9 Ways to Build a Better Burger

By Caroline Wright
Updated February 25, 2013
Want to grill something great? Try these three burgers and nine yummy ways to serve them.
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Buy the best

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Many national grocery stores have committed to selling ground beef that is free of "pink slime" (or, officially, "lean finely textured beef"). Whole Foods Market's meat department has never sold beef containing it. Supermarket chain Kroger has said it will no longer carry beef with pink slime.

Want ultimate security? "If you want your ground beef to be safe, you are much better off asking a butcher to grind a sirloin steak for you," says Marion Nestle, PhD, professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University. The point is to ensure that your burger comes from just one piece of meat.

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Grocery store tips

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The point is to ensure that your burger comes from just one piece of meat. "Commercial hamburger is often ground from the trimmings of hundreds of animals," she explains. "If just one of them has an E. coli problem, it will contaminate the entire batch."

Check with your grocery store butcher—many of the national chain stores will grind whole cuts of meat for customers who ask.

Click through for an array of healthy and tasty beef, turkey and salmon burger recipes.

Related video: How to Grill the Perfect Burger

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Tex-Mex Beef Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe beef burger, slices of pepper jack cheese, pickled peppers and sesame seed buns

Calories: 394

Try this recipe:Tex-Mex Beef Burger

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'Shroom Beef Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe beef burger, slices of swiss cheese, portobello mushroom caps and ciabatta rolls

Calories: 479

Try this recipe: 'Shroom Beef Burger

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French Beef Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe beef burger, goat cheese, jarred roasted red peppers and brioche buns

Calories: 410

Try this recipe:French Beef Burger

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Spicy Blue Turkey Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe turkey burger, blue cheese, ketchup, hot sauce and ciabatta rolls

Calories: 429

Try this recipe:Spicy Blue Turkey Burger

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California Turkey Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe turkey burger, avocado, tomatillo salsa and brioche buns

Calories: 389

Try this recipe:California Turkey Burger

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BBQ Turkey Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe turkey burger, sweet grilled onions, barbecue sauce and sesame seed buns

Calories: 324

Try this recipe:BBQ Turkey Burger

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Ranch Salmon Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe salmon burger, slices of beefsteak tomatoes, ranch dressing and brioche buns

Calories: 464

Try this recipe:Ranch Salmon Burger

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Asian Salmon Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe salmon burger, reduced-fat mayo, reduced-sodium soy sauce, sliced scallions and sesame seed buns

Calories: 393

Try this recipe:Asian Salmon Burger

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Greek Salmon Burger

Ingredients:

1 recipe salmon burger, cucumber slices, crumbled feta cheese and ciabatta rolls

Calories: 393

Try this recipe:Greek Salmon Burger

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By Caroline Wright