Whether you’re firing up the BBQ or stacking patties for weeknight dinner, the heart of a great burger isn’t toppings or sauce, it’s what’s between the buns: the patty. In this guide we’ll break down what truly makes a premium burger patty, from meat quality and fat ratios to ingredients, processing, and how everything contributes to flavour and texture.
The foundation of any great burger patty is the meat itself. Premium patties are made from high‑quality ground meat without fillers or mystery bits. For beef and lamb, this means grass‑fed meat that’s been handled with care from farm to plate.
In New Zealand, companies like ANZCO Foods lead the charge in sourcing quality beef and lamb. They work with local farmers to bring grass‑fed meat from lush pastures into their products (like Angel Bay), ensuring consistency, rich flavour and nutritional goodness. This kind of meat, selected, processed and handled meticulously, sets the stage for patties with real depth of flavour and texture.
Quality meat also brings other benefits, like natural marbling (that fleck of fat running through the muscle), which helps keep your patty juicy when cooked.
Fat isn’t just there for calories, it’s one of the main flavour carriers in a burger. Without enough fat, patties can end up dry, dense and disappointing.
Most experts agree that the ideal fat content for beef burgers is around 20%, usually expressed as an 80/20 lean‑to‑fat ratio, and sometimes even up to 70/30 for richer, juicier results.
Here’s why that balance is so important:
Fat melts as it cooks, feeding flavour throughout the meat and helping to form that delicious crust during searing (thanks to the Maillard reaction).
The cut of meat used influences both flavour and texture. Ground chuck, from the shoulder area of the cow, is a favourite for burgers because it naturally hits that sweet spot of fat and flavour.
You can also blend cuts to create more interesting flavour profiles (like chuck with brisket). This technique, common in patties, adds complexity and richness without extra work for the home cook.
Not all burger patties are just meat + fat. Especially when you’re making patties from scratch or blending for texture and consistency, other ingredients come into play:
Binders & add‑ins:
These are common in homemade patties and are also part of what goes into high‑quality commercial patties, including Angel Bay patties that aim to deliver a consistent, tasty result every time.
A great patty is about more than ingredients, it’s about how those ingredients are treated. Overworking the meat mixture can lead to tough patties because it compresses the proteins. The goal is gentle shaping so it holds together but still feels tender in your mouth.
With Angel Bay patties, this handling is part of our quality control. Snap freezing once cooked also helps lock in flavour and texture while giving you convenience at home.
Beyond beef: options for every diet
Not all burgers are beef. Premium lamb patties bring their own savoury rich flavour. Vegetarian and vegan patties use plant‑based proteins like legumes, grains and vegetables to mimic texture and deliver satisfying flavour profiles. These options reflect evolving tastes and also expand what “burger night” looks like.
At Angel Bay, our vegetarian option is crafted with the same care as our meat patties – tasty, consistent and satisfying.
So, what makes a high‑quality burger patty? It’s the sum of its parts:
Angel Bay’s frozen patties, made with quality ingredients and careful craftsmanship, tick all these boxes. They deliver reliable, restaurant-style results at home, with no stress.