How to keep hamburgers warm after grilling them

You can keep your cooked hamburger warm by using a slow cooker. To warm, place hamburgers in the slow cooker and top with water. Set the slow cooker’s heat to warm.

Besides keeping your burgers warm in a slow cooker, let’s also take a look at how to cook burgers in a slow cooker and other tips for leftover hamburgers.

Table of Contents

• Keeping Hamburgers Warm in a Slow Cooker
• Cooking Hamburgers in a Slow Cooker
• Food Safety Concerns with Warming Hamburgers
• Storing Leftover Hamburgers
• Freezing Leftover Hamburgers
• Reheating Hamburgers in a Slow Cooker

Keeping Hamburgers Warm in a Slow Cooker

Sometimes you need to make lots of hamburgers and keep them warm, especially when hosting family gatherings or barbecues. Placing cooked hamburgers in a slow cooker is one way to help keep them moist and warm for hours allowing guests to eat when they are hungry and relieves the cook from standing in the kitchen or over a grill the entire time. Here is the easiest way to keep hamburgers warm in a slow cooker:

1. Fill the slow cooker with water or beef broth.
2. Turn the slow cooker’s heat to warm.
3. Place cooked hamburgers in the liquid.
4. To serve, remove from liquid and shake excess liquid off.
5. Top with favorite vegetables and condiments.
6. Enjoy.

Another option to keep hamburgers warm and moist is to put the hamburgers in a small, oven-safe dish or bowl and set it in the slow cooker. Pour water around the dish, but not inside the dish where the hamburgers are. Set heat level to warm and cover. The steam from the water will keep the hamburgers moist without submerging them in water and possibly waterlogging the meat.

If possible, avoid using low or high heat settings on the slow cooker, overcooking the hamburgers, or drying them out. Some older slow cookers do not have a keep warm option. If your slow cooker does not have a warm setting, it is best not to use it to keep hamburgers warm. Instead, consider placing burgers in a pan with water or beef broth and set them on the grill. Keep it away from the flame but close enough to keep the pan and the hamburgers warm.

Cooking Hamburgers in a Slow Cooker

It is possible to cook hamburgers in a slow cooker. One of the best ways to do this is to use a five-quart slow cooker and cover the bottom of the cooker with chopped onions and celery. Make the hamburger as usual with ground beef, mixed with desired seasonings, and formed into patties. Place hamburger patties in the slow cooker on top of onions and celery. Try to avoid stacking hamburger patties on top of one another. Cover with the slow cooker’s lid and cook on low heat for seven to ten hours. When cooked, pull out hamburger patties, place on buns, and serve with desired toppings. Onions and celery can be stored in an airtight container and used for other recipes or soup.

Food Safety Concerns with Warming Hamburgers

There are many concerns with leaving food out after cooking. If left out too long, it not only runs the risk of attracting flies, there is also a risk of the food spoiling. Hamburgers can be kept in the slow cooker for several hours without any problems. How long hamburgers can be left on a platter varies with the temperature. If the burgers are in an air-conditioned room, they will last up to two hours when left out. If outside on a warm day, they may only last an hour or so. Check burgers by smelling them and if they smell a little off, discard them immediately.

Storing Leftover Hamburgers

As long as the hamburgers have not been out too long, it is possible to store them for future enjoyment. If planning to save leftover hamburgers, turn the slow cooker off and allow it to cool off to room temperature. Then place hamburgers in an airtight food storage container and refrigerate. Leftover hamburgers can last up to three to four days in the refrigerator. To reheat, allow the hamburger to return to room temperature after being removed from the fridge. Reheat the hamburger on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave and bring the internal temperature to 165 degrees F.

Freezing Leftover Hamburgers

It is possible to freeze cooked hamburgers. Before doing so, ensure the meat is still safe and would be something you would consume—seal leftover hamburgers in heavy-duty freezer bags. If desired, separate patties with a small piece of wax paper in between each one. Force out as much air as possible before sealing and then place in the freezer. Cooked hamburgers can remain in the freezer for up to four months before losing quality. Before reheating the frozen hamburger patties, check to ensure the patties are not freezer burned or discolored. If they are, discard and buy some fresh ground beef to make burgers. It is also a good idea to allow patties to thaw completely before attempting to reheat.

Reheating Hamburgers in a Slow Cooker

Both frozen and refrigerated hamburgers can be reheated using a slow cooker. To reheat, place the hamburger patties in the slow cooker. Set temperature to low heat and allow patties to cook for seven to nine hours. Cook until patties reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. If frozen, allow hamburgers to thaw completely before placing them in the slow cooker. You can do this in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a few hours. Just make sure patties are placed in the slow cooker before they get too warm sitting out on the counter.

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