I don’t know who told you that Costco sells salmon wild-caught Alaskan salmon burgers. Whether it was your friend or somebody praising them on the internet, like me.
Believe me, my friend; they’re the healthiest delight.
You can enjoy them by cooking them for 10-15 minutes. And, then, you’ll remain grateful to Costco, the producers, the fisheries, and anyone who has sourced them for you…. Yeah, they’re so good.
Why am I praising them? Are you getting skeptical?
Taste them!
BUT…
Before that, please cook them correctly without drying them out.
And for that purpose, also read this guide. I’ve reviewed them after excellent research and explored the best cooking methods here.
Let’s start learning without further ado.
Why is Costco Salmon Burgers from Trident So Excellent?
Costco’s Alaskan wild-caught salmon burgers are the healthiest patties to add to your plates. They’re preservatives, artificial colors, and flavor-free. Not only this, but they also don’t have any fillers.
If you carefully learn about the Trident Salmon Patties at Costco, you know why you can have them by trusting them. Here are a few reasons.
The ingredients
Looking at the ingredients list, you’ll find a purpose behind every constituent. For instance, these salmon burgers have:
- FISH (PINK AND/OR KETA SALMON) is the primary ingredient. Keta salmon is Alaskan salmon with pink meat and a mild flavor. Trident uses this salmon because its mild meat flavor keeps the salmon burger patties less fishy.
- VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA) to keep them soft
- WATER as a binder
- CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF GROUND ONION, which adds great flavor but doesn’t mean to act as filler. The brands want to ensure they pass salmon meat to their consumers in the maximum possible quantity.
- SALT is an inescapable seasoning.
- LEMON JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE to provide consistent acidity and flavor.
- POTATO EXTRACT acts as a binder and thickening agent
- GARLIC POWDER to add classic garlicky flavor
- MUSTARD FLOUR not only for seasoning but also to make your salmon pattie the healthiest. It also gives mustard-yellow color to the food; hence, it’s a natural food color.
- WHITE PEPPER: a must-add seasoning to seafood for a traditional taste
- BEET JUICE as a natural coloring agent
- ANNATTO, also known as achiote, is a natural food coloring and flavoring agent derived from the achiote tree’s seeds.
- ROSEMARY EXTRACT is a natural antioxidant commonly used as a food preservative. It is derived from the leaves of the rosemary plant, which is native to the Mediterranean region.
- MESQUITE SMOKE FLAVOR is a natural smoke flavoring derived from the smoke of burning mesquite wood
Gluten-Free status
You’ve already read the ingredients list. So, there isn’t a single ingredient that could be held responsible for gluten presence in the patties.
Ultimately, they’re safe!
Healthy
Yes, Costco salmon burger patties are also healthy.
With a serving size of 1 burger of 4 oz, you get a total of 170 calories, 20 grams of protein, and 9 grams of fats.
Besides this, the sodium content is about 330 mg in the burgers. Consuming only one patty–330 mg is not very high.
The burgers also have less or no saturated fats, while they’ve about 8 grams of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These fats are good for your health and help to reduce bad cholesterol.
Made from wild-caught salmon meat.
The Terind’s burger has meat from wild-caught salmon. What does it mean?
- Wild-caught Alaskan salmon patties are higher in nutrients, including protein, healthy omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, than farmed salmon. Wild salmon feed on natural food sources in the wild, such as plankton, krill, and small fish, which means a more diverse and nutrient-rich diet.
- Wild salmon are not exposed to antibiotics, pesticides, or other chemicals. On the contrary, the farms use these to control diseases and parasites. This makes wild salmon a cleaner and healthier choice.
- Your salmon burger patties have a rich flavor and a firmer texture, which chefs and consumers often prefer.
Incredible Quality Control and Compliance with Sustainable Practices
Salmon burgers at Costco are sourced from Trident Seafoods Corp. The company has established its name for quality control. Instead of sourcing salmon from local farmers, it’s a family-owned business. They plant their salmon, catch it, and then process it.
