Turkey burgers have become increasingly popular over recent years thanks to the fact that they are healthier than burgers made from beef or pork. But, making your own takes time so is there a way to store them for the long term?
Can You Freeze Turkey Burgers?
Yes, you can freeze turkey burgers for up to 2 months. Initially freeze them on a lined baking sheet until firm, before wrapping each burger in a layer of baking paper, and then cling film. Once wrapped, the burgers can be returned to the freezer.
Do Do Turkey Burgers freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Turkey Burgers? No
How to Freeze Turkey Burgers
Both homemade turkey burgers and store-bought burgers can be frozen using the same method. If you have bought the burgers then you’ll need to remove them from any of their packaging before following the method below:
- Line a Baking Sheet: Grab a flat baking sheet and line it with a sheet of baking paper. This will prevent the burgers from freezing to the sheet.
- Add Burgers: Carefully add the burgers to the lined sheet, ensuring there is a space between each burger. If the burgers are touching, then they will freeze together.
- Freeze: Once the burgers are on the baking sheet, transfer the sheet into the freezer, where they will flash freeze until firm. This will take around half an hour. You can flash-freeze them for a little longer to ensure that theyāre solid.
- Remove: Once the burgers are solid, remove the tray from the freezer.
- Wrap Once: The first layer of wrapping must be a permeable layer of paper. This can be either parchment paper or butcherās paper. You just need to loosely wrap the burger in this initial layer.
- Wrap Again: Follow the layer of paper with a layer of cling film – you can make this a little tighter if that would help to bind the parcel up a little better.
- Bag Up: So that you don’t end up with burgers all over your freezer, pop all the wrapped burgers into a freezer bag so you can find them all. Seal the bag up tightly, removing as much excess air as possible.
- Freeze: Write a clear label on the bag – including the word turkey, of course – and then pop the bag into the freezer.
Yes, you can freeze cooked turkey burgers, but there is a risk that they will become overcooked when you come to thawing and reheating them. It is better to freeze uncooked burgers.
3 Tips for Freezing Turkey Burgers
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing turkey burgers to have the best results:
Avoid Overhandling
Overhandling ground meat when making burgers will lead to the burgers having a much sloppier final consistency when theyāre finally eaten. The reason for this is that the fat content is poorly distributed. Once you’ve formed the patties, leave them be.
Ensure the Cling Film Forms a Tight Seal
Ensuring that the cling film forms a seal is the best way to prevent humidity and frost from making their way onto and, in time, into the burgers. To manage the burger a little better and ensure that it staves off freezer burn for as long as possible, wrap it very well in cling film.
Don’t Rush the Initial Freezing
Flash-freezing the burgers for a little longer can be a sensible decision. The reason for this is that it will allow you to pack the burgers into the freezer more firmly without worrying about squashing or misshaping them.
How Long Can You Freeze Turkey Burgers?
You can freeze turkey burgers in your home freezer for around two months before freezer burn starts to affect the protein within the burgers, leading to a poor final texture when theyāre eventually cooked.
Turkey burgers that haven’t been cooked can be kept in the bottom of the fridge, covered in cling film for around 3 days. Cooked turkey burgers will only last for 24 hours, however.
How Do You Defrost Turkey Burgers?
The easiest way to thaw turkey burgers is to allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight and then handle them as though they were just raw meat, cooking them as normal.
You shouldn’t speed this process up, as bacteria loves meat products. Thawing them at room temperature will encourage this bacteria to grow.
Can You Refreeze Turkey Burgers?
No, you cannot refreeze turkey burgers.
As a general rule of food safety, you shouldnāt refreeze meat, poultry, or fish once itās thawed, since bacterial growth could have begun while the food was out of your freezer.
Do Turkey Burgers Freeze Well?
Yes, turkey burgers do freeze quite well. Ensuring you follow the directions above will allow you to make sure that the quality of your turkey burgers doesnāt decrease over time.
There is a slight risk that the burgers will dry out if left for a few months but once cooked then covered in sauce and condiments, you’ll struggle to notice.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing turkey burgers or burgers in general, then these may help:
No, this is not a good idea. You should defrost turkey burgers fully before cooking them otherwise you risk cooking the outside before the inside has had a chance to thaw and cook through.
Yes, this will be fine. The egg is usually a binding agent and will freeze fine in the body of a burger.
