How Long to Grill Frozen Burgers?
Frozen burgers work perfectly when you want to prepare a delicious snack in a small amount of time. The total grilling time for frozen burger patties is 15 minutes. However, keep in mind that cook time may vary slightly depending on the thickness of the frozen burger patty and the quality of your grill.
To ensure that the burger patty is cooked inside out, flip it every 3 to 4 minutes. For food safety reasons, you must cook the frozen burgers at an internal temperature of 160°F.
What Is the Grilling Temperature for Frozen Burgers?
We recommend grilling the frozen burgers at medium-high heat or even slightly lower. If you cook the frozen burgers on very high heat, the outside of the burger will start to burn as it cooks very quickly, while the inside will remain raw.
Slow cooking the frozen burger patties will ensure that the patties are cooked well from within. Move the burger patties around the grill as some parts of the grill tend to be hotter. Keep filling and moving the burgers depending on how well you want them done.
You may find it tempting to smash them against the grill, thinking it may help them cook faster. However, you must resist the urge to do so as this will ruin the shape of the burger patty and cause all the juices of the burgers. Smashing the burgers may cause the juices to get into the heat, leading to the burgers catching fire.
Once you have taken the frozen burger patties out of the fridge, give them some time to defrost. We only recommend this if you are short on time and cannot let the patty cook slowly. You can also defrost them in the microwave to ensure that the burger patties are perfectly cooked!
However, if you have time for slow cooking, we recommend you cook them frozen rather than defrosted burger patty, which is mushy and slightly challenging to handle.
Must-Read Tips on How to Prepare Frozen Burgers Perfectly
We want to share some tips that will help you cook the best frozen burgers:
1. Cook the Burgers Frozen
We recommend cooking the burger patties frozen. If you allow only the outer of the patty to defrost, it will become mushy and will not get a good sear. So, toss them on a pre-heated grill as soon as you take them out of the freezer. The patty is not evenly cooked if it is warm on the outside and frozen solid in the middle.
2. Allow Time for the Grill or Stove to Heat before Placing the Burgers
Turn your stove or grill to medium-high heat and allow it to be heated evenly. Ensure that your burger patty sizzles when you place it on the pan.
Pro tip: pre-heating the pan before adding the patty allows for grill marks to be made on the patties adding a smoky twist to the burgers. If you don’t have a grill, we recommend using a cast-iron pan to prepare the patties. Replace regular oil with extra virgin olive oil to make it healthy.
3. Leave the Burgers Be
As mentioned above, frozen burger patties take around 15 minutes to grill and cook perfectly. After placing the frozen burger patty on the pan, leave it be – don’t poke it or try to flip it, allowing the burger patty to get an even sear on the first time. Avoid pressing the patty to keep the patty from drying out. Only flip the burger patty once the natural juices of the patty start to appear.
4. Monitor the Temperature Using a Meat Thermometer
Cooking raw meat from frozen can be tricky, and you may not get it right the first time if you don’t control the temperature. To avoid the patty being raw and frozen from within, we recommend using a meat thermometer to test the inside of the burger. The temperature should be a minimum of 160 degrees F for medium doneness.
5. The Air Fry Method
Air fryers are the next big thing for preparing healthy food. The best thing about them is that they are super easy to use. You only require a spray of oil to get going.
To prepare frozen burgers in an air fryer, line the air fryer basket with some baking paper. You have to add the frozen burger patties to the air fryer, spray some oil using the spray (optional), and cook the patties at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes. When you are halfway through the cooking time, flip the burgers to allow them to be evenly cooked.
6. The Broiler Method
You can also use a broiler to prepare frozen burgers. All you have to do is pre-heat the broiler to high and place the patties 4 inches from the heat. Total cooking time is 10 to 12 minutes – broil for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Some Easy and Delicious Meals You Can Make Using Frozen Burger Patties
If you are wondering what else you can do with the frozen burger patties, here are some ideas:
1. Salad with Grilled Chicken or Beef
You can add the burger patties to your salad. Toss your favorite vegetables in a mixing bowl, cut the burger patty into small pieces and add them to your salad. Add in salt, pepper, and a salad dressing to prepare a delicious and healthy salad.
2. Pizza Burgers
Here is a creative way to make pizza using the burger patties to make the base for your high-protein pizza. Add pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, mixed herbs, and chili flakes on top of the cooked patty. Place the patty on a saucepan, add a few drops of water, and put on the lid to allow the cheese to melt on low heat.
3. Chicken or Beef Steak
You can also pair your burger patty with some gravy, sautéed onions, mushrooms, kiwi, carrots, and bean sprouts to enjoy a stake-like experience.
Our Concluding Thoughts
By now, you must have a fair idea about how long to grill frozen burgers. Fifteen minutes in how long you should be grilling the frozen burger patties for them to be evenly cooked.
Visit our website for delicious burger recipes!
Enjoy!