Grilling frozen burgers can go from rock hard to tender and juicy with the right technique. If you’ve ever wondered how long to grill frozen burgers, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know to barbecue your hamburgers perfectly this summer.
How Long to Grill Frozen Burgers
Believe it or not, grilling frozen burgers doesn’t take substantially longer than grilling fresh ones. The key is to have your grill slightly hotter than normal and keep a close eye on them. Whether you’re using a Traeger, an oven, or a pressure cooker, knowing how to cook frozen ground beef can save the day.
Let’s talk about gas grills for a moment. We started out with a simple and inexpensive round black Weber Grill on our patio. Then we upgraded to a larger Char Broil, and finally settled on a smoker that we have now. You can also use a smoker as a barbecue.
How to Cook Frozen Burgers on the Grill
Imagine having frozen hamburger patties right out of the bag, like the ones you see in the picture above. This method comes in handy if you’re forgetful or if you have a large gathering at a park and you’re unsure how to keep your defrosted meat cool for hours. You can simply take the patties as they are and cook them.
If you place the patties in a cooler, they might defrost slightly. However, if you put them in already thawed, they could become messy sitting in a partially chilled cooler. I’m sure there have been incidents where this information would have been useful, so now you’ll have it in your back pocket for the future. 😉
Grilling Frozen Burgers
If your grill has a built-in thermometer, consider yourself lucky. It makes it easier to get the burgers cooked to perfection. However, if that’s not the case, having a thermometer on hand is still helpful. You’ll need it to test the internal meat temperature when they’re done.
How Long to Cook Frozen Burgers on the Grill
There’s no exact science to this because grills always vary slightly, especially when using charcoal. Gas grills are more predictable, but timing will still depend on the thickness and size of the burger patties. These factors will affect the cook time.
In general, for medium-sized and medium-thick frozen burgers, you can expect them to take around 10 minutes to cook on the grill. To ensure even cooking, separate the patties from each other with a butter knife before placing them on the grill.
Frozen Burgers on a Charcoal Grill
Cooking frozen burgers on a charcoal grill can be a bit trickier since you can’t simply set the temperature and wait. However, it’s still doable. The best tip is to light the coals and let them cool down until they turn white. At that point, there should be no flames, and you can place your patties on the grill.
Follow the instructions for each side of the burger. You’ll know it’s time to flip them when they start dripping grease on the side in contact with the grill grate.
What Temperature is a Medium-Well Burger?
Here’s a breakdown of the ideal internal temperature for different burger preferences. Keep in mind that everyone’s tastes vary. According to the USDA, you want the middle of your meat to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit for a medium-well burger. Here are the temperature ranges for other preferences:
- Rare: 120-125 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium Rare: 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium Well: 150-155 degrees Fahrenheit
- Well done: 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit
To get an accurate measurement, use a meat thermometer on the protein after taking it off the grill. This temperature guide isn’t just useful for grilling but also when making smoked hamburgers.
Wait until the fat starts to render before adding any salt and pepper. You can do this either before flipping the burgers or after moving them to a serving dish or bun. Dress them with your preferred toppings like tomato, lettuce, mayo, and ketchup, and enjoy with friends!
Now that you know how to cook frozen ground beef, are you ready to try it with poultry? You can! Check out how to cook frozen grilled chicken breast perfectly too.
Note: This article is written for Family Cuisine.
