how to cook frozen burgers in the oven

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If you find yourself unable to cook your burgers on the grill, either because you just don't have the time to stand and watch them or it's way too cold outside to grill, you could always cook your hamburgers in the oven.

Cooking hamburgers in the oven is really simple, and you don't even need a rack to do so.

How do you cook hamburgers in the oven without a rack? To cook hamburgers in the oven without a rack, lay aluminum foil down on a baking sheet and cook the burgers on there. This helps to catch the grease and splatter from the burgers while still allowing the burgers to bake in all the juices.

Keep reading to find out how to make the best burgers at home when cooking them in the oven without a rack!

Cooking Hamburgers In The Oven

Some people might be against the idea of cooking a hamburger in the oven, and will only stick to grilling their hamburgers.

However, you can cook some really delicious burgers in the oven, and they might even be juicier than what you would get on the grill!

By cooking hamburgers in the oven, they could turn out to be juicier and more tender. The oven helps to distribute heat evenly, cooking the meat throughout without drying it out.

Without using a rack in the oven, the burgers will be sitting in their own juice as they cook, which further helps to keep them juicy and full of flavor.

While the hamburgers are kept tender and juicy, they can still develop a wonderful crust on the outside, just for added texture.

You might even find that baking hamburgers in the oven becomes your favorite way to do so, and over time you will perfect the technique.

Cooking Burgers In The Oven Without A Rack

While it is fairly simple to cook hamburgers in the oven, here is a step by step guide on how to do so:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Line a baking sheet with some aluminum foil and lightly spray it with some non-stick coating spray.
Lay the hamburgers onto the tray, making sure they aren't too crowded and have some space between them. If you are cooking for quite a few people, you might have to cook the hamburgers in batches.
Sprinkle some seasoning on the hamburgers.
Place the hamburgers into the oven.
Leave the hamburgers to cook in the oven for around 25 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.
1-2 minutes before you take the hamburgers out, optionally lay a slice of cheese on the top of each hamburger and leave them in the oven for 2 minutes for the cheese to melt.
Remove the hamburgers from the oven and serve while hot.

You can always alter the amount of time the hamburgers are left in the oven to suit how you would like them cooked.

If you prefer for them to be cooked through fully, leave them in for around 30 minutes. If you prefer them to still be slightly pink on the inside, take them out after 15-20 minutes.

Can I Cook The Hamburgers At A Higher Heat?

Ovens all vary in performance, and you will need to experiment with yours to find the perfect temperature to cook hamburgers at without using a rack.

It is recommended to cook them at 375°F for 25 minutes, but you can also try to cook them at a higher heat for a short period of time.

You could set the oven to 400°F, and cook the burgers for 15 minutes. By doing this, you will be crisping the outside of the burgers, but still ensuring that the meat on the inside is juicy and tender.

What temperature you cook the hamburgers at, and for how long you cook them, will depend on how you enjoy eating them. You might like them crispy on the outside but still, tender on the inside, or juicy and tender all around.

Whichever you choose, by cooking them in the oven without a rack, even at a higher temperature, they will come out juicy, as they will sit in their own fat and grease as they cook.

Can I Cook Frozen Burgers Without A Rack?

If you did not take the burgers out in time to defrost, you don't have to change your dinner plans. You can cook frozen burgers in the oven without using a rack.

To do this, you would follow the same steps as cooking the burgers normally without a rack, placing them on a baking sheet lined with tin foil and sprayed with non-stick coating.

The one thing that will change is the cooking time, as the burgers will be frozen to start off with, and will need about 5-10 minutes longer in the oven, depending on their size.

Keep a check on them as they cook, flipping them over after 15 minutes. It is difficult to say exactly how long they will take to cook from frozen, so you will just have to judge it yourself.

You should also avoid seasoning the burgers when they are frozen, as the seasoning will just disappear as the burgers thaw.

Instead, wait until they have been in the oven for 5 minutes, take them out, and quickly season them before placing them back in.

Do I Need To Flip Burgers In The Oven?

When cooking burgers in the oven without a rack, you can flip the burgers over to try and brown and crisp them on both sides, but it isn't that necessary.

As the burgers cook, the juice seals in and the fat drips out, and the burgers sit in this fat and cook while on the baking tray.

This means that you get the best of both worlds – a crispy top of the burger, and the bottom which absorbs all the flavor and juiciness.

What Temperature Do The Burgers Need To Be?

To determine when your burgers are ready to be taken out of the oven, you could take their internal temperature.

Using a meat thermometer, check the temperature of the burgers after the recommended amount of time. The burgers are ready to be taken out of the oven when they reach an internal temperature of 160°F.

It is important to wait for the burgers to reach this temperature, as it falls within the food-safe zone and helps to prevent bacterial growth or the possibility of foodborne illnesses.

Is It Better To Cook Burgers In The Oven Or On The Grill?

It is impossible to answer whether it is better to cook burgers in the oven or on the grill, as everyone will have their preference.

While some people swear by cooking their burgers on the grill, as it gives the burgers a char you cannot achieve anywhere else, there are also some benefits to cooking burgers in the oven.

You lose less fat when cooking burgers in the oven, as the fat is held in the baking sheet, and the burger sits in this as it cooks. On a grill, this fat falls down into the flames or into the griddle and is lost.

You can still achieve a burnt crisp on the outside of a burger cooked in the oven, even without using a rack. You just need to cook the burgers at a higher temperature for a shorter period.

It is really simple to cook burgers in the oven without using a rack. You just need to place the burgers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and some non-stick spray and follow the recommended temperatures and times.

Burgers cooked this way turn out wonderfully juicy and tender, and can still have a crust on the outside that adds flavor and texture to the burger.

While there is no one best way to cook a burger, cooking one in the oven without a rack does make for a beautifully tender and tasty burger!