Can you grill a frozen steak?

Getting meat to room temperature from the freezer before cooking has its advantages. It makes your work easier and reduces cooking time by a lot. However, sometimes you may forget to remove your steak from the freezer in time to defrost before cooking. You may want to have some steak, but the only one you have is solid frozen or you simply don’t have time to defrost.

In such cases, can you grill a frozen steak? Yes, and it’s safe. You will however need to be a little bit more patient. Frozen steak takes slightly more time than fresh steak or thawed steak. It cooks slower because it requires more heat compared to fresh steak. However, you can make frozen steak tasty, give it a nice brown exterior, pink center, and no grey band.

How to grill frozen steak

Cook it on direct heat

Prepare your grill and preheat it. Place your frozen steak over the direct heat flame for about 3-5 minutes. You should have achieved a crispy texture on one side by that time. Turn it over to cook the same on the other side. Keep the time to 3-5 minutes as well. You will have cooked it evenly without overcooking it.

Season

Next, it’s time to add a bit of taste to your steak. If you season before searing, it will not maintain the seasoning and will dissolve. At this point, you can add any seasoning to your liking. However, to avoid losing the original taste of the steak, it is advisable to keep it simple. Some salt and a bit of pepper would be enough. Be sure to use salt that dissolves easily into the steak. Kosher salt would be ideal compared to table salt.

However, it is okay to choose not to season. If you are not seasoning the steak, you will only have to transfer it from the direct heat to the indirect heat after searing.

Use Indirect heat and monitor temperature

Now that you have already added flavor to the steak, it’s time to cook the interior. Place your steak on your grill and ensure you have enough heat to achieve your desired steak doneness. It’s advisable to use your thermometer to achieve this. you will avoid either undercooking or overcooking. You can use the guide below to determine your level of doneness.

Level of doneness	Blue rare	Medium	Rare	Medium well	Medium rare	Well Done
Description of doneness	Completely red throughout	25% Pink showing inside	75%Red Centre	Slight hint of pink	50% Red Centre	100% brown
Temperature (degrees Fahrenheit)	115	120	130	140	150	160

Serve

The favorite part about grilling your steak is eating IT. Your steak is now ready for eating. You can serve however you like. Don’t forget your favorite drink too.

Frozen steak-grilling dos and don’ts – things to keep in mind

Freeze properly

For perfect results, you want to use a well-frozen steak. For a do-it-yourself frozen steak make sure you use an airtight bag and remove all air before sealing and freezing it. Place the steak flat and on a flat surface and place it in the freezer as it is. If you are using a fresher frozen stake, do not keep it in your freezer for too long lest you lose it to freezer burns. When you remove a steak from the freezer, you want to ensure it is flat and dry. An icy steak will drip on the grill making the frame burst, it’s dangerous and can burn you.

Use a thick-cut steak

It is advisable to use thick-cut steak, one or one and a half inches thick will be ideal. The rock-solid steak will need more heat and time to cook. The thin frozen steak will cook faster and you will end up with an overdone and dry steak at the Centre by the time you have enough heat and time to cook. Thick cut steak on the other hand will cook slowly, by the time you cook completely you will have the best tasty steak

Get a good thermometer

Getting the right temperature for your steak is important for grilling. You will be able to determine the level of your desired steak doneness easily. Place the thermometer on the steak frequently. You will be able to remove your steak from the grill instantly when it’s ready. A meat thermometer is recommended.

Use both direct and indirect heat

Direct heat is the hottest heat and flares up into a flame. It is perfect for searing before seasoning your meat. Indirect heat is a lower temperature and is perfect for cooking the steak. It allows you to cook your steak slowly and reached the middle of your meat.

If you have a charcoal grill, just preheat it first. Then move the charcoal on one side and use that very hot side for searing. After searing and seasoning move the steak to the other not-so-hot side to cook.

If you are using a gas grill, you will need to put one burner at a high temperature and the other one at a lower temperature. Move the steak to the one at a lower temperature when you are ready to cook.

Final word

There is nothing to worry about, grilling a frozen steak. It will not have much difference from the fresh ones. Whether you buy it frozen or you had frozen it yourself, you can save time. You will not have to wait for it to defrost since you can cook directly. It will still be tender, juicy, and even have more moisture. It’s perfectly safe and will save you some time too.

FAQ

Will grilling frozen steak dry it out?

You might be concerned that the steak will dry out considering the longer cooking time. A grilled frozen steak will still have enough moisture just like the fresh one.

How long does a frozen steak take to cook?

It will take twice as long to cook frozen solid meat compared to a fresh one. Cooking time will depend on your level of doneness. You will need about 30 to 40 minutes to get it all done and ready to eat.