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Have you bought frozen meat patties and are wondering the right way to grill them? Guess what? you can turn your frozen patties into tasty burgers quickly without much preparation. Grilling frozen burgers is one of the fastest and easiest recipes and even the best choice. However, you must take some cautions for a better grilling experience.
In this guide, we help you to know the essential items, ingredients, a perfect way to grill frozen burgers, and much more. Let’s learn the complete grilling process without further ado!
Can You Cook Frozen Burgers on the Grill?
Yes, you can cook juicy and delicious burgers from frozen patties. The frozen burgers are cooked differently than the fresh ones. However, you can still get the best out of them even if they come straight out of your freezer. Keep in mind that frozen burgers take longer to cook evenly but avoid burning and overcooking them.
Essential Things To Know While Grilling Frozen Burgers
Fresh or thawed meat is always an optimal choice for burgers. However, you can grill patties straight from frozen. It seems to be difficult but actually, it is not. You must learn some tricky things before you start your grilling.
The most tricky and problematic part is separating the frozen patties from one another correctly. It may be impossible without the right method. You can use a butter knife (the best option and preferred by experts) for separating frozen burgers. Besides, a sturdy spatula will also do the job.
Pro Tip: Never use a sharp knife for separating frozen patties as it can ruin their shape.
What Ingredients Are Required?
- Frozen burger patties (of course)
- Salt & pepper (for taste)
- Buns
- Your favorite burger toppings
- Melted butter
- Sauce (optional)
Best Way To Grill Frozen Burgers
You can’t grill a frozen burger the same way you grill fresh hamburger patties. Cooking frozen burgers on grill requires different preparation, temperature, and timings. Here is the step-by-step method for how to cook frozen hamburger patties perfectly.
Prepare The Frozen Patties
To begin with, you must prepare the patties for grilling. Use a butter knife or spatula to separate frozen burger patties. Next, season each patty with some salt and pepper or any of your favorite seasoning.
Must season both sides of a patty and lightly press it into patty sides.
You are ready to throw your frozen burgers on grill!
Preheat Your Grill
Now, it’s time to get ready your grill for cooking. But make sure your grill is properly clean before firing it up. Otherwise, you may end up with sticky food and unsavory taste.
Once your grill is clean, preheat it from 350°F to 400°F for about 10 minutes whether you are using a charcoal grill or gas grill. Always use a thermometer to check the temperature.
If there is no thermometer, you can estimate the temperature by hand test. Hold your hand at the height of the soda can (above your grill). If it takes 6s or shorter time to move your hand, your grill is anywhere between 300-350°F. But be careful and don’t burn yourself while using the hand test technique.
Now your grill is ready for cooking frozen burgers on grill!
Grilling Time
Once your burger patties are seasoned and your grill is preheated, throw the patties on your grill grates. Make sure to flip them every few minutes to maintain even cooking. The time can be anywhere between 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat patties.
You can pour some BBQ sauce or any of your favorite sauces while flipping them for the first time to maintain moisture and enhance the flavor profile of your burgers. Besides, move the patties around your grill periodically to prevent flare-ups.
Make sure your burger is grilled thoroughly by checking the burger temperature using a thermometer. Temporarily remove the burgers from the grill to check their internal temperature as you may get an inaccurate reading while your patties are still on the grill.
Once the meat patties are almost cooked, turn up the heat to give them added flavor and restaurant-quality sear marks.
Your burgers are ready to assemble when the internal temperature of patties reaches 160°F (USDA Recommended)!
Toss the burger buns while your grill is still hot. Spread a small amount of butter on the flat side and lightly toast them placing their face down. Keep the temperature low to prevent burning.
Be ready to assemble your grilled frozen burgers!
Assemble & Serve Grilled Burgers
For assembling, spread ketchup, mayo, or your favorite sauce on the buns. Then, place the grilled patty on the bottom bun.
Now add your favorite veggies such as lettuce, onions, olives, jalapenos, mushrooms, and pickles on the top of the grilled burger patty.
Finally, top it with cheese, bacon, or any of your favorite toppings.
Serve it to your guest or enjoy it yourself with French fries (or other sides) and drink!
Important Tricks To Consider While Grilling Frozen Burgers
Here are some more tips to end up with a tastier, juicier, and perfectly grilled burger.
- Move the meat patties around your grill for avoiding flare-ups. If they are still flaring up, lower the temperature/heat a bit.
- Frozen meat takes more time to cook than thawed meat. But it also can burn due to high temperature. So, stay attentive and flip it often to evenly cook both sides and avoid accidentally burning the meat.
- If the patty is thicker than normal, slightly press it down using a spatula every time you flip it. Or simply set the temperature down to 50°F and ensure to close the hood to evenly cook it.
- It is harder to season frozen burgers, so a bit extra never hurts, or add sauces and seasoning as the burger thaw on the grill to impart a perfect flavor in it.
Grilling Frozen Burgers -FAQs
Is it better to grill frozen or thawed burgers?
Although grilling frozen burgers is not a wrong choice, it is appreciable to grill thawed burgers. Because the thawed burger cooks more evenly, and you end up with a tastier and juicier grilled burger. So, defrost the meat patties first if possible as it is worth your extra time.
What temperature do you cook frozen burgers on a gas grill?
You should preheat your gas grill for 10 minutes at 350°F temperature and then cook frozen burgers on grill until done. Make sure the burger temperature reaches 160°F before you remove it from the grill.
Can you get food poisoning from undercooked frozen burger?
It is not safe to eat the undercooked or medium-rare frozen burger as it may have alive bacteria and put you at the risk of food poisoning. Always cook frozen burgers thoroughly before eating.
How long should I grill frozen burgers?
The most asked question is for how long to grill frozen burgers on grill. Well, cook them for about 15 minutes on the grill while flipping every 3-5 minutes. Or cook until they reach the USDA recommended internal temperature (160°F).
Are frozen burgers pre cooked?
Some frozen patties are pre-cooked, and some are not. Precooked patties are best for quick recipes while the patties that are not precooked give you a better flavor profile.