How Long to Cook & Grill Frozen Burgers – For Best Taste

Nothing beats a burger cooked to perfection. That’s why in this article, we will share all the important tricks and tips to correctly cook your frozen burger patty. So that your burger is not overcooked or undercooked but seared and browned properly.

We will also share with you:

• How long it takes to cook frozen burger patties correctly and safely on the grill, air fryer, oven, and stove.
• The correct internal temperature that each type of meat should reached so that it is safe for eating.

How Long to Cook Frozen Burgers on a Grill

Grilling your burger adds a subtle smoky taste and a wonderful char to the patty. And grilling even allows you to cook your burgers while they are still frozen without it affecting the taste or flavor.

Now a burger’s cooking time will vary, depending on your grill, the type of meat used to make the patty, the burger’s thickness, and how well done you want your burgers.

On average a frozen burger takes 16-20 minutes to properly cook on a grill and it should be flipped every 5 minutes until it’s finished.

When cooking frozen burgers for food safety reasons you have to cook them until they reach at least an internal temperature of 160°F (71.1 °C) , but this will also vary depending on the type of meat.

Internal Temperature & Time Needed to Cook Each type of Burger Patty using a Grill

Now different types of burger meats need to be cooked at different temperatures.

And below we have listed the exact temperature reading that each type of burger meat should be cooked at to be deemed safe for consumption. We have also shared our estimated time it takes to cook these meats until it reaches the suitable temperature.

For perfect burgers, it is essential to have a quality grill thermometer. This will be crucial to determine if your burger is cooked properly so that it is safe for eating.

ThermoPro, has a really accurate and easy-to-use grill thermometer, you can click here to see the current price for one on Amazon.

Table showing the Internal Reading & the Estimated Cook Time of Burgers on the Grill

Beef Burgers Cook Time & Internal temperature When Grilling

The time it takes to cook a frozen beef burger patty on the grill is about 16 minutes. Your Hamburger patty should reach a temperature of 160ºF (71.1 °C) for safe consumption.

It is not safe to eat any ground beef medium rare or rare, that has been frozen. Freezing does kill some pathogens, but it can’t kill all of them. And you see store-bought ground meats tend to contain a lot of bacteria from the work area that gets mixed together in the ground beef.

Now if you enjoy medium-rare burgers, it is better to grind your own cuts of meats for the burger patty and then cook it fresh on the grill without freezing.

Turkey Burgers Cook Time & Internal Temperature When Grilling

When you cook with turkey, the meat should always be cooked well done for health and safety reasons. 

The recommended internal temperature for turkey is 165 degrees F (75 °C), it takes about 18 minutes for frozen turkey patties to reach this temperature on the grill. 

Pork Burger Cook Time & Internal Temperature When Grilling

With frozen pork patties, the cooking time will be 9 to 10 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 160ºF (71.1 °C) .

Chicken Burger Cook Time & Internal Temperature When Grilling

For chicken burgers, it’s important that you cook them well done. 

The recommended internal temperature for safe consumption is 165 degrees Fahrenheit (75 °C) , according to the USDA.  On the grill, it takes about 18-20 minutes for the frozen chicken burger to cook fully.

Bison Burger Cook Time & Internal Temperature When Grilling

Bison burgers must be cooked for safe consumption until the center reaches 160°F (71.1 °C). 

Cook time for frozen bison patties will be similar to that of beef and will depend on the thickness of the patty and the leanness of the meat.

But generally, the cooking time will be between 16-20 minutes for a frozen bison burger patty.

Veggie Burger Cook Time & Internal temperature When Grilling

Veggie burgers don’t have to reach a specific temperature as your meat does.

You just want them to be cooked until the frozen burgers have been heated thoroughly. This will take roughly 5 minutes but may vary depending on the type of grill and the burger’s thickness.

Lamb Burger Cook Time & Internal Temperature When Grilling

Lamb burgers can be grilled while frozen. It takes about 15-18 minutes for the juices to run clear and the patties to become firm to the touch. A meat thermometer should read 160 °F (71.1 °C) when inserted in the center.

How to Barbeque Frozen Burger Patties on the Grill

It’s safe to barbeque frozen burgers on the grill without thawing ahead of time. However, it will take about twice as long to cook, which is about an estimated 16 minutes.

1. Preheat your grill to about 325˚F (163°C) or, if you’re using a charcoal grill, heat until you can comfortably hold your hand several inches above the grate for 6 or 7 seconds.
2. If using charcoal ensure that the charcoal is glowing with a powdery grey surface before adding your burger patty.
3. Lightly brush the grates with oil so that the patties don’t stick to them.
4. Season the patties with salt and pepper, and then place on the grill grates.
5. Separate your burgers and spread them out across the grill, avoiding contact with other food.
6. Flip your patties every 5 minutes or so.
7. Once your patty has been on the grill for about 10 minutes, add the sauce on the patty and continue to cook until the internal temperature of the patty reaches 165 degrees F or 75°C .
8. The entire cook time will take around 16 minutes on the grill.