To ensure quality, they mark every badge with a code that gives complete information about the history of that product and the crew involved in its entire process, from sea to packaging. Thus, they maintain a strict check on their production. This is why the producer recalled their burgers for the risk of metal pieces with the lot number GC101431 and a best-by date of “01/14/2023.
What else could you love about a company that puts customers’ health first?
Just like many wild salmon fisheries, Trident Seafoods Cop. follows sustainable fishing practices. It helps to maintain and manage salmon populations carefully to prevent overfishing and ensure the long-term health of the ecosystem.
That’s why Trident bears certification from the Marine Stewardship Council and Responsible Fisheries Management.
Taste
After remaining positive toward Costco’s salmon patties, here comes the real thing… The taste!
What do the Trident Salmon Burger patties from Trident Seafoods Corp. taste like?
They taste incredibly delicious. These salmon burgers have mesquite wood smoke flavors. So, without caring about grilling them, you can enjoy their classic smokey flavor.
They’re a bit fishy–which is good. After all, they’ve been made from fish.
They don’t taste like chicken–please don’t expect them to be so..!
Also, they taste like store-bought salmon patties, a bit salty. So, for some, the salty taste can be less desirable, especially if you use less salt in your foods.
For some others, they can be incredibly tasty, and for others, less impressive.
Here is a big “WHY?”
If you compare it with any homemade burger patties that you’ve already been enjoying, they can be less pleasing. Similarly, when you’ve been in love with other pre-packaged salmon patties with added artificial flavors, they’re not for you.
The only way to describe these patties’ taste is
“Naturally delicious…!”
I’ve found many people complaining about the salmon burgers by Trident as dry…!
Who is responsible?
Your cooking method, my dear…!
Cook them immediately; you’ll go bundle on seeing them in your freezer.
Hassle-free
Getting salmon filets, turning them into burgers, and freezing them requires much time–you could better invest this time in some other productive activity.
As such, Costco’s cheap and easy-to-cook patties save you. Get them out of the freezer and cook. You’ll have a wonderful meal, and a healthier one, of course, in a few minutes.
Salmon burgers’ price at Costco in 2023
Obviously, the burger patties at Costco are cheaper. You get a 48 oz pack for $20.89.
Indeed, cost-effective, healthiest meals under the sun!
Are there any cons?
I won’t say if you say they’re 100% perfect salmon patties, nor should you.
Here are a few things you should consider to help you decide.
- The cooking instructions provided by Trident Seafoods require a bit more clarity. For example, Trident advises you to cook them frozen, which should take only 3-4 minutes per side when cooking on a grill. However, they take a bit longer. So, if you land them on your platter without checking the internal safe temperature, you can find them undercooked and more fishy.
- Similarly, if you run after the 165 F internal temperature, as advised by the company, you’ll get patties dried out and even burned out. So, it’s better to go for a 145-degree Fahrenheit internal temperature, which is also safe.
- Since the brand advises you to cook them without thawing, you can’t cook them on high heat. If you do so, you won’t enjoy their best taste. So, please try any cooking method that allows you to cook these Costco salmon patties at low heat.
What’s the Best Method to Cook Costco’s Frozen Salmon Patties?
Here we’ve listed all the best methods that you can use to cook Costco salmon burgers. Some are quick, while others can result in more tasteful bites. You can choose any according to the availability of the equipment.
1. Pan-frying
The best and quickest method to cook frozen salmon patties is to pan-fry them in a cast iron skillet. You don’t need to set up a lot of equipment and tools. Just do this.
- Get a skillet and place it on the stovetop.
- Add a little oil to make it non-stick–you can also use a brush to apply oil to the pan.
- Fry each side of your patties for about 5 minutes on low heat.
- Check the burgers’ internal temperature, which should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The patties are done when your instant meat thermometer reads 145F.
- Remove them from the pan, rest for 3 minutes, and enjoy with your favorite condiment.
2. Baking
If you have an oven at home, go nowhere, Baking is the 2nd best way to cook frozen and unthawed salmon burgers.
