Grilling anything from frozen can be tricky. Of course, the easy answer is take the time needed to thaw the meat. But, the reality is that we are all busy, we all forget, and sometimes, we find out people are showing up for dinner in less than an hour. So at some point, we will ask the question “Can you grill frozen steak?” even though it may not be ideal. And the answer is yes. Yes you can.
Some people actually think that grilling frozen steaks is the perfect method! This is because when cooked properly from frozen, your steak loses less moisture than it would otherwise.
So never fear, your steak dinner will not turn into a disaster if you find out you have to start from frozen. By using a quick sear and indirect heat for the rest of the cooking time you can achieve medium or medium-rare perfection or any other steak finish you desire.
🥩 Ingredients
Frozen Steak – I stock up on nice ribeyes from Costco whenever I can get them inexpensively. They do a really great job with them.
I wrap them in Press-n-Seal individually and then store them in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag until I am ready to grill.
Salt
Pepper
🔥 Instructions
Grilling frozen steak is not as tricky as you might think.
Step One: Set up your grill with two different temperature zones. On one side, you want it hot enough to sear the outside of the meat. On the other side, you want the indirect heat from the other side to gently cook your frozen steak as it thaws.
Note: For a Kamado style grill, use a half moon ceramic diverter. I recommend wrapping it in foil as it makes it much easier to clean off. The section over this tool is protected from the direct heat of the charcoal and serves as an indirect heat.
Step Two: Sear the exterior of your frozen steaks. Get the grill nice and hot, and place the steaks over the direct heat section of the grill. It will take about five to seven minutes on each side to get a good sear.
Step Three: Once you have a good sear on both sides of the steak, season them and move them to the indirect heat side of the grill to begin a slow and steady cooking process at lower temperatures. Expect the cooking time to take longer than it would to grill fresh steaks. Flip them over at the 5-minute mark and start checking your steak temperature as early as 8 minutes in.
Step Four: Use an instant-read thermometer to test the doneness of your steak. Make sure you get the thermometer all the way into the center of the steak, where it is most likely to still be frozen.
Step Five: Remove the steak from the grill while it is still a few degrees away from your target, since it will continue cooking for a few minutes once removed from the heat. Bring it inside and let it rest for about ten minutes.
Store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days.
The Finish
Medium-Rare might be a bit difficult to achieve when you grill a frozen steak, but it is not impossible. The instant read thermometer is your friend.
Medium to Medium-Well will be very easy when grilling frozen steaks, because the indirect heat will thaw the inside and cook the outside of the meat nice and slow so you can get the perfect finish. Thick frozen steaks are your friend.
Well-Done from frozen might just be the best tasting well-done finish you’ve ever had since the exterior will not overcook as much at the lower temperature.
Don’t forget to remove your meat at about 4-5 degrees below your desired temperature and then let the meat rest for 10 minutes. Cover with foil while it rests and the temperature will continue to rise for about five minutes while it is resting.
| Finish | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Rare | 50ºC / 120ºF |
| Medium-Rare | 54ºC / 130ºF |
| Medium | 60ºC / 140ºF |
| Medium-Well | 65ºC / 150ºF |
| Well-Done | 70ºC / 160ºF |
🔍 Tips and Tricks
Use direct and indirect heat zones. Get the perfect doneness with the cooking method we’ve described. A quick sear on the outside on high heat and then a low and slower finish on indirect heat to finish it off.
Track the temp. Get an instant read thermometer or wifi-enabled grilling thermometer. I actually love using the wi-fi enabled thermometer with an app because it allows me to walk away for a few minutes.
⚠️ Don’t stay away too long though, because grilling frozen steaks doesn’t take that much more time!
Season after searing. Seasoning raw frozen meat does not work. Nothing sticks to frozen steak. Let the steaks warm up on the outside a bit before you add your seasoning of choice. The nice thing is – this keeps your seasoning from burning too.
Pro Tip: If you remember, you can season your steak *before* you freeze it! Pick your favorite seasoning and rub it in all over the steak so that it adheres well.
Go with thick. If you find a good deal at Costco and load up on a bunch, consider freezing them for grilling later. I recommend you grab the thickest ones you can find to freeze. Thin steaks will cook too fast in the middle before the outside has a nice finish.
