Not to be confused with another Prime Meats in Carroll Gardens (another list stop), Michael’s Prime Meats is a butcher shop in the far reaches of Brooklyn. It really took me forever to get out there. And the whole time all I could think was “What if they’re out of the chicken burger?”
I shouldn’t have feared too much because when I arrived there was a freezer full of these patties. I must have stuck out like a sore thumb because both the employee and another customer recommended the chicken patties to me and told me I need to cook them frozen. Two patties were wrapped together and since they were so inexpensive ($5 for a pound), I bought two packages (that’s four 1/2-lb. patties).
My next concern (I’m just full of concerns) was would these frozen patties make it all the way back (it was an hour train ride) to Astoria? Again, I feared for nothing because I got home and they were still frozen.
The employee there (Michael?) said I should grill or broil them. I decided to broil them for dinner since it would be less clean up. These patties were humongous and wouldn’t quite fit on the burger buns I had bought. But they were really good and didn’t even need the ketchup and mustard I instinctively added.
Since I had extra patties, a few days later I tried the grilling option. The grilling worked out slightly better – the meat retained more juiciness and tasted more like an actual burger. The broiling method was also successful, but it was slightly drier.
Michael told me that these were practically fat free except for a little bit of American cheese that he adds to the patty (cheeseless versions are also available). He also adds onions, green and red peppers, and some seasonings. There was a slight fajita flavor to the burger. It was delicious. Incredibly juicy and flavorful. And on the very large side. It’s too bad Flatbush is so far away because these would be a perfect fat free easy to prepare lunch for those days I’m home and baffled by Astoria’s lunch scene.
Would Michael’s Prime Meats’ Chicken Burger make my Top 100 of the year? If it wasn’t so far, I would stock up on these patties regularly. The healthy and delicious take on a cheeseburger earns a solid 8 out of 10.
