Forgot to thaw your burgers? No problem. With the right technique, you can go straight from freezer to grill and still end up with a juicy, evenly cooked patty with a great sear. Here’s how to do it right.

Before anything else, set up your grill with two zones: one side hot (direct heat) and the other side medium or off (indirect heat). This is the key to grilling a frozen patty successfully. Starting a frozen patty directly over high heat almost guarantees a burnt crust with a cold or raw center — the outside cooks way faster than the inside can thaw. Place your frozen patty on the cooler, indirect side of the grill, close the lid, and let it cook for about 6-8 minutes. This slowly thaws and cooks the interior without scorching the surface, giving you a much more evenly cooked burger.

You can’t press salt and pepper into a rock-hard frozen surface — it’ll just slide right off. After a couple of minutes on the grill, the surface will soften enough to season. Season the top first, then flip and season the other side.Once the patty has cooked through most of the way on the indirect side, move it over to the hot side for the last 3-4 minutes total, flipping once or twice. This is where you’ll get that good sear and classic grill marks.

Let the burger rest for 3-5 minutes before serving. This gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the patty instead of running out the moment you cut in or bite down.

A Few Extra Tips
Don’t press down with a spatula. It might be tempting, but pressing on the patty squeezes out the juices and slows down even cooking.
Add cheese in the last minute. Wait until the patty is over direct heat near the end of cooking to add cheese, so it melts perfectly without overcooking the burger underneath.