If you’re here, you’ve likely bought frozen burgers and you’re wondering the best way to grill them.
Good news, you’re in the right spot!
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- What You Need To Know About Grilling Frozen Burgers
- Supplies You’ll Need
- How To Grill Frozen Burgers (3 Steps)
- And much more!
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Can You Grill Frozen Burgers?
Fresh, thawed burger meat is typically the optimal choice for grilling but sometimes there’s no choice but to grill the burgers while they are still frozen.
Grilling frozen burgers isn’t much different than grilling them when they’re thawed. The only tricky part may be separating the patties when they are still frozen.
For this, you can use a sturdy spatula or butter knife to pry the burgers apart before getting ready to grill them.
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What Supplies Are Needed for Grilling Frozen Burgers?
- Burgers, of course!
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Burger toppings of your choice
- Hamburger buns
- Melted butter
How to Grill Frozen Burgers (3 Step Instructions)
If you’ve ever used a grill, you’ll know that things tend to stick. When burgers stick, you’re sometimes left with a shredded burger patty and a mess to clean on the grill.
- Preheat The Grill To 350ºF
- Prepare The Beef Patties
- Grill Them Until 160ºF Internal Temp
Step One: Preheat the Grill
Make sure your grill is clean before firing it up! Built-up food residue can cause foods to stick and give unsavory flavors to the food you’re cooking.
Once the grill is clean and ready to go, now it’s time to get it ready for grilling.
To prevent the burger patties from sticking to the grill, you’ll want to preheat it. Get the grill up to 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
If you’re using a charcoal grill or a gas grill that doesn’t have a thermometer, you can use the hand test to estimate the temperature of the grill.
To do this, you’ll want to hold your hand above the grill at the height of a soda can.
- If the heat isn’t too much by 7-9 seconds, the grill is roughly between 250 and 300.
- If it takes 6-7 seconds for you to move your hand, the grill will be around 300-350 degrees.
- Any shorter time and the grill is anywhere from 350 degrees and up.
Be cautious when using this technique so you don’t burn yourself! Now it’s ready to use!
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Step Two: Prepare the Patties
Once you have the grill preheating, you can go ahead and get the burger patties ready to be cooked.
If you didn’t separate the patties ahead of time, do so now. You may have to use a butter knife or other utensil to pry the patties apart if they’re frozen together.
Season each patty with salt and pepper and any other spices of your choice. Don’t forget to season both sides!
Your burgers are ready for grilling.
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Step Three: Get Grilling
Get your patties on the grill grate once they are seasoned and the grill is preheated.
To make sure it cooks evenly through, you’re going to flip it every few minutes. This could be anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick the burger patties are.
If your burgers are caught in a flare-up, move them to keep them from getting scorched as this can affect the taste of the patty.
Periodically moving the burgers around the grill as they are cooking will help prevent flare-ups and hot spots that can impact how the burgers cook.
Using a meat thermometer, check your burgers to make sure they’re cooked thoroughly before serving. Checking the temperature while the meat is still on the grill can cause an inaccurate reading. Remove the patty temporarily from the grill and check the internal temperature of the burger.
If you’re adding cheese, you’d want to do it during this step.
Once it reaches 160 degrees, you can remove the patties from the grill and get them ready to be served.
While the grill is still hot and ready, you can toss your hamburger buns on to give them a light toast. To do this, you’ll want to spread melted butter on the flat side of the bun and place them face down on the grill. Keep them toasting at a lower temperature to avoid burning them.
I like to use the top rack of the grill so make sure they don’t burn.
Now that your burger patties are cooked and the hamburger buns are toasted, you’re ready to assemble the burger to your liking.
Optional Steps:
- You can wait to add seasonings (or reapply) as the burgers begin to thaw on the grill to make sure the flavor sticks
- I will often spritz mine with 9 parts water to 1 part Worcestershire sauce to help with flavor and make sure it’s not dry
Frozen Burger Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t worry, if its your first time grilling frozen burgers, everything should turn out just fine! As long as you avoid the following rookie mistakes:
- Under Seasoning: Just because your burgers are frozen doesn’t mean you shouldn’t season! At least add some salt and pepper.
