Grilling frozen meat successfully is a difficult task that sometimes comes down to good luck.
If you’re cooking from frozen there’s been a mistake in preparation or a blowout in numbers, and you are out of options to make adjustments to dinner plans.
Some meats may look fine to cook from frozen, however, their taste and flavor can be ruined from spending a long time cooking at high temperatures. For the best cuts and specialized versions of steak, chicken, and pork, it’s often best to avoid grilling them if they are coming in from the ultracold.
But what about grilling frozen burgers? If there’s a meat crisis, can you throw patties on the grill and not ruin their taste completely?
Should You Grill Frozen Burgers?
Yes! Grilling frozen burgers is often a great way to get out of a jam.
Some burgers are even being specifically designed to be cooked directly from freezing, although it must be said, they are never on my own shopping list.
Grilling or cooking frozen meat patties is not generally detrimental to dining enjoyment, however, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your once frozen burgers taste better and be safer.
Tips for Grilling Frozen Burgers
1. Make sure you give the burgers plenty of time to reach an internal temperature in excess of 160° for basic food safety. You don’t want to create an opportunity for bacteria to flourish, which can be the case for store-bought ground beef.
2. Do not be in a hurry, or pressured, to get the meat on and off a grill quickly. See above! If you can cook these burgers at a lower, slower temperature (especially in the initial stages) they are certain to retain more flavor and taste more delicious, while also being safer to eat than if cooked in a flash.
3. Flip them often or move them around the grill, especially if you are doing a big batch of burgers. You don’t want to keep them in one place to burn on the outside but stay frozen in the middle. With different parts of your grill having different temperatures, moving them ensures a better evenness of heat across all the patties.
4. Avoid trying to flatten the patties out or crush them in any way. Let them keep as much moisture in as possible to retain flavor and taste, and don’t be afraid to add seasonings as you go.
5. When grilling burgers from frozen, it’s wise to cook them until they’re well done. You don’t want to run the risk of food poisoning, just because your preference is to have them a little pink in the middle.
6. If you like to add cheese for melting purposes, save it until you know that the burger is ready to serve. An extra minute or two in order to melt some cheese won’t mess with the flavor.
7. Please note that if you are grilling store-bought patties designed to be cooked from frozen, follow the instructions on the pack to ensure the best results.
