Meat Patties

Name: Meat patties — flat discs of minced or ground meat (usually beef, pork or a mix), seasoned and shaped, and cooked by grilling or frying. They include hamburger patties, frozen burger patties, and Jamaican beef patties (a pastry with a spiced meat filling).

Description

The burger patty is the heart of the hamburger, and the patty alone is a basic food in many countries. It comes in many forms: fresh butcher-made burgers, frozen shop-bought patties, fast-food patties and plant-based patties. The best are made of good-quality minced beef with 15 to 20% fat, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and formed lightly.

Frozen and processed patties may contain additives, such as binders, fillers, salt and preservatives, and more fat and less meat than a homemade patty. Since the meat is ground, patties must be cooked through.

Main nutrition value

Processed meats provide protein, but they are typically high in salt and saturated fat, and cured products contain added nitrites. The nutritional value of patties varies widely with the meat, fat, and additives, and shop-bought patties are often high in salt and fat.

How best to be consumed

Meat patties are cooked all the way through.

1. Cook to an internal temperature of 71°C, using a thermometer, and until no pink remains and the juices run clear.
2. Choose patties with a high meat content, and a short list of ingredients.
3. Form your own patties from minced beef, lightly seasoned, without overworking.
4. Grill, pan-fry or bake, and avoid burning or charring.
5. Serve in wholegrain buns with salad vegetables.

Overconsumption could cause…

Meat patties are healthy occasionally, with careful cooking.

1. Food poisoning (E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter) from undercooked meat, especially minced meat and burgers where bacteria are mixed all the way through, so cook mince to 71°C and use a thermometer.
2. High salt (sodium), which can raise blood pressure over time, particularly in cured, canned and processed products.
3. Raised LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk from the saturated fat in fattier cuts, skin and processed products, so choose lean cuts and trim visible fat.
4. Higher risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer with regular high intake of red meat, which the World Health Organization's cancer agency classifies as probably carcinogenic, so many health bodies advise keeping red meat to about 350 to 500 g (cooked weight) a week.
5. Harmful compounds (heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) formed when meat is charred or cooked at very high heat over flames, so avoid burning it, marinate first, and cook gently.

GroupsProcessed Meat

Related foodsBaconCanned MeatChicken NuggetsChorizoCorned BeefDeli Meat

Wikipedia — Hamburger, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger