Frozen Burger Patties Are Your New Weeknight Dinner Hero

Allow us to introduce you to your new BFF: frozen grass-fed burger patties. They are becoming more and more of a thing (you heard it here first) and we are here for it. (This is especially true for our founder, Jared Koch, who has three girls under the age of 5.)

Grass-Fed Burger Patties Are the Ultimate Healthy Convenience Food

These burger patties are awesome for a few reasons. First, grass-fed beef is a delicious and nutrient-dense form of protein. Just as importantly, the patties are a fast, no-fuss, crowd-pleasing way to get dinner on the table. You can cook them straight out of the freezer, no pre-planning or defrosting necessary.

Still on the fence? Let’s try a pop quiz. Which of the following apply to you:

1. You often forget to defrost a protein in advance.
2. Dinner planning happens on the fly, so you often have to throw something together from whatever’s in the fridge.
3. You have kids, and want them to eat a protein sometimes that doesn’t come in nugget form.
4. All of the above.

I’m willing to bet most of us would say yes to at least one of these scenarios.

How to Cook Frozen Burger Patties

There’s really not much to it: Just cook (on a grill on in a pan) for around 10 minutes (follow the instructions on the box), and you’re on your way. In testing, we preferred them grilled, but pan-frying will definitely get the job done; don’t let perfect be the enemy of fed.

You can also cook a few patties, chop them up and add to pasta sauce — or tacos. If you happen to have a leftover cooked patty, wrap it up, refrigerate and have it for a snack the next day, or put it on your lunchtime salad.

One caveat: If you must have your burger medium-rare, these may not be for you. The patties are on the thinner side, so they’ll cook through from frozen, no doubt. But controlling the temperature is a challenge. It’s pretty much medium or more for these.

Ready to get shopping? Here are a few brands we’ve spotted at supermarkets, health food stores and Whole Foods:

• Teton Waters Ranch
• The Organic Meat Company
• Applegate
• Tribali Foods

Some are straight grass-fed beef, others have vegetables or even legumes mixed in. Which way you go depends on your preference, and what’s available in your local store.