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, to the producers, to the fishers, and anyone who had sourced them for you…. Yeah, they’re sooo good.

Why I’m praising them? Am I sounding suspicious?

Taste them!

BUT…

Before that, please cook them the right way, without drying them out.

And for that purpose, also read this guide. Here I’ve reviewed them after excellent research and explored the best cooking methods.

Let’s know more without further ado.

Why are Costco Salmon Burgers from Trident So Excellent?

The Alaskan wild-caught salmon burgers at Costco are the healthiest burger patties to add to your pallets. 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 putting all your trust. 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) for keeping 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 that they pass salmon meat in the maximum possible quantity to their consumers.
• 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 sea foods for a traditional taste
• BEET JUICE as a natural coloring agent 
• ANNATTO, also known as achiote, is a natural food coloring and flavoring agent that is derived from the seeds of the achiote tree.
• ROSEMARY EXTRACT acts as a natural antioxidant that is 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 aren’t single ingredients that could be held responsible for gluten presence in the patties.

Ultimately, they’re safe!

Healthy

Yes, the Costco salmon burger patties are also healthy.

The nutrition information above is for a serving size of 3 patties with a total of 170 calories, 18 grams of protein, and 12 grams of carbohydrates. 

Besides this, the sodium content is about 310mg in the burgers. It’s not very high if you consume only one patty–it’ll be 103mg.

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.

The patties are also loaded with magnesium, giving you 6% of your daily needs.

Made from wild-caught salmon meat.

Again it ensures maximum health benefits that you can get by eating salmon and minimizes the risks your fish is wild caught. And, here, the Costco salmon burgers win!

The Terind’s burger has meat from wild-caught salmons. What does it mean?

• Wild caught salmon patties are higher in nutrients, including protein, healthy omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, than farmed salmon. It’s because Wild salmon feeds on natural food sources in the wild, such as plankton, krill, and small fish, which gives it a more diverse and nutrient-rich diet.
• Wild salmon are not exposed to antibiotics, pesticides, or other chemicals. Contrary, the farms use them 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

The salmon burgers at Costco are sourced from Trident Seafoods Corp. The company has established its name for quality control. Instead of buying salmon from local farmers, the system is run as 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 the reason 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 from 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.

It’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 extremely 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 have been in love with some 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 right away; you’ll go bundle on seeing them in your freezer.

Hassle-free

Getting salmon filet, turning them into burgers, and freezing them requires much time–you could better invest this time in some other productive activity. 

In such a case, Costco’s cheap and easy-to-cook patties save you. Get them out of the freezer and cook. In a few minutes, you’ll have a wonderful meal–and the healthiest, of course!

Salmon burgers price at Costco in 2023

Obviously, the burger patties at Costco are cheaper. You get a 48 oz pack for $22–$7.66 per lb.

Indeed, cost-effective, healthiest meals under the sun!

Are there any Cons?

I won’t agree if you say that they’re 100% perfect salmon patties, nor should you.

To help you make your final decision, here are a few you can consider.

• The cooking instructions by Trident Seafoods require a bit more clarity. For example, Trident advises you to cook them frozen, and it 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.
• In the same way, if you run after the 165 F internal temperature as advised by the company, you’ll get dry patties. So, it’s better to go for 145 degrees 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 done 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 Burgers Patties?

Here we’ve listed all the best methods that you can use to cook Costco salmon burgers. Some are quick and 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 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. 
• When your instant meat thermometer records the temperature at 145F, the patties are done. 
• Remove them from the pan, rest for 3 minutes, and enjoy with your favorite condiment.

2. Baking

If you have an oven at your 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 so you can infuse the classic smokey flavor in your patties.

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 salmon 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 on 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 reach 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? Neverrr…!

Not recommended at all….

Microwaving is the worst thing you can do to your uncooked frozen salmon patties. It’s because microwaving doesn’t cook the patties evenly, and it may cause a dry and overcooked texture. 

In a quest to cook your frozen patties evenly and reach the 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?

The recommended internal cooking temperature for salmon is 145°F (63°C), according to the FDA Food Code. This temperature suffices for killing any harmful bacteria and ensures that the salmon patties are safe to eat.

Cooking salmon patties to a higher temperature of 165°F (74°C) is often recommended, though on the packaging. Yet, cooking so long often results in a dry patty which becomes bland as well. 

Remember that the 165 degrees internal temperature is only for ground meats such as beef, pork, and poultry to ensure that any harmful bacteria are killed. 

Why should you use the instant-read meat thermometer when cooking salmon patties?

Using an instant-read meat thermometer when cooking salmon patties can ensure that they are cooked to the appropriate internal temperature and are safe to eat. 

Cooking frozen salmon temperature at the advised internal temperature prevents 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.