How to Separate or Defrost Frozen Burgers in Minutes
When you have the munchies, nothing hits the spot like a juicy burger. But what do you do if your local fast food chain doesn’t serve them?
Or what if you want to make burgers at home and don’t have time to go to the store? Do you give up on burgers for another day or find an alternate way of preparing frozen patties? Fortunately, there are several ways to defrost frozen burgers in minutes.
If you love hamburgers but can’t get them right away, freezing them is one of the best ways to preserve them for later.
Defrosting frozen burgers, however, can be a challenge because these patties have delicate textures that can easily be distorted by heat. Here are some ways that will help defrost frozen burgers faster and more effectively.
Now, it needs to be said that if your block of frozen burgers is so hard and stuck you may just have to use some tools to get them apart.
I say this first because if that’s the case, the other tips here will likely frustrate you. So here is the number 1 tip. You’ll need a hammer and a butter knife. Please check out the video below for further instruction.
QUICK TIPS
Frozen burgers are convenient and can be ready to cook in minutes. But if they freeze together, it can be time consuming and frustrating to separate them.
Follow these tips to defrost frozen burgers quickly and easily: One method is to place frozen burgers on a sheet pan and place in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes at 350°F. If you have a microwave with a defrost function, you can also use that.
Cook frozen burgers for about 13-15 minutes on medium-high heat. Another option is to use a fork or knife to gently separate frozen burgers and place them in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet. Place the plate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until burgers are thawed enough to be easily separated.
Microwave
This is the easiest method of all. Just place the frozen burgers on a microwave-safe dish and pop them in the microwave. Most microwaves have special settings for defrosting and reheating food, so choose the right one. If not, defrost at 50% power for two minutes, then flip the burgers over and cook them at 50% power for another two minutes.
Repeat until the patties thaw completely. Pro tip: Make sure you don’t overheat the frozen burgers; otherwise, they will turn into a soggy, gooey mess. If you want to be extra careful, cover the dish with a paper towel to prevent splatters. Frozen burgers will thaw faster in the microwave, but there’s also a chance that they’ll get slightly overcooked.
Stove-Top
This method is almost like boiling the burgers. Just place the frozen patties in a pot of water and let them sit on the stove. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and keep the pot covered.
Not the best method out there that’s for sure. But if that’s all you have to work with then so be it.
Frozen Shallow Fry
Frozen shallow fry is just what it sounds like. You fry the burger while still frozen. This is only good with thin burgers.
Defrosting in the Oven
This method is perfect for patties with a delicate texture, like fish, seafood, or chicken. Just place the frozen patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them in the oven.
For a conventional oven, set the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let the patties sit there for 45 minutes.
For a toaster or convection oven, set the temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the patties for 30 minutes. Pro tip: Make sure the frozen burgers don’t sit too close to the heating element; otherwise, they will turn into a soggy, gooey mess.
If you want to be extra careful, cover the baking sheet with a paper towel to prevent splatters.
If you want to speed up the defrosting process, you can crank up the oven’s temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This method is perfect if you don’t have time to wait around for hours.
Conclusion
Frozen burgers can be tricky to defrost. There are lots of factors to consider, like how long you’ll need to thaw the burgers, how much space you have to work with, and whether you want to remove the wrapping or leave it intact. In other words, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
So the best way is to use a simple method like placing the frozen burgers in a bowl of hot water. This will enable you to defrost the burgers quickly and easily.