Additional Tips When Grilling

• Make sure your grill is clean before firing it up!. You see built up food residue can cause foods to stick and give unsavory flavors to the food you’re cooking.
• Pre-heat all grills before any grilling. You can also oil your grill grates to prevent the patties from sticking later on.
• When cooking the burgers on the grill, the grill temperature should be medium- high to low. If the grill is too hot the burgers will cooked on the outside but the inside will remain raw.
• If the burgers are sticking to the grate, close the lid and wait a little longer before flipping.
• The temperature levels may vary on different parts of the grill so you should move the burgers around depending on how well they are cooked.
• Don’t smash the burgers against the grid of the grill, they will lose their round shape, the juices will spill out, and can get into the heat causing the fire to flare on your burgers and char.

How Long to Cook Frozen Burgers in the Air Fryer

Air Frying is a great way to make a small batch of really moist burgers. It eliminates the need for continuous standing and flipping. Plus if you don’t like char on your burger patties, this is perfect.

The time needed to cook burgers in your air fryer will take a bit of a trial as exact cook time varies and will depend on the thickness of your burger, type of meat used to make the patty, degrees of doneness you want on your patty, and the make of your air fryer.

However, as a standard guide for the air fryer we would recommend setting it at 370°F for about 10-20 minutes while turning them halfway through cooking. This timing will vary greatly depending on the internal temperature you are trying to meet. Different types of meat require a different internal temperature reading.

Below we have listed the exact temperature reading that each type of burger should be cooked to be deemed safe for consumption.

Table showing the Internal Reading & the Estimated Cook Time of Burgers in an Air fryer

Internal Temperature & Time to Cook Burgers in Air Fryer

The time needed to cook a burger in an air fryer will depend on the type of meat used to make the burger since different meats require a different temperature reading in their center.

Hamburgers Cook time and Internal Temperature reading in Air Fryer

The time it takes to cook frozen hamburgers in the air fryer is going to depend on the size of the patty and air fryer brand. However, on average, it takes approximately 17 to 20 minutes for the beef patty to reach 160 degrees F (71.1°C) which is advised as safe for consumption.

If you enjoy medium-rare burgers, it is better to grind your own cuts of meats for the burger patty, and don’t freeze the freshly grounded beef patty.

Store-bought ground hamburger meats tend to contain a lot of bacteria from the work area and are best to cook to a well-done stage. Additionally, any ground meat that had been frozen is advised to be cooked to a safe temperature of 160°F (71.1°C).

Chicken Burgers Cook time & Internal Temperature Reading in an Air fryer

Chicken burger patties should always be cooked thoroughly. The time needed to cook chicken patties in an air fryer is about 18 minutes but your air fryer oven needs to be preheated to 375°F (190°C).

To check the doneness of your burger, a meat thermometer inserted near the center of your chicken patty should read at least 165°F (75°C).

Turkey Burgers cook time and Internal temperature reading in an Air Fryer

When you make turkey burgers, the meat should always be cooked to well done for health and safety reasons. The recommended internal temperature for turkey is 165 degrees F (75°C) , in the air fryer it takes about 18 minutes for frozen turkey patties to reach this temperature.

Pork Burgers Cook Time & Internal Temperature reading in an Air fryer

Cooking frozen pork burgers in an air fryer will probably take around 16-18 minutes. But you should always test the internal temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer to check they have reached the safe internal temperature of 160°F/ 71.1°C.

Bison Burger Cook time and Internal Temperature reading in an Air Fryer

When cooking frozen bison burgers in the air fryer, set the air fryer to a cooking temperature of 375° F or  190 degrees C and let it cook for about 20 minutes. Flip your burgers once during the process. Check and ensure that the burger’s internal temperature is at or above 160° F (71.1°C), which is the recommended internal temperature for bison meat.

Veggie Burgers Cook time and Internal Temperature reading in an Air fryer

To cook frozen veggie burgers in an air fryer place one or two of the frozen veggie burger patties into the basket of an air fryer and Set it to 350°F or 177 degrees C . Cook for five minutes then, flip each patty over. Cook for an additional five minutes until warmed through and then remove from air fryer.

Lamb Burgers Cook time and Internal Temperature reading in an Air Fryer

Cook Lamb burgers at 375 °F or 190 degrees C for about 16 minutes in the air fryer until the thermometer reads 160 °F (71.1 °C), when inserted in the center of the patty.

Cooking Frozen Burgers on the Stovetop

The stovetop is the most popular and often the quickest way to cook your frozen burger patties and this method also leaves a nice crispiness on the burger that so many of us enjoy.

When cooking any type of frozen burger on the stovetop, your frozen patty needs to cook between 10 -20 minutes on the stovetop depending on the internal temperature reading that is recommended for the type of meat used to make the patty and how thick the size of the patty is.

Table showing the Internal Reading & the Estimated Cook Time of Burgers on the Stove Top

Additional Tips When Cooking Frozen Burgers on the Stove Top

1. Ensure the pan you are using has been properly pre-heated and is generously coated with oil so as to avoid the patty from sticking.
2. Allow the patty to cook for at least 5 minutes on one side before flipping. Premature flipping will cause the patty to disintegrate.

How Long to Cook Frozen Burgers in an Oven

Cooking frozen burgers in an oven takes on average 25-35 minutes if you preheat your oven to 400℉ – 425℉ or 200ºC -220ºC . This time will vary depending on the thickness of the burger patty, your oven type, and the type of burger you are cooking. The burger patty should be baked until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165ºF (75°C).

Table showing the Internal Reading & the Estimated Cook Time of Burgers in an Oven