For over forty years Steak-umm has sold pre-sliced steak meat. Now they have finally branched out into the burger market with their Steak-umm Burgers.

Steak-umm Burgers are no seasonings added 1/3-pound patties made from USDA-inspected beef chuck that won't fall apart when cooked. The burgers can be broiled, pan-fried, or grilled directly from the box without defrosting. Cooking times range from 6 to 11 minutes per side, depending on the method of cooking.

Steak-umm Burgers are available in varieties: Original, Onion, and Cheese. They come in boxes of six with a total weight of two pounds.

Nutritional Information (for Steak-umm Burgers with Sweet Onions)

Serving size is one burger with only 270 calories, which isn't bad in itself, but 170 are from fat, which isn't good. Total fat is a whopping 18 grams, which is 28% of the USDA daily value, and 7 grams are saturated fat. Cholesterol is also high at 85 milligrams or 35% of the daily value.

The nutritional data is for the sweet onion variety. The original and especially the cheese varieties are even higher in fat and cholesterol.

The onion burgers only contain beef chuck and onions. No preservatives or additives are listed.

I first learned about Steak-umm Burgers in my supermarket's sales flyer. My eyes always jump at new items. Being a burger fan, I'm on a quest to find the best burger. This, sadly, is not it.

I tried Topps burgers last year, only to have them go out of business after a meat recall hit them hard. I also tried Philly Burgers. Both were okay but very tough. Next up is Bubba Burgers.

So, after seeing an ad for with Steak-umm Burgers, I knew that I just had to try them. I went to their website and immediately decided on the Sweet Onions.

We bought it at the store for $7.98, which, for only two pounds, is rather high compared to Philly burgers, which cost $6.98 for three pounds.

I eagerly awaited my burgers. While frying them in a pan (they need no oil), the smell was fantastic. The meat and onions produced a terrific aroma. You can see big pieces of onions throughout the meat, which isn't perfectly round, like many brands.

I ate mine with mayo and ketchup mixed with a little Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce (See upcoming review) on a hamburger bun.

The first bite proved to be dripping with juices and onions. It tasted good. That was until I started chewing. It's hard to explain the texture, which varied from softer parts, tougher parts, rubbery parts, to sinewy. The burger didn't know what texture to be. The end result is not very satisfying. The Angel Food Ministries burgers taste similar.

The box description says that the burgers won't fall apart when cooked. That's for sure! It's like rubber. It also says the burgers are made from USDA-inspected beef chuck. This might be true but it doesn't take into account the fat content or cut of chuck.

The box warns to keep frozen and cook frozen. I know frozen is how to store it before cooking but to always cook frozen seems odd. I figured that they are to be kept frozen since it's pure beef and contains no preservatives. Then I look at the expiration date. It's November 28, 2008. That's over 9 months away! I never heard of pure beef being stored for almost a year frozen. If the burgers are like rubber now, what would they be like in nine months?! I shiver at the thought.

If not for my toppings, these burgers would've been a total dud. I have to give Steak-umm Burgers with Sweet Onions a thumbs down. I rate their burgers a 1.5 or 2 out of 5. They cost too much for too little yum!

My burger search continues.

Learn more about this author, John Gugie.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Steak-umm Burgers, big price for little value?
We want to hear your view. Write now!