How many times have you gone into the freezer, found some steaks or other meats that are frozen, and wondered how to grill them? Grilling a frozen steak can be tricky, but it’s not impossible. In this guide, I will explain how to grill a frozen steak simply and without requiring any complicated steps.
Although grilling frozen steaks is not the most common cooking method in the country, it’s definitely one of the tastiest. Many people think that grilling frozen meat will result in an unsuccessful cookout, but this isn’t necessarily true.
There are several methods of cooking your frozen food that will work and produce a delicious meal.
How to Grill a Frozen Steak?
Here is the simplest way to cook your frozen steak!
Step 1: Freeze the Steak Properly
You should freeze your steak before you try to cook it. To do this, place the meat in a freezer-safe plastic bag and leave it there for at least two hours until it is completely frozen. You should also place the meat on a flat surface, as this would help it achieve the required flatness.
When properly frozen, remove the steak from its packaging and pat dry with paper towels. The goal here is to create as little surface moisture as possible because that moisture will slow down the cooking process.
Step 2: Preheat Your Grill
Before beginning to cook your frozen steak, you should preheat your gas grill or charcoal grill for about ten to fifteen minutes until it reaches the desired level of temperature for perfect searing.
As a general rule of thumb, charcoal grills require more time for preheating than the gas grill. So you will only need almost 15 minutes to heat a charcoal grill and half of that time for a gas grill.
However, I will suggest you use one of the best pellet grills for steaks, Check out our review.
Step Three: Prepare Your Grill Surface
Make sure to spray or wipe down your grill grate with oil before you cook so that it won’t stick. Cleaning the grill with the help of a brush will also be useful if you have any danger of flare-ups with your grill.
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Step Four: Cook Your Steak on Direct Heat
Take your frozen steak and place it directly over the hot part of your grill. Sear the meat for at least 15 minutes (7 minutes on each side), before moving on to the next step. Not only it help in reducing the cooking time, but it also imparts a delicious flavor by adding a crispy brown crust.
You can also opt to keep the steaks in a warm area until they are cooked, but this is more time-consuming.
Step Five: Seasoning
After cooking over direct heat, it’s time to apply your seasonings. You can use salt and pepper or anything else you like. However, I always prefer kosher salt as it helps me in obtaining the desired level of accuracy with the results.
Step Six: Finish Your Steak With Indirect Heat
At this stage, the temperature of the meat should be around 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Now that you have grilled the two sides of your frozen meat on high temp move it to a part of the grill without direct flames.
By doing so, you will finish cooking your steaks by using indirect heat for about 12 to 16 minutes. Then, you can remove the steaks from the grill and serve them with your favorite sides!
However, resting your cooked steaks for 3 to 5 minutes before serving is highly recommended.
In this manner, the meat juices are redistributed throughout, giving you a juicy and delicious steak every time.
Step Seven: Enjoy Your Grilled Frozen Steak
Read Also: How long does cooked steak last in the fridge?
Once you’ve finished grilling your frozen steak, it’s time to eat. Not only will this recipe help you get a delicious cooked meal in less than an hour, but it also proves that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Tips to Consider When Grilling a Frozen Steak
The thickness of Meat Matters
Do not buy thin-cut meat like ribeyes or T-bones because they are too lean and won’t turn out well when you cook them directly after taking them out from the freezer.
You want to buy a piece that is at least an inch thicker Cuts will keep your meat from drying out and turning into shoe leather when you cook it.
I recommend buying whole fillets for these reasons. They are usually about $12/lb, which is still cheaper than most pre-cut / packaged beef in stores.
The best part is that you can get them cut to your preferred thickness, which means each steak will be just the right size.
Avoid Thawing
Do not thaw steak before grilling. The best way to cook a frozen steak is by cooking it on the grill, and this begins with leaving it in its freezer state of preservation until you are ready for use.
It’s always better to let steaks sit at room temperature while preheating your grill just enough, so you can get a nice char on the meat.
Read our review on the top 15 best pellet smokers as well!
Use a Mix of Direct and Indirect Heating
When cooking frozen steak, you need to use a mix of direct and indirect heating methods. With
With this method, you will be able to cook the steak evenly and thoroughly.
On the contrary, you can place your frozen steak in a pan in an oven heated at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes or until it turns brownish-grey.
Keep an eye on the temperature.
This is a crucial factor in cooking steak. It’s important to use a meat thermometer and cook the meat until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the highest safe temperature for cooking steak.
You can use an instant-read thermometer for quicker monitoring.
Use High Heat to Cook Steak Quickly
If you are short on time, it’s best to use high heat when cooking frozen steaks, so they can cook quickly and more evenly without being too chewy or tough. There are some cuts of meat that will be naturally tougher, so make sure to avoid those.
However, only professional chefs can try this method as they know how to play with the temperature. This method should not be used by the rest of the BBQ enthusiasts.
Avoid Overcooking Steak
Avoid overcooking steak because it will become tough and chewy, which is not enjoyable for anyone. If you are cooking frozen steaks with high heat, set your timer according to the thickness of the meat instead of time on the oven or grill.
This way, you can avoid overcooking, which will give you the best steak possible.
Read Also: How to grill a top-round steak?
How Long Does It Take to Grill a Frozen Steak?
Based on the recipe discussed above, it will take nearly half an hour if you follow all the guidelines properly. However, there are some other recipes that may require high timings based on the temperature settings and thickness of the meat.
If you follow this direct plus indirect cooking technique, you will certainly have your results within half an hour.
Final Words
So there you have it! Now that you know all the tips on how to grill a frozen steak, are you ready to try it? Follow all the steps mentioned above for a quicker cookout.
We hope this article has been helpful and given some great insight into grilling your next dinner meal.