Frozen Burger Guidance


 

Jim McKelvey

TVWBB All-Star
Hey folks - don't post much anymore, but always watching TVWBB... hope everyone is doing well!

Not sure if this is the best place for this question...Chris, feel free to move if not.

So I grill a lot of burgers - i have two teen boys and myself - all three of us love burgers. I can go thru 20 in a week pretty easy. In the past, when the kiddos were younger I made all burgers fresh. But at the moment, I am searching for an easy, but higher quality frozen alternative. NOte:

  • hate bubba burgers
  • have tried Holten - not bad, but not great
  • restaurant depot - LIKE their angus burgers, but its a drive and they do not always have them
  • standard supermarket frozen burgers stink
  • not a fan of omaha steaks

So....any suggestions for online meat purveyors or local to Charlotte NC area butchers? I'm not looking for super premium, but $4-$5 per pound would work.

Appreciate if anyone has ideas!!

Thanks and happy grilling / smoking.
 
my cousins grill frozen burgers from Costco all the time. He says he prefers fresh but since they're always having people over and the frozen ones can be cooked from frozen, they find them easier. Last time I had one of them it was really pretty good - just a largish bun, basic condiments and a pickle, it tasted just like a whopper from bk. I've liked them. He's a helluva smoker too - has a 22" wsm, but I've only seen them cook the burgers on their gasser.
 
Thanks Clint, appreciate your experience. I'm a big Costco guy, overlooked them in my summary. Like, but not in same category as restaurant depot Angus. I'd place them a notch below Holten Chop House, but better value.
 
I cook frozen burgers on occasion -

One of my local butchers makes 1/4-pound and 1/3-pound pre-formed patties and sells them frozen as well.

I find that with the thinner patties - tossing them on frozen actually works better in many cases vs "fresh":
Starting with them frozen keeps them a little more pink and juicy in the center - makes them a bit more difficult to over-cook
(about 2 minutes on a side for medium to medium-rare in the center - I like SIRLOIN patties done a bit more rare and less apt to dry-out this way)

So, just see if your local butcher can provide stacks of meat "hockey-pucks" with waxed paper or plastic separators between them.
I sometimes have to gently pry them apart with a butter knife between the seams (stay away from the Sharp ones when doing this...)

Have no fear and enjoy!
 
I usually buy a bulk pack of 80/20 ground beef and make my own. I usually add a little seasoning 1/2 lb. patties then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap. Then they all go into a larger freezer bag. They keep well for about 6-8 months in the freezer.
 
Jim, have you tried the frozen 80/20 Angus burgers from Sam's Club?

I was invited to a 4th of July church gathering in 2014, and I tried them for the first time, and I thought they were pretty good for frozen fare.
 
I make smashburgers with a LARGE Pyrex bowl. Then put on Cookie sheet and into freezer.. then into a ziplock bag.. I measure out .25 oz patties
 
I'll have to look around at options next time I'm in Costco.



I've not much on frozen burgers.....but.....when coming home from a long day at work......a cold brew.....a Bubba Burger.....some Vidalia slices and my George Foreman will get 'r done.









 
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Qualtiy, not Quanity.. unless you eat TWO.... They cook faster, juicier and well Darn Delish...


**edit** 1/4 lb...
 
I make smashburgers with a LARGE Pyrex bowl. Then put on Cookie sheet and into freezer.. then into a Ziploc bag.. I measure out .25 oz patties


I do the same thing with small Corel plates except my burger are 1/3 pound. I guess I could grill them frozen, but mine are probably thicker than yours, so I thaw them in the fridge the night before.

Thin 1/4 pound patties should work well from freezer to grill.
 
I make them in a hamburger press to freeze for later use. I use a piece of waxed paper between each 1/2" thick burger, and then into a larger ziplock bag.
That way you can make a bunch ahead, and just pop them on your grill when ready. It's easy and you don't have to pay the convenience fee and maybe
not like the "mystery meat" in that box of frozen burgers that they are not proud of enough to let you see what you are getting.
 
Hey folks - don't post much anymore, but always watching TVWBB... hope everyone is doing well!

Not sure if this is the best place for this question...Chris, feel free to move if not.

So I grill a lot of burgers - i have two teen boys and myself - all three of us love burgers. I can go thru 20 in a week pretty easy. In the past, when the kiddos were younger I made all burgers fresh. But at the moment, I am searching for an easy, but higher quality frozen alternative. NOte:

  • hate bubba burgers
  • have tried Holten - not bad, but not great
    [*]restaurant depot - LIKE their angus burgers, but its a drive and they do not always have them
  • standard supermarket frozen burgers stink
  • not a fan of omaha steaks

So....any suggestions for online meat purveyors or local to Charlotte NC area butchers? I'm not looking for super premium, but $4-$5 per pound would work.

Appreciate if anyone has ideas!!

Thanks and happy grilling / smoking.

I wish I had some advice for you, but I definitely plan to check out your tip on the RD Angus burgers. I live waaaaay further in than you do ! ! !





BD
 
Thanks all for the feedback. I'm still on the search. I've been looking online - basically trying to ID the best "food service" burger without much luck. There are the typical vendors - RD, GFS, Cargill. And some premium vendors.

Like most - I've made my own for years, but it's just getting difficult when you have two boys going thru 10+ patties per week.

As mentioned, the RD Angus burgers are in my opinion very good. These are Holten supplied - a good purveyor. Bill - give them a shot. Just make sure it is the restaurant quality Angus burger - red, black and white box. Comes in 4-1, 3-1 and 2-1. I'm a fan of 5-1 - 5.3oz patties.

I might see if I can mail order the cargil TNT or JJ's tavern patty.

JJS
http://burgercravings.com/Content/files/JJ's%20Tavern%20Patty%20Product%20Sheet.pdf
 
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We grind our meat for burgers. My wife eyeballs their sizes, pats them out on and wraps them in strips wax paper, lays them on a cookie sheet until they're frozen then stacks them inside a bag until needed.
 
I think I would use Bill's method, YOU control the quality and size. Get a patty mold and go to town!
I use the sheet freezing method for almost anything I make bundles of. Pork wings, bacon wrapped tater tots, all sorts of finger foods, diced red, yellow, orange peppers, then shake them apart, throw in a bag and use what you want when you need it.
 

 

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