I make up patties and freeze all the time. I've never noticed a tough rubbery texture. Did you over cook them?

I prefer to cook frozen patties on the grill though.

Is it possible that you worked the meat too much? I always hear on the cooking shows that if you mix for too long you get tough burgers.

Jessica, I handled the meat as minimally as possible--just enough to shape them into patties. Also, I noticed the firmer texture while the burgers were still cooking. And Terri, I don't think I overcooked them. My normal (never frozen) burgers are soft and can be cut with the side of a fork, but I almost needed a knife for these!

When you freeze your burgers, do you usually thaw them before cooking?

Thanks for the thoughts,

Sue

I believe the texture problem was caused by not hot enough a fry pan....
I also prefer a frozen patty grilled, or cooked on a blazing hot cast iron skillet.

Linda, that makes sense! I was cooking them on rather low heat so that they would thaw in the center before the outside was overcooked. I have a lot more frozen patties in the freezer, so I'll try turning up the heat next time.

I like grilled hamburgers, too, but we are presently "between grills."

Sue

Sue, I cook them from frozen..

And I agree with Linda..blazin hot.

Frozen patties make my life so easy! LOL

I have have somewhat the same problems, so asked my question at a different forum. The posts may be of interest to some of our members who like to keep hamberger patties in the freezer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Freezing Raw Meat for Burgers

Lisbet, that is an interesting read! The most useful advice seems to be the wet wrap; I'll try that next time. I don't have a frost-free freezer or a vacuum food sealer, but I don't think the problem is freezer-burn, as there's no visible damage. Also, the labels on the meat packages don't say "previously frozen." I'll keep experimenting, especially with the temperature and pan.

For many years, I've simply bought a small quantity of ground meat and cooked it the same evening (or perhaps the next day), but recently my supermarket began selling it in vacuum-packed 3-pound packages, so I've been stocking up.

I also freeze half-pound blocks of ground beef to use in pasta sauce and other dishes; I flatten them as much as possible before freezing, so they'll thaw quickly in the pan. Maybe I've cooked them at a higher temp than the burgers, but they don't have the rubbery texture when cooked that way.

Sue