Sink your teeth into the perfect smoked hamburgers piled high on toasted buns with caramelized onions, crispy bacon, and gooey cheddar cheese. This easy smoker recipe is the best way to get juicy burgers with amazing smoky flavor on any grill with our tips for charcoal, gas grills, and pellet smokers.
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The flavor you get from grilling hamburgers is probably why they are an iconic bbq staple right alongside a good hot dog. There’s something about ground beef patties and the grill that is just indulgent. Whether you’re grinding your own hamburger or using your favorite burger blend from your local butcher or grocery store, these all-beef hamburger patties are begging for smoke flavor, sweet caramelized onions and sharp cheddar cheese.
When it comes to the perfect smoked hamburger, we found two things that really matter for this smoker recipe. First, the fat content of the ground beef has to be high. If the meat is too lean (90/10), the patties dry out while on the smoker. Just like our butter trick in the burgers for our hamburger salad, the fat content adds flavor and moisture while on the grill. We go as far as a 60/40 blend with Wagyu ground beef. Or for the perfect blend, check out our how to make ground beef guide for the perfect burgers recipe.
The second trick to an amazing smoked hamburger recipe is the size of the burger patty. We don’t go any smaller than a 1/4 (quarter pound) patty. This helps make a juicer burger with a great char at the end. Where burgers with crispy edges are perfect for griddle-grilled smash burgers, the cooking process of smoking can also cause thin ground beef patties to be dry. Go for high-fat ground meat and thick patties for the perfect burger.
Ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need ground beef; we recommend a high-fat ratio for the best results. We used Black Hawk Farms Wagyu ground beef, which is a 60/40 blend. If you can find a 70/30 blend, use it or try Porter Roads Beef Vs Bacon blend. Check out all of our trusted sources for where to buy meat online.
You’ll also need traditional burger fixings like kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, soft buns (we opt for brioche buns), lettuce, tomato, onions, bacon, crispy pickles, and cheddar cheese.
Don’t forget to give yourself a variety of your favorite condiments, from ketchup and mustard to a homemade compound butter recipe like our favorite garlic aioli, to really take these hamburgers to the next level.
How to Make Smoked Hamburgers
Prep the burgers
Start by prepping your ground chuck into patties by simply breaking the meat up in a bowl, gently dividing it into equal portions, and rolling it into a ball before gently pressing it into quarter-pound patties. You don’t want to overwork the meat or press too hard, causing the meat to become dense. A light hand goes a long way for these simple burgers.
Then, place the burgers on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and chill them in the fridge for at least one hour before cooking. This step allows the fat in the mixture to firm up, helping the patties to hold together on the grill.
Prep the grill
Meanwhile, prep your grill for smoking. You want the temperature of your smoker around 225 degrees F with a water pan to help keep the humidity up.
Smoke the burgers
When the grill is holding steady even temp and the smoke coming from the charcoal is a clear whispy blue color (clean smoke), quickly clean the grill grate. Sprinkle the patties liberally with salt and just a hint of pepper on both sides, and place the burger patties on the cooler side of the grill, the side opposite of the hot coals.
Cover the grill with the lid and allow the burgers to smoke for 60-90 minutes. Use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the burger. When they are about 10 degrees under where you want them to be, move the patties to high heat (the hot side of the grill) for a quick sear. Add the cheese and allow it to melt while toasting the buns.
Caramelize the onions
While the burgers are smoking, caramelize your onions cast iron skillet with butter on the cooler side of the grill, allowing the onions to slowly turn golden brown and translucent.
Serve the smoked burgers
Carefully remove the smoked burgers from the grill, transfer them to a clean platter, and build your burgers. Don’t forget to give yourself a variety of toppings, from crispy pickles to a homemade compound butter recipe like our favorite garlic aioli, to really elevate these hamburgers.
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
For a charcoal grill:
- Set up your charcoal grill for a 2-zone fire by infighting coals in a charcoal chimney. When the coals are about 70% ashed over, 10 – 15 minutes, pour them onto one side of the grill. Add wood chips directly to the coals and cover the grill, adjusting the air vents on the cover to allow the grill to preheat to 220-225 degrees F. When ready to grill the burgers, follow the directions in the recipe card below.
- We use Cowboy All Natural Hardwood Briquets and Jack Daniel’s smoking wood chips when grilling burgers. For even more good smoke flavor, try Cowboy’s Garlic and Onion briquets.
For a gas grill:
- Prep your gas grill for indirect heat by turning 2 of the 3 burners on high. Allow the grill to preheat and then turn off all but one burner, set to low or adjusting as needed to maintain an ambient temperature of 220-225 degrees F on the grill. After the burgers have smoked to your desired internal temperature, quickly sear them over the hot side to finish.
- To add extra smoked flavor, we use a smoker box filled with wood chips or a foil packet (like we show in how to smoke on a gas grill).
For a pellet grill:
- For a Traeger grill, prep the smoker as directed for the smoke setting, around 225 degrees. Smoke the burgers as directed. When ready to finish, remove the burgers from the pellet grill and adjust the heat to the sear setting. Quickly sear the thick patties, if desired, and add the cheese on top to melt just to finish.
- We use Jack Daniel’s charcoal pellets in our pellet smoker and add a few chunks of hickory wood to the hottest part of the grill grate for added smoke flavor.
For an electric smoker:
- Prep your electric smoker with the smoker box filled with hickory, post oak or Jack Daniel’s smoking wood chips. Set the temperature to 225 degrees F and smoke the burgers on the rack furthest from the heating coil or mechanism. Add the cheese for the last 10 minutes and toast the buns in a toaster oven or on a griddle to serve.