Rest the meat. Always, always, always rest your meat. We know it’s hard to plan enough time on busy weeknights for that extra ten to fifteen minutes while the meat rests but it is so worth it! Your tastebuds will thank you for it.
Pick a Fun Rub: Looking for a new favorite dry rub? Try these: Delicious All-Purpose Dry Rub Recipe for Grilling or a Homemade Java Rub. You can also keep it simple with a basic blend of coarse salt, coarse pepper, and dried minced garlic.
FAQ
Use a hot grill on one side between 450º and 600ºF. To create the indirect heat zone, don’t turn on the burners on the other side, as you will use indirect heat to cook your meat once you get a good sear. Aim to keep the indirect heat side at about 350ºF.
According to the FDA, frozen steaks will keep between 4 and 12 months at 0º. This depends on the type of freezer you have and how well you protect the meat. I recommend wrapping each steak in parchment paper to help prevent freezer burn. Then place the steaks in an airtight container. If you have a vacuum sealer that is even better.
You can, but it’s probably safer just to grill the steaks from frozen as we have described. The fastest way to thaw meat is to use running water over the meat. However, it is very difficult to keep the temperature of the steak in a safe zone while running water over it. You would need to put the meat on a bed of ice, run cold water on it, and have a way for the water to drain without draining the ice. It would make a mess, get raw meat germs everywhere, and just be a pain to execute.
What to Serve with Steak
Ideally, you would want to prepare a side dish or two while the steak is grilling. It may take as little as fifteen minutes to grill frozen steak, so you need to be prepared. You may even need to start your side dishes before you heat up the grill.
With planning, you can have dinner on the table in twenty minutes or less with these side dishes; especially if you have a large grill or two grills. (We all NEED multiple grills, right?) Add a good wine and some crusty bread with one or two of these and your meal will be fantastic!
- Grilled Patty Pan Squash {10 Minutes}
- Grilled Parsnips {15 Minutes}
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn Elote {10 Minutes}
More yummy steak recipes to whip up this weekend:
- Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak
- Grilled Ranch Steak
- Grilled Skirt Steak
- Grilled Teres Major Steak
- Grilled Marinated Steak Tips
- Grilled Porterhouse Steak With Herb Butter
- Grilled Greek Steak Bites
- Grilled Tex Mex Flank Steak With Avocado Corn Salsa
- Grilled Sirloin Steak With Chimichurri
- Herb Butter Grilled Ribeye Steak
- Grilled T Bone Steak With Bourbon Salt
- Grilled Herb Crusted Flat Iron Steaks
- Perfect Tomahawak Steak
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Grilling a Frozen Steak
Equipment
- Plate Setter
Ingredients
- 1 Ribeye frozen
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set up the grill for two-zone cooking. One side should be directly over the heat source to allow the meat to develop a nice sear. The other side should be protected from the direct heat to allow for finishing in a convection set up.
- Bring the temperature of the grill up to about 400° and place the steak over the direct heat side. It will take about seven minutes for it to sear.
- Turn the steak over and let the other side sear.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper and move the steak to the indirect heating side of the grill.
- Check the temperature regularly. The outside will sear quickly, but the inside might still be frozen and raw. Use a wireless meat thermometer to check. Thinner steaks will cook much faster.
Nutrition
Jason’s been firing up the grill for over 30 years after graduating from the US Coast Guard Academy. His love of finely-grilled steak and chicken led him to buy his first Weber grill to put on his apartment patio in 1992. Each military move led to a new grill (a mixture of gas and charcoal) until he fell in love with the Big Green Egg in 2008. Since then, he has added another 4 grills to the collection. Yes, he has a problem. Jason loves smoking in the ceramic BGE with exotic woods including olive wood from Egypt and hard to find varieties such as sassafras and orange wood. Jason takes the term “foodie” to a whole new level, jumping at the chance to take food tours and cooking classes during foreign travels. These have provided inspiration to incorporate new ideas into recipes when he gets back home. He has been featured in Fox News, Parade, Yahoo News, Kansas City Living and more. After retiring from the military and moving to southwest Florida, he has focused grilling and smoking locally sourced meats and fish (read: he likes to catch his own fish!)
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