Patty


A patty is a flattened, usually round, serving of ground meat or meat alternatives. The meat is compacted and shaped, cooked, and served.
Patties can be eaten with a knife and fork in dishes like Salisbury steak, but are typically served in a sort of sandwich called a "burger", or a hamburger if the patty is made from ground beef.
The term "patty" is used in many varieties of English, but less frequently in Britain and Ireland than in the United States.
Similar-shaped meat cakes not made from ground beef may also be called "burger": "turkey burgers" or "fishburgers" may be made from reshaped mechanically separated meat. Sometimes burgers are breaded. Veggie burger patties are made without meat, usually of soy, but also often of other beans and occasionally of other mixed vegetables.
In Ireland, traditional chippers often serve batter burger or spice burger. These are served in a greaseproof paper bag and eaten with the hands.
In India, a patty may also be vegetarian.

Shape

With mass-produced patties, it is not uncommon to find them with seemingly abnormal shapes or a bumpy perimeter. These groove-like bumps are caused by the machine that forms the patties. They are used in production to keep the patties in line, so they will not fall off the assembly line, and can be manipulated by the various machines. In other boxed patties, small punctures can be seen in the top and bottom sides of the patty. These punctures are there for similar reasons.