How To Grill Frozen Burgers (Best Methods!)
Learn How to Grill Frozen Burgers without thawing! This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions for grilling perfectly cooked frozen burger patties outdoors using a gas, charcoal, or Big Green Egg smoker -or indoors using a Ninja Foodi indoor grill or stove-top grill pan.
We’ve all faced the frustration of forgetting to take the ground beef out of the freezer before it’s too late, but not anymore! With the assistance of your grill and a stash of frozen burger patties, you can quickly cook a mouthwatering batch of burgers without defrosting them first.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to grill frozen burger patties using indoor and outdoor grilling equipment and offer general grilling tips and seasoning/topping ideas. That way, your next batch of grilled frozen burger patties rivals any restaurant!
Why you’ll love grilling frozen burgers
- Consistency. Cooking burgers from frozen efficiently seals the natural moisture and beefy juices, resulting in a downright delicious burger every single time.
- Convenience. This method eliminates the need for thawing, saving you time and effort when you’re in a pinch.
- Minimal handling. With prepared frozen burger patties, there are very few hands-on steps required. Plus, handling frozen patties reduces the risk of bacterial growth.
Recommended grills
Below are the different types of outdoor and indoor grills that you can use:
- Gas grill – Provides a consistent heat source with precise temperature control and minimal cleanup.
- Charcoal grill – Offers high heat for searing the surface while imparting a distinct smoky taste.
- Green egg smoker – Maintains consistent temperature and infuses the burger with smoked hardwood flavor.
- Ninja Foodi indoor grill – Provides a compact indoor grilling environment with convenient default cooking settings.
- Grill pan – Great way to achieve grill marks and charred flavor on the stovetop.
Ingredients you’ll need
For restaurant-worthy results, opt for ⅓-pound frozen beef burger patties (homemade or store-bought) made with minimal additives. Ideally, the ingredients should be nothing more than beef and seasonings. Here are some readily available, highly-rated frozen beef burger brands:
- Applegate Farms
- Ball Park
- Bubba Burgers
- Kirkland Signature (from Costco)
- Nature’s Rancher
- Omaha Steaks
- Perdue Farms
- Trader Joe’s
- Tribali Foods
How to grill frozen burgers
Now for the fun part -firing up the grill! Read on for how to cook frozen hamburgers using various outdoor appliances and indoor gadgets:
Gas grill:
For cooking frozen burgers on a gas grill, I recommend a two-zone heat setup consisting of a direct, high heat source and an indirect, low heat source. This helps avoid flare-ups and over-charring the outside before the inside is fully cooked:
- Preheat the grill on both sides to 350°F. Once preheated, clean the grates and brush them with oil. Then, turn one side of the grill off.
- Season the frozen patties, then place them on the cool side of the grill. Close the lid and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.
- Flip the burgers, transfer them to the hot side, and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway around the 4-minute mark, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
We’ve had great success with the above method. However, you can cook the burgers using the direct heat method:
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. Season the patties, and place them directly onto the hot grates. Cook until the juices rise to the top, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Flip the burger and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, until a safe internal temp of 160 degrees is reached.
Charcoal grill:
- Arrange the hot coals in the grill, close the lid, and let it preheat to medium-high for 5-10 minutes.
- Season the frozen patties, then place them on the grill grates directly over the hot coals and grill for 5-6 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Big green egg:
- Preheat the Big Green Egg to 500-600℉.
- Season the frozen burger patties, place them on the smoker’s grates, close the lid, and cook for 3 minutes.
- Flip the patties (add cheese here if you’d like), close all the dampers, and cook for 5 more minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F.
Ninja Foodie indoor grill:
- Preheat the grill to 375°F.
- Season both sides of the frozen burger patties, place them on the grill plate, close the lid, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip the patties, and cook for 5 more minutes or until the burgers reach an internal temp of 160°F.
Alternatively, you can preheat the Ninja Foodi using the default “grilling” setting and follow the manufacturer’s cooking time and temperature recommendations.
Stove-top grill pan:
- Preheat the grill pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Place the frozen patties on the grill pan’s grates and grill for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Tips and tricks
Whether you opt for grilling outdoors or from the comfort of your kitchen, implement these simple hacks to guarantee crisp and juicy grilled frozen burger patties:
- Preheat with patience. For even cooking and to help prevent sticking, make sure your grill is preheated to the recommended temperature for each grilling method.
