Cook frozen burgers on the grill? Yes, you can enjoy that same juicy, flavorful burger even if you start with frozen burgers. Even if you have unexpected company stop over, and your patties are frozen, you can still be enjoying hamburgers with that great savory taste in no time.
It’s summertime, and that means grilling burgers. Grilling out is one of America’s favorite pastimes, and there’s nothing quite like a fresh, juicy burger straight off the grill. But what if you forgot to thaw your meat out ahead of time? Never fear, frozen burgers can be grilled just as easily as fresh ones.
No one will ever know you didn’t start with fresh burgers.
Easily grill the frozen patties for approximately 15 minutes flipping often. When you flip the burgers often, this helps them retain the juices and keep flare ups to a minimum. Lower heat helps keep flaring from happening. You don’t want the outside burned before the internal temperature reaches a safe internal temperature of 160ºF. The cooking time can vary depending on the internal temperature of the grill.
How to Cook Frozen Burgers on Grill
Probably the hardest part is separating the frozen burger patty from each other from the paper pieces. I use a butter knife to carefully slide in between the patties and gently pry the frozen burger patties apart from one another.
Preheat the gas grill to medium-high heat, 325 degrees. Once the patties are separated from the paper, grill the frozen beef patties for approximately 15 minutes flipping then with the grill spatula every 5 minutes. After 15 minutes check with a meat instant read thermometer and continue checking until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Wait until the burgers have thawed to add the seasoning. If you try and add the seasonings when the patties are frozen, it will not stick to the meat. Season with salt and pepper or other seasonings you enjoy.
Sprinkling the seasoning on after about 5 minutes of cooking, allows the spices to sink into the beef more than it would it seasoning patties while completely frozen.
Resist the urge to press on the meat with the grill spatula. The ground meat can easily separate and fall through the grill grate, the juices will be released and cause a flare up. So, unless you like the taste of charred burgers, let the meat be, just turn it every 5 minutes.
Cooking time will vary slightly depending on the thickness of the meat. Thicker burgers will require a bit more time for the center of the burger to cook.
Grill Temperature for Frozen Burgers
The ideal grilling temperature for frozen burgers is medium-high or 325 degrees. This is true for any kind of burger, ground beef, turkey burgers, ground chicken, or a combination of ground meats.
Grilling at a higher temperature will cause the outside to cook too quickly leaving the inside raw. Since the meat is frozen when starting out, it is imperative to cook at an even heat so that the outside stays juicy while the inside gets to temperature.
Hamburger Topping Ideas
Here are a few of our favorite burger toppings. They are simple, yet they pair so well. Fire up the grill and give one of these toppings a try for your perfect burger.
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Thousand Island Salad Dressing
- Mayonnaise
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Sliced Onions
- Pickles
- Banana Peppers
- Crisp Fried Bacon
How to Grill the Juiciest Hamburgers?
Here is a little secret. If you brush the burger patty with melted butter as it is cooking, it will cook into the meat and make it juicier and more flavorful too. Just be careful as it can cause a flare up. If it drips onto the flames.
Grilling Burgers on a Charcoal Grill
A gas grill is convenient, just turn on the burner and the grill is ready in a few minutes. Clean up is a breeze too. However, while the charcoal grill takes a bit more work, some people prefer the smokey flavor that only a charcoal grill can provide when making delicious burgers.
Add charcoal briquettes to your grill on one side or add them to a charcoal chimney starter. Once lit, pour the coals to one side of the grill.
This creates two zones: one with direct heat (a hot grill) and one with indirect heat (more of a medium heat). Once the coals are lit, let them continue to burn for 10 minutes.
Add the frozen patty to the grill grates over the direct heat (the side with the coals). After two minutes, flip the burgers to achieve grill marks on the other side. After the second side has cooked for 2 minutes and has nice grill marks on it too. Move the patties to the other side of the grill (the side without the coals).
For best results and the juiciest burgers, allow the burgers to continue cooking on the grill on the indirect heat side flipping the burgers every 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches the safe temperature zone.
- Medium-rare burgers 135°F to 140°F
- Medium burgers 145°F to 150°F
- Well-done burgers 160°F to 165°F
Storage and Reheating
Let the cooked burgers cool to room temperature and place in an airtight container. Refrigerate and they will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Once the grilled burgers are cooked, they will have that savory charred flavor. Therefore, it is easy to reheat. Just microwave or use an air fryer for a minute or two and you can be enjoying a delicious grilled burger in a hurry.
How Long to Cook Frozen Burgers on Grill
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Frozen Hamburger Patties
- 4 Hamburger buns
- Salt and pepper optional
- Desired toppings
Instructions
- Preheat the gas grill to medium-high heat, 325 degrees. Remove frozen hamburgers from the freezer and thaw for a couple of minutes to make them easier to separate. Pro Tip. I use a butter knife inserted between the hamburger patties and paper to separate the patties.
- Once the patties are separated, grill the frozen patties for approximately 15 minutes flipping then with the grill spatula every 5 minutes. After 15 minutes check with a meat thermometer and continue checking until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Wait until the burgers have thawed to add the seasoning. Season with salt and pepper or other seasonings you enjoy.
- Toast the buns lightly, and add the patty, desired condiments, and other toppings such as lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onions if desired. Serve.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
Assemble your hamburger or cheeseburger with your favorite toppings.
