The Best Frozen Beef Burgers Come From A Tried-And-True Brand

For the omnivores among us, it's hard to deny the classic appeal of a good beef burger. Unfortunately, when convenience is key, frozen burgers often miss the mark with unpleasant tastes and textures — with one exception, rooted in decades of delicious frozen beef.

You may have seen a box of Bubba burgers in your grocery store's frozen aisle, but you might not know it's the best frozen beef burger on the market today. When we tried and ranked 10 brands of frozen beef burgers, the top slot was no contest. Bubba had a uniquely excellent taste and texture, almost identical to a homemade burger.

Each Bubba beef burger is 100% USDA Choice chuck, and that's literally all it contains — no fillers, no preservatives, not even seasonings. When cooked, every juicy bite tasted like pure, delicious beef. But for those seeking more flavor, Bubba has many other beef burger varieties infused with burger toppings like onions, jalapeños, bacon, and various cheeses, along with other types of burgers.

Today, Bubba Burgers are in almost every major grocery store's freezer. However, the brand had a humble beginning in 1995. Bubba was founded in the state of Georgia by Walter "Bubba" Eaves, and he began distribution simply by talking to local grocery store meat departments and letting them try the burger.

Eaves and his son, Edward, sold customers on Bubba Burger with free burger cookouts in front of the grocery stores and at local football games. By 2000, they were selling three million burgers a year — and Bubba Eaves sold Bubba Burger to Hickory Foods, which still owns it today. From there, the brand boomed.

Grocery store distribution grew as Bubba built links with sports fandoms, especially automobile racing. It sponsored several races and teams and was available at many race tracks. Bubba also partnered with other sports teams like the New York Mets and is still the official burger of MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Jets and Giants. Bubba burgers may have grown far beyond their roots, but they're still doing football tailgates, too.

The brand has grown far beyond its original beef burgers to 14 different, beefy varieties. These include flavors like angus swiss, bacon cheddar, and jalapeño cheddar; different patties like sliders and smash burgers; as well as higher-end options made of grass-fed beef or wagyu. And that's to say nothing of its additional seven beef-less patties covering turkey, veggie, and chicken burgers.

And if you like the Bubba taste but are tired of hamburgers, use up those frozen leftover burger patties by adding the cooked meat to sauces, stir fries, meatballs, burritos, and more. However, don't rush to cook them, as Bubba burgers being frozen means they can last for months — up to 3 or 4, according to the FDA. You should also check the date on the packaging.

With 30 years of simple quality, grown from parking lot cookouts to widespread availability at major grocery chains, it's no wonder that Bubba Burgers stand among the best frozen burger brands available.