What to serve with smoked burgers
We love to pair juicy burgers with fresh smoked potato salad, coleslaw, smoked baked beans, creamy Dutch oven mac and cheese, smoked corn on the cob, deviled eggs, and super crispy duck-fat fries.
Leftovers and Reheating
Store leftover smoked hamburgers in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, warm the patties in a preheated oven at around 325 degrees F, wrapped in foil, for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat them on a grill over low heat or in a skillet with a small amount of oil on medium-low heat.
Personally, we love these reheated chopped up in a skillet for a cheeseburger omelet or used for low-carb hamburger salads.
Recipe FAQs
For smoked hamburgers, it’s best to use ground beef with a fat content of at least 20% (80% lean) for a juicy and flavorful burger. We use 70/30 or 60/40 ground beef when we can get our hands on it or grind our hamburger. A combo of ground chuck or ground sirloin are both great options.
For smoking hamburgers, choose a wood that imparts a mild to medium smoky flavor. Good options include hickory, oak, or Jack Daniels wood chips (made from recycled Jack Daniels whiskey barrels). We don’t recommend mesquite as it burns hot and can leave an acrid taste.
There’s no need to flip the hamburgers while smoking; the indirect heat and smoke will cook them evenly. However, if you want grill marks or a seared crust, you can briefly sear the patties on a hot grill over high heat after smoking.
The ideal temperature for smoking hamburgers is around 225°F to 250°F. Smoke the hamburgers for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 (medium juicy burger) to 160°F (well-done burger). Cook times may vary depending on the heat of the smoker, environmental factors, and your desired level of doneness.
Use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the hamburgers. For a medium-rare burger, aim for 130-135°F; for medium, 140-145 degrees F); and for well-done, 160°F. Anything over 160 degrees F and the burger will quickly dry out.
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Have you given this smoked burger recipe a try? There’s something about the flavors that’s just hard to beat when it comes to a good hamburger. If you have, please help us out and rate the smoked burgers recipe and leave a comment for the next guy.
Smoked Hamburgers with Caramelized Onions and Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lbs ground beef 70/30 or 60/40 ground beef blend
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 white onion roughly diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 slices Cheddar cheese
- 8 strips bacon cooked
- 4 Brioche Buns
- Lettuce
- Tomato sliced
- Pickles
- Mayo or Roasted Garlic Aioli
- Ketchup
- Mustard
Instructions
Prep the burgers
- Gently form the ground beef into even portions and roll it into balls. Working with your hands, gently press to form 4 quarter-pound burger patties, using your fingers to pinch the edges together.
- Arrange the patties onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Prep the grill
- When ready to grill, prep the smoker for indirect heat at a temperature of 225 degrees f, adding wood chips or a wood chunk for a true smoked flavor.
- Place a drip pan under the grill grate, and cover the lid, adjusting the air vents as needed to maintain the temperature.
Smoke the burgers
- When the grill has reached an even 225 degrees, and the smoke is clean, clean the grill grate and season the patties on both sides with salt and a little pepper.
- Place the burgers on the cooler side of the grill on the grill grates and cover the grill, allowing the burgers to smoke for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the patties and adjust the air vents as needed to make sure the grill maintains an even temperature.
Caramelize the onions
- Meanwhile, use a cast iron skillet over indirect heat on the grill or stovetop. Add the onions, oil and butter to the pan and stir occasionally as the onions soften and turn golden brown on the edges, about 10 minutes.
Sear the burgers
- When the burgers are about 10 degrees below your desired finished temperature, transfer them to the hot side of the grill, and sear quickly to form a good crust.
- Add the cheddar cheese just to melt and toast the buns.
Serve
- Carefully remove the smoked burgers from the grill and transfer them to a clean platter.
- Build your burgers with the lettuce and smoked burger patty topped with caramelized onions, bacon, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and mayo. Serve immediately.
Notes
Set up your charcoal grill for a 2-zone fire by infighting coals in a charcoal chimney. When the coals are about 70% ashed over, 10 – 15 minutes, pour them to one side of the grill. Add wood chips directly to the coals and cover the grill, adjusting the air vents on the cover to allow the grill to preheat to 220-225 degrees F. When ready to grill the burgers, follow the directions in the recipe card below.
We use Cowboy All Natural Hardwood Briquets and Jack Daniel’s smoking wood chips when grilling burgers. For even more good smoke flavor, try Cowboy’s Garlic and Onion briquets. For a gas grill:
Prep your gas grill for indirect heat by turning 2 of the 3 burners on high. Allow the grill to preheat and then turn off all but one burner, set to low or adjust as needed to maintain an ambient temperature of 220-225 degrees F on the grill. After the burgers have smoked to your desired internal temperature, quickly sear them over the hot side to finish.
To add extra smoked flavor, we use a smoker box filled with wood chips or a foil packet (like we show in how to smoke on a gas grill). For a pellet grill:
For a Traeger grill, prep the smoker as directed for the smoke setting, around 225 degrees. Smoke the burgers as directed. When ready to finish, remove the burgers from the pellet grill and adjust the heat to the sear setting. Quickly sear the thick patties, if desired, and add the cheese on top to melt just to finish.
We use Jack Daniel’s charcoal pellets in our pellet smoker and add a few chunks of hickory wood to the hottest part of the grill grate for added smoke flavor.
We don’t recommend mesquite wood for burgers. It burns hot and can be acrid tasting on the patties. Stick to hickory, post oak, or Jack Daniel’s wood chips for a good smoke flavor.
Nutrition
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Smoked burgers are the best!
This was KILLER on a grill. The hickory smoke flavor was interesting and satisfying: DELICIOUS!
Thanks, Chef!