Can You Add Seasoning To Pre-made Hamburger Patties? Is It Safe?
You’re at the grocery store, trying to decide what to make for dinner tonight. You don’t have a lot of time, so you decide to go with the easy option and pick up some pre-made hamburger patties. But then you start to wonder… can you add seasoning to pre-made hamburger patties? Is it safe?
Is It Possible To Season A Pre-Made Hamburger?
The answer is yes, you can add seasoning to pre-made hamburger patties! In fact, it’s a great way to add some extra flavor without having to do a lot of work. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind when seasoning pre-made burger patties.
First of all, make sure that the seasoning you’re using is fresh. Old spices can lose their flavor and might make your burgers taste bland. Secondly, be careful not to overdo it on the salt. It’s easy to go overboard when adding seasoning, so start with a little bit and then taste as you go. Lastly, be sure to cook your burgers all the way through. Any raw meat could potentially contain harmful bacteria that could make you sick.
The problem that happens with pre-made patties is that you can’t mix up the meat — that would defeat the purpose of getting pre-formed patties! As a result people put the spice on the outside, which can be fine, but leads to a problem. Have guess what it is yet?
It’s that the spices and flavoring on the outside burn before the burger is cooked. Some people see this and think the burger is done, despite it being undercooked, or even raw on the inside. This can lead to E. coli (Escherichia coli) and other serious health concerns.
What this means if that you need to lower the temperature on your grill or griddle and to use ingredients that aren’t prone to burning when on the outside of a burger. For example, we like garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. The Worcestershire sauce will add amazing flavor and it will soak into the burger.
Alternatively, if you add something like onions or steak sauce to the outside of the burger then will just burn — they have significant amounts of sugar in them — and you’ll be tempted to pull the burgers before they are ready.
Possible: Yes? Safe: Sure!
Seasoning your burgers is a great way to add some extra flavor without a lot of extra work. Just be sure to use fresh spices, go easy on the salt, and cook your burgers all the way through (testing with a thermometer). Enjoy!