Grilling Frozen Burgers

It’s true that many restaurants prioritize the use of freshly ground beef when cooking and serving up burgers. However, that doesn’t mean that frozen burgers should be avoided. When properly handling and cooking techniques, frozen burgers can turn out just as flavorful and juicy as those made from fresh ground beef. Frozen burgers are usually already shaped, saving you a lot of work when you’re trying to prepare for a big cookout or family dinner. Get the best results from your favorite frozen burgers with our tips and tricks.

Why You’ll Love Grilling Frozen Burgers

There are quite a few reasons why frozen burgers are likely to become part of your regular meal rotation. First, the meat stays fresh and ready to cook even if you have to change the date of your cookout or get rained out when you plan to grill. You can keep the burger patties in the freezer until you’re ready to grill and won’t notice any loss of flavor or moisture for at least six months. Second, there’s no need to wait for the slow thawing process. Most restaurants cook their burgers directly from frozen so they get plenty of searing on the exterior without overcooking in the center.

Third, frozen burgers are already shaped and portioned for you. There’s no need to worry if you have enough meat or if you’re making oversized or undersized patties. Finally, frozen burgers tend to cost less than fresh ground beef, especially when you’re considering high quality ground steak. If you’ve never tried grilling a frozen burger, you might be surprised at the results.

What Brand of Frozen Burgers Should I Buy?

It’s not so easy to control the exact quality or fat content of the beef when you’re buying frozen burgers. This means you need to look for a high quality brand to ensure you get the flavor and texture you want. The Chicago Steak Company is a name you can trust when it comes to ground beef, including frozen burgers. Our burgers are flash frozen to keep them at the peak of freshness until you’re ready to cook them. They’re also individually frozen so they don’t stick together, helping you get out only the number of patties you need for a meal.

Do I Need To Thaw Frozen Burgers?

Depending on the cooking method, you may want to thaw the burgers before you cook them. It’s fine to throw frozen burgers into a hot pan or to place them in a baking dish still frozen for broiling in the oven. If you’re going to grill the burgers, you can keep the patties frozen only if you use plenty of nonstick spray or oil to prevent sticking. There’s no need to thaw the burgers unless you want them to reach a very well-done stage and find that frozen patties are getting overcooked on the outside by the time they’re done inside.

How Do I Season Frozen Burgers?

This is largely a matter of checking the burger patties you buy. Some frozen burgers are already seasoned, especially with plenty of salt. Adding more seasoning could overwhelm the taste of the beef or make it too salty. If you’re going to add spices to a pre-seasoned burger patty, stick to salt-free products like pure garlic powder, cracked black pepper, and ground cumin. Start cooking the burgers first without adding seasoning. Once you’ve flipped them and have a defrosted side facing up, add the seasoning to the moist surface so it sticks.

Frozen vs. Fresh

Frozen burgers take a little extra time to cook thanks to starting out at a much colder temperature. However, this won’t lead to a tough or dry burger because the cool center keeps the meat moist. In head to head tests, most people prefer the frozen burgers and report better flavor and texture. You won’t have to worry about shaping the patties or dealing with fat and bacteria on your hands after handling raw meat.

It’s easy to quickly get the patties on the grill and off again so your guests can eat without waiting for you to mix meat and shape it. As long as you don’t overcook the burgers, your guests won’t guess that they were cooked directly from frozen patties.

Recommended Grills

Propane grills don’t give you quite the depth of flavor as charcoal, but they provide steady heat at a controllable level. If you want perfectly cooked results without any struggle, a propane grill is likely the best choice for your frozen burgers. You can keep track of your rare, medium, and well-done options and serve them up to your guests. If you love that smoky flavor that comes from charcoal, it’s worth the extra effort to ensure that the burgers don’t become overcooked by the direct heat.

Grilled Frozen Burger Recipe

Enjoy tasty and juicy burgers with a moment’s notice by cooking them from frozen without waiting for thawing.

Ingredients

• 4 to 8 frozen burger patties, seasoned or plain
• High heat oil or grill spray
• Seasoning (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to 350 degrees F or get the charcoal started and let it die down a little. Set your grates to a medium position.
2. Remove your frozen burger patties from the freezer. Separate them with a butter knife if necessary, peeling off any wrapping or butcher paper.
3. Brush oil on the grill grates right before adding the frozen patties. Set the patties on the grate, leaving them alone for at least 6 minutes before flipping. Flip when you start to see juices and fat dripping off of the patties.
4. Season the warm side of the patty if desired. Let the burgers cook for about another 5 minutes, testing with an instant read thermometer to reach the desired doneness. Let the burgers rest under cover for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t press the burger patties as they’re cooking. It’ll squeeze the flavorful juices out and won’t change the shape of the frozen patty. If you want a thinner burger, start with a thinner frozen patty or switch to the smash burger method of cooking fresh ground beef.

Conclusion

Frozen burger patties are a great option for those times when it’s not practical to grind your own meat or keep fresh ground beef on hand. You’ll always be just a few minutes away from a juicy burger once you master how to grill frozen burgers.