After chatting with experts and tasting a bunch ourselves,
we’re here to tell you which frozen hamburger patties are just as good as fresh burgers.
There's a lot to choose from, including some excellent vegetarian burgers we think you'll love.
On this list, there's something for everyone.
If you're not familiar with Wild Fork — and you like frozen food — take
note. The chain has set out to be a kind of Whole Foods of frozen foods,
sourcing all-natural and often organic products ready to be defrosted and served.
Wild Fork also makes a lot of its own stuff, as is the case with their farm-fresh burgers.
Wild Fork Executive Chef Jacqueline Kleis broke down for us why, exactly, the frozen pub burgers
are the pick of the litter, explaining they are flash frozen at a super low temperature
right after production so all the nutrients and flavorful goodness get trapped inside.
Describing the beef mixture of 85 percent lean meat and 15 percent fat, she said:
"I always like 85/15, because fat will melt a little on the grill in your skillet
and give a wonderful flavor. We also carry from chuck, which has more marbling and more flavor."
The pub-style patties are 1/3 pound each and come in packages of six. They're not available
everywhere, though Wild Fork does deliver. So check the website and see if they're in your area.
Advice on how to cook frozen burgers abounds, but if you ask a man who's
literally made a career talking burgers, his take is one worth listening to. Sef Gonzalez,
nicknamed "The Burger Beast," is author of All About the Burger;
A History of America's Favorite Sandwich, and at one time ran The Burger Museum in Miami.
He said:
"My suggestion for [frozen patties] is outdoor grilling. Not to be cooked on
a griddle of flat top. It just doesn't work well."
With that in mind, one of the Burger Beast's top suggestions for a frozen patty are these
quarter pounders from Philly Gourmet, which also offers a thick burger and Angus variety.
The reason these are tops, the Burger Beast told us, is that they're a bit smaller,
and the ideal frozen patty if you're trying to make doubles.
An ambitious undertaking, yes,
but you don't get to be the Burger Beast by eating only one patty at a time.
We know, we know. "Ball Park?" you ask. "You mean that same company that makes hot dogs
that you only buy for kids' birthday parties because they don't know the difference anyway?"
"It's not really summer until you have your Ball Park."
Yes, that Ball Park, but the frozen burgers are a delightful surprise if
you are looking for a quick burger fix. That's why the name comes up
on scores of "best frozen burgers" lists, including Food Shark and Kitchen Perfect.
The patties claim to be flame-grilled, and from all appearances, it's not a lie.
The grill marks on the meat are one indication, but heat up the patty and you'll get a strong,
flame-broiled flavor you don't often find in frozen meat.
An added bonus: The burgers are precooked, which does hamper the juiciness a little,
but allows for quick preparation as they're ready to be popped in the microwave. Make no mistake,
you'll still get a better burger if you heat it on the grill.
But if you've only got a minute, the Ball Park burger is a great option.
You knew America's favorite frozen meat delivery company, Omaha Steaks,
would have an entrant on this list — the only question was which one. Their traditional
burgers show up on nearly any list of best frozen hamburgers you might find, notching
a #3 ranking from Palette Dining, and runner-up honors for both Food Shark and Chef's Resource.
The patties undergo a rigorous preparation, where the meat is aged, then ground twice to
give it a unique texture. There's no seasoning or added ingredients here — just meat. So if
you're looking for a classic beef flavor, you'd be hard-pressed to beat Omaha Steaks.
The 80/20 blend gives these a slightly fattier consistency, but if you grill your meat,
that can be mitigated. That said, Men's Journal suggests pan-frying the burgers for
maximum flavor, throwing them in a non-stick pan for about seven minutes on each side.
If you like your meat juicy, this is probably your best option.
"Well there you have it. The Philly Cheeseburger. It's almost too cute to eat. Almost! Ha-ha-ha!"
The city-of-origin branding is an interesting call
here — while Brooklyn is certainly known for its pizza and, more recently, beer,
is it really on the map for burgers too? The folks at First Avenue Foods think so — they
provide meat to esteemed steakhouses like Peter Luger's, Benjamin's, and Wolfgang's.
And now they offer a frozen burger patty available at Wegmans, Publix,
and other grocery chains with intense cult followings.
Gonzalez, aka The Burger Beast, listed the Brooklyn Brothers burger among his top picks,
saying the hormone and antibiotic-free patties felt, quote, "Like I was eating healthy."
The USDA Choice burgers are made from a chuck, brisket, and short rib blend,
just like burgers you'd get in a steakhouse, and though it remains to be seen if they'd
be described as "healthy," they are at least devoid of any additives.
Burger Beast suggests adding salt, black pepper,
and a slice of cheddar cheese to get the most out of these unadulterated patties.
Judging by the collective frozen burger rankings of the internet, grass-fed beef appears to make
for a better frozen patty than traditional grain-fed. That's why you find grass-fed
patties topping lists from Food Shark, Home Gear X, Eat This, Not That!, and others.
And the name that came up more than any? Mount Pleasant's 100% grass-fed patties,
which tout their free-roaming and organically fed cows. If you're looking for clean meat
in a frozen patty, you won't find much cleaner than Mount Pleasant.
The flavor, much like the "mountain" for which the brand is named, is also quite pleasant,
giving a clean, lean finish that confirms the beef is well-raised.
The patties are flash frozen, so you don't lose much in the processing.
And though nobody's claiming hamburgers as part of a healthy diet, if you're
conscious of what you eat and still looking to indulge, Mount Pleasant is the way to go.
The most talked-about hamburger in America right now isn't even made
of meat. The plant-based Beyond Burger has gone so mainstream
it's topped frozen burger rankings from Men's Journal, Food Shark, and Palette Dining,
all praising its low cholesterol, sustainability, and high protein content.