- Searing: Unfortunately you can’t sear frozen burgers the same way you can fresh burgers. Instead, pick a nice medium temperature and cook the burger slightly off the flame.
- Pressing Down: Frozen patties are already not as juicy as fresh patties. Don’t press down on them as you grill.
How To Assemble Your Burger?
For the perfect burger, start by spreading the sauce of your choice (ketchup, mustard, mayo, or another homemade sauce) on the burger buns.
If you’re not opposed to lettuce, put that on the bottom bun and then your hamburger patty on that. The lettuce helps prevent the bun from getting soggy and adds a nice texture.
Then add the veggies of your choosing (tomato, onions, and/or pickles) on top of the burger patty.
Top with bacon, jalapenos, or any other toppings you want, and enjoy!
Grill Frozen Burgers
Ingredients
- 8 Frozen Burgers
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 Hamburger buns
- 1 tbs Melted butter
- Burger toppings of your choice
Instructions
- To prevent the burger patties from sticking to the grill, you’ll want to preheat it. Get the grill up to 350 degrees for about 10 minute
Prep The Patties
- Separate the frozen patties. You may have to use a butter knife or other utensil to pry the patties apart if they’re frozen together.
- Season each patty with salt and pepper and any other spices of your choice. Don’t forget to season both sides!
- To make sure it cooks evenly through, you’re going to flip it every few minutes. This could be anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick the burger patties are.
- If your burgers are caught in a flare-up, move them to keep them from getting scorched as this can affect the taste of the patty.
- Periodically moving the burgers around the grill as they are cooking will help prevent flare-ups and hot spots that can impact how the burgers cook.
- Using a meat thermometer, check your burgers to make sure they’re cooked thoroughly before serving. Checking the temperature while the meat is still on the grill can cause an inaccurate reading. Remove the patty temporarily from the grill and check the internal temperature of the burger.
- If you're adding cheese, do it now.
- Once it reaches 160 degrees, you can remove the patties from the grill and get them ready to be served.
Toast The Buns
- Melt the butter
- Spread melted butter on the flat side of the buns and place them face down on the grill top rack of the grill.
- Keep them toasting at a lower temperature to avoid burning them.
Assemble and Enjoy
- Assemble your burgers with toppings of your choice and enjoy! Try lettuce, tomato, sliced onion pickles and more!
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What Temperature Do You Grill Frozen Burgers?
When you grill frozen hamburger patties, you should preheat your grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, and grill them at 350ºF until done.
Make sure the frozen hamburger patties reach an internal temperature of 160ºF.
Is It Better To Grill Frozen Or Thawed Burgers?
Although there’s nothing wrong with grilling frozen burgers, it is better to grill thawed burgers. This is because a thawed burger will cook more evenly which results in a juicer, tastier burger.
It is worth the extra time to defrost the meat first, if that’s an option for you.
Can You Eat Frozen Burgers Medium Rare?
It is not safe to eat frozen burgers medium rare, because they were previously thawed during processing. Frozen burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160ºF.
If you eat a frozen burger medium rare, you’re putting yourself at risk of getting food poisoning.
Can Frozen Burgers be Pink in The Middle?
Because frozen burgers are thawed during processing, it is not safe to eat frozen burgers if they are pink in the middle.
When you grill frozen beef patties, they should cook until you reach an internal temperature of 160ºF.
Do You Need to Season Frozen Burgers?
Because the hamburger patties were frozen with no seasoning on them, you do need to season your frozen burgers while cooking them.
At the absolute minimum, add salt and pepper as the burgers begin to thaw while on the grill.
Learn More About Grilling
Want to learn more about grilling? Check out these helpful resources!
Thank you for the instructions and tips! The frozen grass fed burgers we bought at Costco turned out nice and juicy!
You’re welcome!