Tiffany Haney
Cooking frozen hamburgers in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to get your burger fix. It's perfect for those busy weeknights when you need to get dinner on the table fast, with minimal cleanup. The best part? You don't need to thaw the frozen patties, making it an incredibly convenient option. Simply season the patties, toss them into the air fryer, and let it work its magic. You can even add cheese and melt it right in the air fryer for a juicy, delicious burger.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preheat temperature | 370° F or 390° F |
| Temperature | 350° F/176° C or 375° F or 390° F |
| Time | 8-12 minutes or 8-10 minutes or 10 minutes or 14 minutes or 15-17 minutes |
| Flip halfway? | Yes or No |
| Seasoning | Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce |
| Toppings | Lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise |
| Sides | Onion rings, french fries, salad |
| Storage | Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days |
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What You'll Learn
Preheat the air fryer and season the patty
Preheating your air fryer is an important step in cooking your frozen hamburger. Different sources recommend preheating your air fryer to different temperatures. Some sources suggest preheating to 370° F, while others suggest 350° F, 375° F, or even 390° F. It's worth noting that the ideal temperature may vary depending on the model of your air fryer, so it's always a good idea to refer to the manufacturer's instructions or experiment to find the temperature that works best for you.
Once preheated, it's time to season your frozen patty. Seasoning is a matter of personal preference, but most sources recommend being generous with your chosen seasonings. You can season your patty with just salt and pepper, or you can get creative and experiment with other seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. If you're using a pre-seasoned patty, you may want to add additional seasoning to enhance the flavor.
It's worth noting that seasoning frozen meat has its challenges since the seasoning may not penetrate as well as it would on thawed meat. As such, you may want to consider seasoning the patty again after cooking to ensure the flavor is to your liking. Additionally, if you're using homemade frozen patties, it's recommended to season the ground meat before freezing, so you don't have to worry about it later.
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Place the patty in the air fryer
Now that your air fryer is preheated, it's time to place the patty in the air fryer basket or tray. If you're cooking multiple patties, make sure they're in a single layer and don't overlap. Overlapping patties may lead to uneven cooking. However, if your patties are small and overlap only slightly, it's okay as they will shrink during cooking.
You can spritz the patty with water so that the salt will stick, and season both sides generously with kosher salt and pepper. You can also add other seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce.
Once the patty is in the air fryer, you can close the drawer and let it cook. Depending on the size of your patty, you may need to cook it for 8 to 17 minutes. For a 4 oz patty, 8 to 10 minutes should be sufficient, while for an 8 oz patty, you may need up to 12 minutes. If you like your patty medium-rare, check after 8 minutes and use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is between 120ºF and 125ºF. For a well-done burger, you may need to cook it for up to 17 minutes.
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Flip the patty halfway through
Flipping your hamburger patty halfway through the cooking process is a crucial step in ensuring your patty cooks evenly on both sides. Depending on the size of your patty, you should flip it over after 5 minutes if it is an average-sized patty of around 4.5 inches in diameter. If your patty is larger, you should add about a minute for every half inch over 4.5 inches. For instance, a 5-inch patty should be flipped after 6 minutes.
Flipping your patty halfway through also allows you to season the other side of the patty. After flipping, you can season the patty with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. This ensures that your patty is evenly seasoned on both sides.
Additionally, flipping the patty at the halfway mark is important if your patties have overlapped in the air fryer. By the halfway mark, the patties should have shrunk enough that they no longer overlap. This ensures that each patty cooks evenly and has sufficient space in the air fryer.
Finally, flipping your patty halfway through allows you to check the internal temperature of the patty. A well-cooked patty should have an internal temperature of at least 160°F to 165°F. You can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature at the halfway point and adjust your cooking time accordingly.
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Add cheese and melt
Once your burgers are cooked to your liking, it's time to add cheese and let it melt. There are several ways to do this. One way is to place a slice of room-temperature cheese on each burger patty and put it back into the air fryer. Leave the air fryer off and let the residual heat melt the cheese. This should take about 2 minutes.
Another way is to turn the heat down to 300°F and air fry for 2 minutes to melt the cheese. You can also cover the cheese with tinfoil to help it melt. If you're short on time, you can put the cheeseburger in the microwave for 30 seconds to melt the cheese.
Keep in mind that the residual heat in the air fryer after cooking should be enough to melt the cheese, so you don't necessarily need to turn it back on.
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Serve with toppings and sides
Once your air-fried burgers are ready, you can serve them with a variety of toppings and sides.
For toppings, the classics include lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. You can also add cheese, such as provolone, American cheese, or cheddar. If you want your cheese melted, place it on the hot burgers and cover them, or return the burgers to the still-hot air fryer and let the remaining heat melt the cheese. You can also add condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. If you're feeling adventurous, try sautéed mushrooms and onions, or season your burger with garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce.
For sides, consider onion rings, French fries, or a tasty side salad. If you're looking for a keto option, simply leave out the bun when serving.
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Frequently asked questions
Place the frozen hamburger patty into the basket/ tray of the air fryer. No thawing is required. Cook for 8-17 minutes at 350-390°F/176°C. Flip the patty halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Cooking times will vary based on the size and thickness of your hamburger patties and how well-done you want them. For a medium-rare 4 oz patty, check after 8 minutes. For a medium 4 oz patty, it should take 14-17 minutes. For a medium-well 4 oz patty, it should take 18 minutes.
Preheat your air fryer to 370-390°F.
The internal temperature of the patty should reach at least 160-165°F. You can use a meat thermometer to check this.
