How to Cook and Season Frozen Burgers for Last-Minute Dinners and Backyard Barbecues

There is nothing like the taste of a grilled burger. The smoky flavor and juicy texture are hard to beat, and they’re perfect for summertime backyard barbecues and camping meals. But sometimes you just don’t have time to thaw ground beef before firing up the grill. That’s where frozen burgers come in handy.

Cooking Frozen Burgers on the Grill

If you’re in a hurry to get dinner to the table, having a stash of frozen burgers on hand is the way to go. When camping or cooking for a large group, it’s super convenient. In just 20 minutes, they are delicious and there is less mess to clean up!

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The keys to perfect burgers are knowing:

• How to cook burgers, so they have time to defrost and cooked through
• How long to grill frozen burgers without burning on the outside
• How to season frozen burgers for extra flavor

I will share my know-how and when you follow these steps, you’ll have perfectly cooked, juicy and flavorful burgers every time!

How to Grill Frozen Burgers

Here are three easy steps on how to cook frozen burgers on a grill. These work for both a gas grill and a charcoal grill.

Preheat the Grill

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (between 350-375˚F). This is the ideal temperature because it is low enough that your beef will defrost and cook evenly without burning the edges. This cooking temperature is also hot enough to cook without drying out your meat.

While the grill is preheating, take a minute to clean the grill grate with a metal grill brush.  This ensures your food doesn’t stick to the grill.

Note: If you need help gauging the fire’s temperature, you can find great tips in this article for How to Grill Chicken that includes how to measure without a temperature gauge.

Give Your Patties Space on the Grill

Once your fire is good and hot, place burger patties onto the hot grill with 2 inches between the patties. It’s never a good idea to overcrowd your grill, and this is one of the most common mistakes grillers make. Allowing space between the frozen burger patties helps the airflow and prevents them from steaming.

After getting the burgers on the grill, close the lid and don’t peek. As tempting as it may be, don’t lift the lid too often while grilling your burgers. Every time you do, heat escapes and it lengthens the cooking time.

Grilling Tip: In case of a flare-up,  keep a spray bottle of cold water near the grill to help douse any flames.

Grill Each Side, Flip, and Repeat

Cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side, then flip over using a metal spatula. Repeat this process until both sides are browned and the burgers are cooked to your liking.

After the first flip, it’s a good time to season each hamburger patty because they are less frozen and the seasoning will stick. More on that in a minute.

Cooking Tip: Don’t press down on the burgers with a spatula during the cooking process. This only releases all the delicious juices you want to stay inside the burger.

How Long to Cook Frozen Burgers on Grill

Cook the hamburgers until they reach a safe internal temperature of 160°F on an instant-read meat thermometer. For standard frozen hamburgers, this will take about 15 to 20 minutes total, but the exact timing will depend on the thickness of the meat. Thicker burgers will take a couple of minutes more to cook.

Assuming that you are cooking at a temperature of 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and that your beef patties are about 1/2-inch thick, it takes:

• 10 minutes to grill frozen burgers for rare
• 15 minutes to medium rare
• 20 minutes to well done

When they are done, remove them from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes so the juices can redistribute throughout the burger. Don’t be tempted to cut into them with a butter knife. Just let them rest. This will prevent all the delicious juices from running out. Nobody wants a dry burger.

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Seasoning Your Frozen Burgers

Whether you’re cooking fresh or frozen meat patties, it’s important to know how to season burgers. This adds flavor to your burgers. As I mentioned above, the best way to season frozen hamburger patties is after the first flip on the grill.

I like to keep it simple with just salt and pepper or barbecue seasoning, but there are endless possibilities when it comes to burger seasoning. Get creative and experiment with different spice blends. Just remember, a little goes a long way because you don’t want to overpower the taste of the beef.

Some of my other favorite seasonings to add are:

• homemade blackened seasoning
• ranch dressing powder
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• smoked paprika
• dried oregano
• dried thyme

Is it Safe to Grill Frozen Burgers?

Yes, you can grill burgers that have been frozen. The USDA says that grilling meat and poultry from frozen is fine as long as it’s cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F for ground beef and 165°F for chicken breast.

Keep in mind, however, that frozen meat takes roughly 50% longer to cook than thawed meat. You can save cooking time if you defrost the patties in the fridge overnight. Thawing the meat also ensures that it cooks more evenly, but using thin burger patties makes this less of an issue.

What to Serve with Grilled Burgers?

Once your burgers are done, it’s time to enjoy them! Serve on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite toppings, condiments like barbecue sauce, and sides. Here are a few of our favorite burger sides:

• Potato Salad with Egg
• Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Corn on the Cob
• Southern Style Coleslaw
• Baked Potatoes
• Tortilla Chips and Guacamole

For more side dish ideas, see:

• Best Side Dishes for BBQ Chicken
• What to Serve with New York Strip Steak
• Healthy Sides for Sandwiches
• 38 BBQ Side Dishes

So, there you have it. Now you know how to grill a perfect burger straight from the freezer. These tips work no matter what type of grill you have. Just remember to give them space on the grill, season after the first flip, and don’t press down with a spatula. If you follow these simple steps, you’ll be rewarded with the juiciest grilled burgers every time. Enjoy!