Pork & Turkey Sausages or Burgers.

Equal parts pork and turkey get blended together in a food processor with garlic, paprika, black pepper, and a pinch of ground cloves. The result is a smooth, well-seasoned meat mixture you can shape into either sausage links or burger patties, your call.

The food processor does all the mixing and binding. Processing until smooth creates a cohesive texture that holds together during cooking without needing breadcrumbs, egg, or any other binder. The pork fat keeps things moist while the turkey keeps the overall fat content lower than all-pork sausage.

Ground cloves might seem like an odd addition, but just a pinch adds a warm, spicy depth that’s traditional in British-style sausages. You won’t taste cloves distinctly. It just makes the seasoning feel more complete.

Three cooking methods work here: dry fry in a skillet, grill, or bake. Each gives a different finish.

Chef Tips

• Don’t overprocess. You want smooth but not paste-like. A few seconds too long and the texture goes rubbery.
• Wet your hands before shaping. The mixture is sticky and clean, damp hands prevent it from clinging to your fingers.
• If dry frying, cook slowly over medium-low heat. High heat chars the outside before the center cooks through.
• These freeze well. Shape them, lay on a parchment-lined tray to freeze individually, then bag them up.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of dried sage and a pinch of nutmeg for a breakfast sausage flavor.
• Mix in a finely diced apple for sweetness and moisture, pub-style.
• Swap paprika for smoked paprika to add a smoky, almost chorizo-like character.