Can You Freeze and Reheat Hamburgers? (I will show you how!)

If you are as big of a sucker for hamburgers as I am, then you’re bound to have some leftovers at some point. You could consider storing it in the fridge for heating up later on. But with food storage comes the concern of food poisoning. And degradation of taste is also an issue. So, one might wonder, can you freeze and reheat hamburgers?  

Hamburgers can be in the freezer for months if kept in air-tight containers or freezer bags. The frozen burgers are easy to reheat in the oven. However, a toaster oven does this job pretty well too. Microwaving, grilling, or reheating on the stove is also super convenient to plate some scrumptious burgers. 

Freezing the burgers does not necessarily mean you can pile them up in the freezer anyhow. You need to follow some basic guidelines for freezing and reheating them. Otherwise, the buns will go too stale or soggy. To prevent such a scenario, this article includes some useful information you need to know. 

How to Freeze Hamburgers Properly? 

According to FoodSafety.gov, you can freeze your cooked hamburgers for up to 2 months. But you need to follow the USDA guidelines. Otherwise, microbes will have a good reason to grow on the buns even in low temperatures.  As the patties are of ground meat, it is very necessary to freeze them within two hours of cooking time. 

Make sure that you cool them down before freezing. If your burgers are piping hot straight from the kitchen, cool them for 2 hours. Then you can pack them to freeze.

Before freezing, disassemble the patties from the buns. Because you need to wrap each patty and bun individually in aluminum foil. If you wrap them together, the buns are likely to get soggy in the freezer itself. Also, they might stick together. And if you are to separate all the stuck patties, they can fall apart. 

If disassembling the patties seems too much work, place some wax paper between the patty and bun. And then you can wrap each burger together in aluminum foil. Then you must keep them in air-tight containers or freezer bags. Make sure you remove as much air out of the bags as you can before freezing the burgers. 

If you make your hamburgers at home, remember to mix the pepper, celery, or onions thoroughly in the patties. Otherwise, they will change their texture and taste in the freezer. 

How Can You Reheat Hamburgers?

There are several methods to reheat hamburgers and most of them are a no-brainer. But reheat them at minimum to 165 degrees Fahrenheit so that they come out piping hot throughout. 

Here are some of the methods to choose from:  

• Using an Oven 
• Reheating in Toaster Oven
• Microwaving
• Grilling
• Reheating on Stove

Using an Oven

The burger connoisseurs agree that it is the best method to get the fresh flavor even after reheating. It holds the juiciness of the meat so that you do not taste a chewy patty. All you need is an oven, oven rack, pair of tongs, and a baking sheet. Then the steps to follow include

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Disassemble the Burgers 

Preheat your oven at 400 degrees F. This temperature ensures that your leftovers do not overcook. Meanwhile, disassemble the burgers after defrosting.

If you have frozen the buns and patties separately, you do not need to disassemble them. You just need to let them defrost for 5 minutes at room temperature.

Step 2: Arrange the Patties 

You can reheat many patties at one go in the oven. But that does not mean you should overlap the patties with one another. Arrange the patties loosely on the baking sheet.

If you overstuff the baking sheet, none of the patties will get even heat. And it is an invitation to food poisoning. So place the patty quite loosely to ensure the heat can circle around all of them. Otherwise, you will get an icy crunch to the bite.

You can place the patties on the oven rack directly but it will mess around with your oven. Because all the excess fat will drip all over the oven. And it is an extra headache to clean it. So I suggest you not place them on the rack. 

Step 3: Reheat the Patty and Bun

Place the baking sheet in the oven for about three minutes. After that use a tong of pairs to flip the patties to the other side. At this point, place the buns in the oven rack. And reheat them for approximately two minutes.

When the buns seem golden brown, turn off the oven. Now assemble the burger as it is or you can add your favorite toppings or sauces before serving. 

Reheating in Toaster Oven

A toaster oven is a good alternative to an oven. It uses less energy but will not disappoint you. Get yourself some aluminum foil, baking tray, oven gloves, and oven rack ready to follow these steps

Step 1: Preheat Toaster Oven and Defrost Burgers

Preheat your toaster oven at 350 to 400 degrees F. It will take 15 minutes to preheat so within this time you should defrost your frozen burgers.

The toaster oven does not use high heat to reheat. So you need to defrost the frozen patties and buns for 15 minutes at room temperature. It will ensure that the frozen delish warm-up throughout. 

Step 2: Place Patties on the Tray

If there is any lettuce or tomato on the patties, discard the toppings. Then place the patties loosely on the baking tray. Reheat them for three minutes.

After three minutes wear oven gloves to flip the patties. Cook them for two more minutes and take them out.

Step 3: Toast the Buns

After reheating the patties it’s time for the buns to go in. Wrap the buns in aluminum foil so that they do not go stale in the toaster oven.  Then place them on an oven rack and put the rack in the center of the toaster oven. 

Warm the buns up for 2 minutes or until they get a light crisp. After that, assemble the patties on the buns and serve. 

Microwaving

When it is one of those days that you are running out of time, this method works as a lifesaver. But you need to pull some trick with it to retain the moisture of the burgers. 

Besides a microwave, you will need a glass of water, tongs, and microwave safe plate to follow these steps 

Step 1: Arrange the Burger

In this method, you can reheat the whole burger without disassembling it. Do not worry, they will get even heat as the microwave uses extreme heat.  But you should not warm more than two burgers at a time. 

Keep the burgers at room temperature for 5 minutes. Then discard any leafy topping or dressing so that they do not go bad in such extreme heat. On a microwave-safe plate keep the burgers. 

Step 2: Microwave and Serve

Place the plate in the microwave and place a glass of water on it. The water will retain the moisture of the patty and the bun so that the bun does not get stale. 

Press the reheat button. It will last for 2 to 4 minutes. At the halfway point, flip the burger with the tongs. Then add the toppings you removed and serve.

Grilling

This method is fun to apply when you are in the mood for a BBQ party outside. For this, you will need a portable outdoor grill, brush, butter, and Worcestershire sauce. Now follow the steps 

Step 1: Arrange the Patties

Preheat the grill on medium heat. Brush some Worcestershire sauce over the patties. Then keep them on the grill rack. 

Do not press them, otherwise, the fat from the meat will ignite the flame and dry out the meat. Grill each side of the patties for 1 minute. 

Step 2: Warm the Buns

After the patties are ready, brush some butter on the buns. And place them on the rack. Reheat for two minutes. No need to flip them.

After the buns get a light crisp and light golden color, remove them. And plate the burgers.

Reheating on Stove

If you are comfortable using a stove, this is for you. You only need a sauté pan, lid, paper towel, and water to follow the steps

Step 1: Steam the Patty

Warm the pan at medium-high heat. Then add three tablespoons of water to it. Place the patties on the pan and cover the lid.

Steam for 4 to 5 minutes. After that place the patty on a paper towel so that it soaks the extra moisture. 

Step 2: Toast the Buns

With a paper towel wipe the pan properly. Then keep the buns inside-down for about 2 minutes. Flipping them is not necessary. 

When the edges seem crispy enough, take them off the pan. And rearrange the burgers to enjoy.