They are soy- and gluten-free, so pretty much anyone with any dietary restriction can eat them.
And, yes, they do actually taste something like meat,
though when blind taste tested you can pretty easily tell the difference.
That's not to say Beyond Burgers aren't a solid
meat alternative if you're trying to reduce your carnal consumption.
"It's Beyond Meat. It's actually plant based. 'Oh, I didn't know I liked plant based.' I know."
Just don't expect the fatty, juicy decadence that comes with beef. The combination of natural
oils like coconut mixed with pea and rice proteins give it a meat-like consistency.
And if you grill Beyond Burgers, they absorb the smoky flavor better
than beef. Fans of flame-broiled burgers will likely be big fans,
though if you're more of a smash burger person, your results may vary.
Not to be outdone by their neighbors up Interstate 29 in Nebraska, the Kansas
City Steak Company also puts out some of the most highly regarded frozen meats in America.
And their steakburgers are right up there with any patty coming out of Omaha.
The patties are favorites of Food Shark, Chef's Resource, and Palette Dining,
offering corn-fed, 4.5 ounce patties in vacuum-sealed packages of 16. Chef's Resource
described Kansas City Steaks as having, quote, "[A] loyal fan base that speaks for itself."
And that may be because the company does things just a little differently.
The frozen burgers are half an ounce bigger than typical quarter pounders,
and with 96 percent lean meat, you'll end up with a lot more protein once the fat melts away.
This also results in a leaner, lower-fat burger than other options, and though it might be a
little drier, Kansas City Steak Company's steakburgers make up for it in other ways.
The patties come with a special KC seasoning packet,
so what it lacks in fat it makes up for in zest.
You may be asking yourself what the difference is between grain-fed and grass-fed beef,
aside from the obvious difference in diet. From a nutritional perspective, grass-fed beef is higher
in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, as well as Vitamins A and E, according to Healthline.
However, Beef Magazine reported the only two studies done on health benefits
found no difference between grain- and grass-fed beef in regards to
risk factors for cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes.
In terms of flavor, Cook's Illustrated points out that grass-fed beef was long
thought to have a lean and chewy taste, while grain-fed was richer and fattier. That, however,
seems to be changing, as that magazine's taste test found little difference in steaks,
and grass-fed burger patties now dominate "best of" lists.
Western Grassfed is among the best, produced by Western Family Ranchers.
They topped Home Gear X's rating of frozen burgers, which cited the cows'
organic diet and customers' ability to buy in four-packs as key factors.
There is a marked difference between the beef substitute burgers sweeping
the nation — like Beyond Burgers and Impossible meat — and the
traditional veggie burgers your vegetarian friends always brought to the barbecue.
Wild Fork's Executive Chef Jacqueline Kleis said the
best among them come from Amy's Organic Kitchen.
And though Amy's has halted production of many of their veggie burgers due to COVID-19,
the Sonoma burger is still readily available.
These quinoa-based patties are made with mushrooms, garbanzo beans,
walnuts, celery, carrots, and garlic. The flavor is a little starchy,
with strong notes of veggies and herbs throughout, and a marked improvement
over generic soy and black bean options. Just don't expect it to taste anything like beef.
Another top entry into the grass-fed, organic burger category comes from Greensbury Market,
whose 4-ounce patties come in packs of eight,
and are all USDA certified organic. They are some of the more expensive options on the list,
as you'll pay about $24 per pack, or about the same as it would cost you to buy eight Whoppers.
But the quality here is on a different level. According to Greensbury's website,
all the beef is humanely raised and processed completely in the
United States. It's also non-GMO certified, meaning no genetically
modified organisms were used in feeding the beef. And it's all free from antibiotics.
All that social responsibility is lovely, but doesn't mean much if the burger doesn't
taste good. But Greensbury Market's flavor holds up. It topped Kitchen Perfect's rating
of frozen burger patties, who praised the high fat content as the reason they tasted so good.
Is there anything Kirkland, Costco's private label house brand, can't do?
Mixed nuts, check. Seaweed, check. Dog biscuits. Coconut oil. You betcha!
And while once upon a time it came as a big surprise when somebody told you they
purchased their entire barbecue spread at Costco,
the warehouse retailer's reputation for great meat is now widely known.
And that's a big reason why Burger Beast Sef Gonzalez told us that Kirkland's ground beef
patties are some of the best on the market. He said of the 75/25, high fat patties:
"These burgers (are) ... definitely the best choice for a party. Just
make sure to use a nice steakhouse seasoning to liven up the burger."
The burgers also clock in at a whopping third of a pound,
making them considerably larger than the quarter pound options in the freezer.
If you're buying in bulk — and why else would one go to Costco? — Kirkland is the move.
Just make sure not to fill u p on the $1.50 hot dogs before you get home to grill.
Top to bottom, Holten offers the most impressive line of frozen hamburger patties,
with different butcher blends and meat styles, all of exceptionally high quality.
The family behind these burgers understands the importance of meat selection, and tells
you right in the product name if you're getting chuck and brisket, prime rib, or angus sirloin.
Once again, Sef "Burger Beast" Gonzalez said:
"(Holten) reveals the cuts of beef used. Not sure if that's
why I thought these were better but I did think these were the best of the bunch."
Holton doesn't just vary the cuts of meat it uses. The steakhouse burgers also offer USDA Prime
patties and Certified Angus Beef patties, probably the two highest markers of American beef quality.
Though Burger Beast wouldn't specify a favorite from the Holten line,
we can't blame him: All the 1/3 pound patties are fantastic if you're a beef connoisseur.
And still pretty great even if you're not.
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