- Clean and oil the grill grates. After preheating, brush the grill grates to remove any residue and lightly brush them with an oil with a high smoking point (avocado, canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil) to prevent sticking.
- Don’t squish the patties. To retain the juices, DO NOT press down on the patties with your spatula during grilling.
- Flip once and only once! To create a crisp seared crust on the outside, grill the patties undisturbed, flipping them once about halfway through the process.
- Monitor doneness. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the burgers reach the FDA-recommended safe internal temperature of 160°F.
- Rest before serving. Let the cooked patties rest for a few minutes before building your burger. This gives the released beef juices time to redistribute, making the burgers extra juicy.
Seasoning ideas
I highly recommend seasoning your frozen burger patties with my homemade burger seasoning before grilling, but you can always experiment with different spice blends, such as:
- Seasoned Salt
- Montreal Steak Seasoning
- Dry BBQ Rub
- Taco Seasoning
- Greek (or Mediterranean Seasoning)
- Umami Seasonings (or Magic Mushroom Powder)
- Blackening Seasoning
- Everything Seasoning
- Cajun (or Creole Seasoning)
- Dry Ranch Seasoning
Build your burger
Here’s a list of condiments fix-ins, toppings, and condiments options to create a customized grilled hamburger:
- Buns. Briefly toast classic hamburger, sesame seed, or brioche buns on the grill to add a nice crunch, and warm them up before assembling the burgers.
- Cheese. Melt slices of American, cheddar, pepper jack, provolone, or Swiss cheese on top of the patties during the last few minutes of grilling.
- Condiments. Ketchup, mustard, and mayo are a no-brainer. Sauces like BBQ, buffalo, teriyaki, and Thousand Island dressing are also great.
- Vegetables. Mix and match crunchy lettuce, leafy greens, tomato, raw onion, pickles, jalapenos, avocado, sauteed mushrooms, and grilled onions.
- Extras. Pile on crispy bacon, fried pickles, onion rings, fried egg, coleslaw, pulled pork, chili, etc.
Storing & freezing
Let leftover hamburger patties cool completely before wrapping them individually in plastic or aluminum foil. Place the wrapped patties in an airtight bag or container, and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Yes! You can grill frozen plant-based burgers following the same general instructions for grilling frozen beef burgers, keeping in mind that different brands may have slightly different cooking instructions. Refer to the packaging for further guidance
How long it takes to cook frozen beef burgers on the grill varies depending on the thickness of the patty, the type of grill you’re using, and the specific brand of the burger, but it typically takes 10-12 minutes for the direct heat method. That said, always use a meat thermometer and refer to the packaging for recommended cooking times.
Whether to grill burgers with the lid up or down depends on the cooking method, desired results, and the type of grill you’re using. However, grilling burgers with the lid down is generally recommended to ensure thoroughly, evenly cooked burgers.
More must-make burgers
- Blackstone Smash Burgers
- Grilled Asian-Style Pork Burgers
- Jalapeno Pimento Cheese Stuffed Burgers
- Air Fryer Burgers
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How To Grill Frozen Burgers
Equipment
- grill Gas, indoor, or Big Green Egg smoker
Ingredients
- ⅓ lb frozen beef burgers
Instructions
- For the gas grill, I recommend a two-zone grilling method. This method reduces flare ups and helps to avoid over cooking the outside before the inside is fully cooked. First, preheat the grill on both sides to 350 degrees F.
- When preheated, clean and oil the grates, then turn one side of the grill off.
- Season the patties with my homemade burger seasoning (or seasoning of choice) and place them on the cool side of the grill for 10 minutes. Close the lid and do not disturb.
- Flip the burgers and place them on the hot side of the grill (temp should be 350 degrees F.) and cook for 8-10 minutes more, flipping half way (do not press the patties-you want to retain the juices) until the burgers reach a safe FDA-approved temperature of 160 degrees F. *We've had great success with the above method, but the direct heat method below works well, too, just watch for flare-ups. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Season the patties, and place them directly onto the hot grates. Cook until the juices rise to the top, about 4 to 6 minutes. Flip the burger and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, until a safe internal temp of 160 degrees is reached.
Notes
- Do not press or move burgers during cooking time unless directed to flip them! Squishing the burgers dries them out! Don’t lose the juice!
- Always use a meat thermometer to ensure that the burgers reach a bacteria killing temperature of 160 degrees F. per the FDA.
- See “tips and tricks” section in post for more helpful tips.
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