How to Cook a Frozen Hamburger Patty on a George Foreman Grill

The combination of a frozen hamburger patty and a George Foreman Grill makes for an easy meal. The George Foreman Grill instructions do describe how to cook a frozen burger, but note that it will, of course, take more time than fresh meat.

The George Foreman Grill instructions explain that you can cook frozen foods, including hamburger patties, on the grill. It will simply take longer to cook through to a safe temperature. The instructions note that it's best to use fresh meats and vegetables, as their cook time and final quality is best.

For frozen or fresh burgers, use the medium heat setting. The manufacturer suggests preheating the grill for about 10 minutes prior to use. Raising the heat too much could result in dry, overcooked burgers. You won't speed up the burger cooking process, and will pay the price of a tasteless patty.

A fresh 4-ounce hamburger takes between 6 and 10 minutes to cook on the George Foreman Grill, and an 8-ounce fresh patty takes 10 to 14 minutes. Compare that time to George Foreman Grill instructions for a frozen burger. For a frozen 4-ounce burger to reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature — the minimum recommended by the USDA — it takes 13 to 16 minutes. For an 8-ounce frozen burger to reach 160 degrees F takes 18 to 21 minutes.

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If you prefer your George Foreman Grill hamburgers to be well-done, or to reach a 170-degree F internal temperature, a 4-ounce burger should be placed in the grill for 19 to 22 minutes, and an 8-ounce burger for 22 to 25 minutes.

Make sure you center the patty on the bottom grilling pan when cooking just a single, frozen hamburger on the George Foreman Grill. If you're cooking multiple burgers, space them evenly — about 1-inch apart. This ensures the best distribution of heat and even cooking. If you should remove the patty and find it to be undercooked, simply put it back on the grill until the meat reaches your desired temperature.

George Foreman Grill recipes also include options for cooking frozen turkey burgers. Turkey burgers are often perceived as healthier than beef, and that's true, as long as the package reads "lean ground turkey." If such a label isn't present, your turkey burger may contain dark meat and skin, which makes it potentially less-healthy than a beef burger, according to Weight Watchers.

A 3-ounce frozen beef burger, broiled or grilled, contains 251 calories, 19.6 grams of protein, and 18.6 grams of fat — 7.5 grams of which are of the unhealthy saturated type.

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A 3-ounce turkey burger patty made with 85 percent lean meat contains 212 calories, 22 grams of protein and 13.8 grams of fat — 3.5 grams of which is saturated. Go for a turkey patty made with 93 percent lean meat for 176 calories, 22 grams of protein and just 9.7 grams of fat — 2.5 grams of which are saturated.

If you do choose to cook frozen turkey burgers on the George Foreman Grill, plan on cook times of 15 to 17 minutes for a 4-ounce turkey burger and 20 to 24 minutes for an 8-ounce version. Lean turkey meat may dry out more quickly than beef burgers, so adhere closely to these times, and watch your grill's drip tray.