you add flavor to ground turkey? Turkey meat can be flavored with easy ingredients like kosher salt and pepper, bell peppers, garlic powder, and olive oil. If you're cooking meat, specifically turkey taco meat, hot sauce and enchilada sauce are your best mates.

Look & Color

Raw turkey meat should be light pink or beige, depending on the type of meat and its fat content. The meat color becomes dull as time passes, which is normal. However, if the meat has a brown, gray or yellow or green hue, you will want to part ways with it.

Before you start cooking, be sure to season the ground turkey well with salt and pepper. Also consider including dried herbs and spices for additional flavor.

You may store uncooked ground poultry in the refrigerator 1 to 2 days. After cooking, you may keep it 3 to 4 days. Frozen raw poultry is best used in 3 to 4 months; cooked ground poultry, 2 to 3 months.

The best way to cook ground turkey is with a bit of oil in the pan. Since turkey is quite lean, you'll need to add oil to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the outside is browned, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Enjoy!

Should I add water to my ground turkey? ›

Add moisture

It's also helpful to add a few tablespoons of broth or water to the pan while you're cooking the turkey. Simply add a few tablespoons of water or broth after you've seasoned the ground turkey and let simmer until the liquid is thickened and reduced down.

What spices pair well with ground turkey? Taco seasoning like chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and pepper taste great with ground turkey. Other herbs like paprika, dried oregano, basil and rosemary are a good choice too.

Stick with salt and pepper, put herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage to work, or take spicy Cajun seasoning for a spin for some kick. Whatever blend you choose, spread it all over the turkey—on top, underneath, between the body and wings and legs, under the skin, and even in the cavity of the bird.

Instead of filling your bird with stuffing, fill it with aromatics. (News flash: Cooking stuffing inside a turkey can be dangerous.) The basics, like onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and sage, help lend that traditional Thanksgiving flavor. Take your aromatics up a notch by adding halved lemons or oranges.

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water. Use enough solution to cover the game completely.

A citrus marinade can add brightness and tang to a precooked turkey. Mix together orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and herbs such as parsley and thyme. Pour the marinade over the turkey and let it sit for a few hours before reheating. The citrusy flavors will complement the natural richness of the turkey.