You are probably not in this way to grill the hamburers but you should be

I confess I raised an eyebrow when I first heard Modernist cuisine Chris Young, co -authored and culinary innovator suggests that you can Cook the hamburers directly from frozen– Cooking frozen meat feels that it violates the holy kitchen rule. But deeply, I knew he was for something. Years ago, I worked as a Line Cook at a large-scale casino restaurant in Philadelphia. We grilled hundreds of hamburgers to order every night and figure out what? We cooked each of the Frozen.

Why? Not because we just cut corners. It was practical, consistent and fast. There is no risk for the meat to go wrong in the refrigerator, no sticky patties melted, there is no last-minute scramble to thaw the hamburgers. And frozen hamburgers? They cooked almost as fast as the fridge and were indisputably juicy. At that time I didn't know science. I just knew it was working.

Now I do Get to know science and I understand why cooking of hamburgers from Frozen is the smartest movement you can do at home, whether on a barbecue or stove.

Why does the frozen work

When you cook a raw hamburger from the refrigerator, muscle fibers (mainly myFibrillar proteins) begin to contract when they are heated. This contraction pulls out the inner moisture and leaves a drier cavity, especially when slightly exceeding the inner temperature.

But when it starts with frozen, the hamburger focuses on warming for a longer period of time. This delay posts the moisture -scientist phase, giving the burger time to stand up and solidify on the outside before the interior catch up. As you explain the Young Chef Video on InstagramThis thermal delay is key: “frozen meat gives a noticeable bump in juice” because it does not spend so long in the zone where the liquid is lost.

My Supported Tests: Frozen vs. cold

To look at myself, I did two different settings with the same patties in two different settings:

1 Test: Frozen and cold on flaming hot cast iron frying pan

Test 2: Frozen and cold on the direct heat on the gas grid

Frying Test Results: On the cast iron, both patties were well browned, but the frozen was the edge. The longer cooking time gave him a deeper bark and a more advanced taste (a Maillard reaction)while still maintaining medium rare interiors. The cold patty seemed similar, but noticeably drier and slightly harder, especially around the edges.

The frozen patty caused a bit of an initial splash when he hit the hot oil, but nothing dramatic – just to notice. This is the result of the surface frost sizzling fats. To minimize this, I recommend that you dry the hamburers before placing it on the pan, lightly oil the pan (without exaggerating), using a injection molding screen when it is interior or reaches a high -sided cast iron frying pan to help the injection mold. With a little care, the extra splash is easy to handle and the taste is worth paying.

Grill Test Results: The frozen hamburger shone here. The cooled hamburger struck the Flare-up City-ta frowned fat and the flames followed. The frozen patty? There are no torches. He remained more compact, slower and evenly browned, and eventually became more juicy, pink and more textured in the center. Bonus: She was beautifully together, which is great news for those who (raises my hand here!), Anxiously, the hamburgers fall apart in the grill.

How to Grill (or Frying) a frozen hamburger as a professional

Here is the general technique I suggest, adapted from Chris Young's method, outlined in his video:

1. Start with 1/2-3/4 inches with thick patties. They freeze them flat on a tray and place them in a zipper bag with the parchment.

2. Do not wind down before freezing. Salt pulls out the moisture over time. Pain after the surface is in contact with the pan or grill.

3. Get the pan or grill hot. The cast iron should shine with heat. In case of grilling, use direct heat and Clean, oiled gridsOr

4. Pat the patties dry and place the frozen pagan on the grill or the slightly greasy pan, then leave for two to three minutes. Allow the bark to recover before turning. The pan may have some initial splash, but nothing you can't handle.

5. Once the bark is built on one side, start turning the hamburers every 60 seconds, adjusting the heat as needed. This encourages even cooking and helps prevent scorching.

6

What if you prefer your hamburger?

This method only works well for well -done hamburgers. Just extend the cooking time and observe the internal temperature. It still gets a big bark development and even cook it from the edges without the risk of external burn before the interior is ready.

It is worth noting that USDA recommends that ground beef are cooked at 160 ° F for food safety, since harmful bacteria (such as E. coli) can be present throughout the mixture, not only on the surface. If you prefer hamburers, rare or medium (always yes), then know that you are out of this guidelines. This is a personal choice – I'm not here to tell you what it looks like in the middle of the hamburger just to help cook better, whatever you like.

Final Remove: Frozen is not hollow hack – this is a better method

Cooking of hamburgers from Frozen is not just a shortcut-this is a technique based on solid thermal physics and supported by practical testing. It solves the problems in which most home chefs do not even realize that they have: unpredictable cooking times, flare up, moisture loss and cheeky centers. Ideal for ordinary chefs who forgot to melt, eating prepared, who love frozen patties that are ready to go, the back yard barbecues are tired of blasting and dry edges, and barking hoods who want to be deeply tanned. It is also perfect if you ever long for a solo entry – just keep some patties in the freezer and pull it out whenever you want.

This technique is not created by some newborn food influence, the most scientific chefs, including Chris Young, for the first time encouraged me to try it. If you haven't tried it yet, grab a frozen pagan, fire the pan or grill, and look at yourself. Do you need a solid baseline? Start with our grilled hamburger recipe And try frozen – maybe never return.