You can cook the store-bought frozen salmon patties by following these steps:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the salmon patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly coated with cooking spray. The parchment paper will prevent them from sticking to the baking tray.
- Bake the salmon burgers for 15-20 minutes or until they are fully cooked. Seek an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Turn the burgers over halfway through the cooking process.
- If you want your salmon burgers to be crispy, broil them for 1-2 minutes at the end of the cooking process.
- Once the salmon burgers are fully cooked, remove them from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve the salmon burgers on buns or with your favorite toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, onion, and avocado.
3. Grilling
Grilling is the 3rd best method to cook your frozen salmon patties and, in turn, infuse your patties with the classic smokey flavor.
To grill the patties:
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Brush the frozen salmon burger patties with some oil or butter to prevent sticking.
- Place the frozen salmon burger patties directly on the grill grates and close the lid.
- Grill for 5-6 minutes per side. Check the burgers; internal temperature to be 145°F (63°C).
- Avoid flipping the burgers too often to prevent them from falling apart.
- Once the salmon burgers are fully cooked, remove them from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve the grilled salmon burgers in buns with your favorite toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, onion, and avocado.
4. Air frying
You can also air-fry the frozen burger patties. But it’s better to avoid it for a few reasons, like:
- Air-frying frozen salmon patties can result in a dry and overcooked texture. Since air frying uses high heat and circulating air in a small basket to cook food, it can quickly dry out the patties and make them tough. In contrast, the conduction ovens have a relatively large area, so circulating heat doesn’t dry up the patties but only cooks them evenly.
- The coating on some frozen salmon patties may not hold up well in an air fryer. Some frozen salmon patties have a coating made from breadcrumbs or other ingredients, which may not crisp up evenly or may fall off during air frying.
Yet, if you want hassle-free cooking, you can air fry the frozen salmon patties. Here is how to do it:
Here’s how you can air-fry frozen salmon patties:
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the salmon patties in a single layer in the air fryer basket. If your air fryer basket is small, you may need to cook the patties in batches.
- Cook the salmon patties for 8-10 minutes. Don’t forget to flip them halfway through the cooking process.
- Once the salmon patties are fully cooked, and have reached an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), remove them from the air fryer.
- Let the salmon patties cool for a few minutes before serving.
4. Microwaving? Never…!
Not recommended at all….
Microwaving is the worst thing you can do to your uncooked frozen salmon patties. This is because microwaving doesn’t cook the patties evenly and may cause a dry and overcooked texture.
In a quest to cook your frozen patties evenly and reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees, microwaving will get you rubbery or tough.
Besides this, the coating on some frozen salmon patties may not crisp up evenly in the microwave.
Microwaving can also be a safety concern because it may not heat the salmon patties to the temperature to kill harmful bacteria.
To ensure that frozen salmon patties are cooked thoroughly and safely, please use cooking methods such as baking, grilling, or pan-frying.
FAQs
Why should you not cook frozen, uncooked salmon patties at 145 degrees internal temperature, not 165 F?
According to the FDA Food Code, salmon’s recommended internal cooking temperature is 145°F (63°C). This temperature kills harmful bacteria and ensures that the salmon patties are safe to eat.
Cooking salmon patties to a temperature of 165°F (74°C) is often recommended, which is wrong. The 165-degree Fahrenheit internal temperature is only for ground meats such as beef, pork, and poultry to kill harmful bacteria. Cooking salmon for so long often results in a dry patty that also becomes bland.
Why should you use the instant-read meat thermometer when cooking salmon patties?
When cooking salmon patties, an instant-read meat thermometer can ensure they are cooked to the appropriate internal temperature and are safe to eat.
Cooking frozen salmon to the advised internal temperature protects you from food-borne illnesses. Hence, an instant-read meat thermometer can give you an accurate reading of the internal temperature of the patties and help you determine when they are fully cooked.
When using an instant-read meat thermometer, please insert the probe into the thickest part of the salmon patty to get an accurate temperature reading.
