Forum: cooking.stackexchange.com
Tags: <microwave><hamburgers>
Title: How do I cook a frozen hamburger in the microwave?
Question: I bought some hamburgers (I mean the meat, not the full sandwich) in vacuum packing and I froze them in the freezer.  Can now I cook them in the microwave? If so, how and how long?

Answers:
sents: text: I don't endorse beef in the microwave, but that said, the best possible way to cook it is going to be on one of the microwave plates that raise your food off the plate.
text: (the ones that look like the inside of a george foreman grill)
text: You are going to have to play with your power settings a bit to achieve a optimium patty.
text: In mine, it's 2:30 at 40 percent power and 1:30 at full power but depending on wattage, your particular times are going to vary.
text: The trick to having an edible patty come out of the microwave is use low power to achieve the desired temp and then hit it at full power to get the outside done.
text: It will always produce a slimy-er patty than cooking it on a stovetop or in an oven.
text: Make sure that you cover the patty during cooking as it is going to spatter like crazy.
text: You don't want to clean that mess up.
text: If you have access to a toaster oven, you can cook a patty in that in about 15 minutes and you will have a much closer to delicious product.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/446/sarge_smith
score: 6
sents: text: I would defrost them first in the microwave and it will cook them a little if you defrost too long.
text: Then I would cook them for around 2 mins and see how close the center is to how you like it.
text: Microwave Burgers taste different then
text: Pan fried.
text: However do not allow to cook too long or the outside edges will become chewy or very hard.
text: Practice makes perfect.
text: I have done this at work where I cannot fry them in a pan.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/2044/Nathan Stanford
score: 3
sents: text: So, just a clarification on this thread.
text: None of the responses includes the power rating of the microwaves used.
text: So, my experience with my 700 watt microwave is that two patties, on and under paper towel, cooks to medium done in 8 minutes.
text: Hope that helps.
text: With that information, I'm estimating the power ratings of the machines in previous answers to be 1500 watts.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/42526/Chuck Martin
score: 2
sents: text: I wouldn't tell you to cook them microwave either, deforst is a good idea but don't cook them in the microwave, they will not be crispy as a normaly cooked burger would be.
text: Good luck Lorenzo and have a nice day
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/2877/Nick
score: 1
sents: text: I am a microwave expert.
text: I have never cooked a meal in the oven in my life, and after decades of working directly with microwaves, I can tell you that defrosting is a waste of time.
text: If you have a microwavable sandwich, just set it to cook for 3 minutes and 43 seconds.
text: You can flip it over around halfway and you will be set.
text: Minutes after you eat your perfectly cooked sandwich, you can say "Gee Peyton, you are a genius.
text: " You are welcome, America.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/7122/Peyton
score: 1
sents: text: Yes you can, although if you have a skillet or grill handy I'd use that instead.
text: I'll assume you don't.
text: The exact amount of cooking time will vary based on burger type, whether they're defrosted first, and the microwave itself.
text: Some pointers include: Put it in a covered microwaveable container with the lid slightly ajar (or improvise by inverting an uncovered container).
text: This prevents splatters and helps keep too much steam from escaping and drying out the burger.
text: Let it stand for about two minutes once it's done.
text: If it's properly cooked and goes straight from the microwave to your mouth you would get a grease splatter or burn.
text: Putting the microwave on medium instead of high will usually prevent the outside from getting overcooked.
text: Although a microwave should get the meat hot enough (165 F) to be safe, it won't be the same as cooking it on high heat like a grill or skillet.
text: Microwaves can't really get your burger above boiling point (212 F) for the same reason a stew won't get hotter than boiling-
text: any water that gets hotter than boiling can evaporate, taking heat away in the process.
text: Also, a hamburger is thin enough that the microwaves will penetrate the hamburger and it can cook all the way through, unlike some thicker kinds of food that will not cook properly in a microwave.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/22002/CodyP
score: 1
sents: text: I agree that, although meet in the nukerwave isn't the most delicious, that wasn't the question!
text: It was " can I " and " how long ".
text: I live out of my microwave.
text: I make hamburger patties in the nuker all the time (as well as pasta and rice, which everyone says DON'T !
text: I say
text: Why not ?!)
text: I buy my 85/15 patties from SAMs club so they're pre-made, not very thick.
text: Paper plate, 2 pieces of paper towel on the plate, 2 frozen patties on the plate, one piece of ppr towel over the patties, 5-6 min on 50% power gives me medium/medium-well patties.
text: If I season the patties I do so after about 4min and remove the top ppr towel.
text: If I'm making a cheese burger, after the burgers are done I add the cheese slices, add 30sec @100% power and leave them in the microwave to 'rest' and melt while I prepare my plate.
text: You may need to adjust the length of time a bit depending on your microwave and your desired wellness of the patties.
text: Perfect burgers?
text: No.
text: As good as coming off the grill?
text: No.
text: Still perfectly OK burgers for a quick meal in about 8min total.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/8327/Rosie
score: 0
sents: text: I microwave frozen hamburger patties all the time.
text: For a perfect microwaved burger: 1) Put 2 paper towels over and 2 under the frozen patties. 2)
text: Place patties inside a paper bag (I use the small brown "ice cream" bags from the grocery store. 3) Place (sealed) paper bag on a plate and microwave for 5 minutes at 50% power.
text: This will give you perfect medium burgers.
text: I normally cook 2 at a time.
text: If you like them med well, cook for an additional 60 seconds on full power.
text: The paper bag will keep the steam inside, which will keep the burgers moist and not dried out.
text: It will also absorb all of the fat.
text: It is optional of course, but I find the burgers taste much better when cooked this way.
text: I guarantee you will love this method...and no spatter, mess, or clean-up needed.
text: Bon appetite!
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/22142/Timothy
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
The microwave is not recommended for cooking beef, but you could defrost them there first. If you have a toaster oven, this will cook a patty in about 15 minutes with good results.
You should defrost it in the microwave it before cooking and raise it up off the bottom.