Our grilled burger recipe is all about achieving that juicy, mouthwatering patty with a deliciously charred exterior. Start with the best meat blend, season it to perfection, and grill it to your desired level of doneness. Get ready to savor the ultimate burger experience right in your own backyard.
Gently shape the ground meat into patties, using your thumb to dimple the center.
Place the burgers on a parchement lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking.
Prep the grill
Prep your grill for 2-zone cooking by building a hot and cool side of the grill. Preheat the grill to 375-400°F.
Grill the burgers
Make sure to clean and oil your grill grates.
When the grill is preheated, place your burgers over the hot side of the grill, and cook them for 3 to 7 minutes per side, flipping once, for your desired internal temperature.
Move the patties to the cooler side of the grill if needed to finish the cooking process without causing flare ups.
If adding cheese, add the slices of the top of the patties during the lst minute of cooking to melt.
Assemble the burgers & Serve
Build your burgers by toasting the buns and then slathering on the mayo to form a barrier between the lettuce, burger and all your favoite toppings.
Pile on the lettuce, grilled patties, tomatoes, onions, pickles and condiments.
Serve immediately.
Notes
FOR A CHARCOAL GRILLUse a charcoal chimney for the easiest way to ignite charcoal with no lighter fluid. Then prepare your charcoal grill for a 2-zone fire, around 375-400°F, by stacking your charcoal to one side of the grill.We use Cowboy Charcoal all-natural hardwood briquets when grilling in our kettle grill. We add a handful of Jack Daniel’s wood chips when grilling burgers for additional smoky flavor. Hickory or post oak are also good flavors to use.FOR A GAS GRILLIf you’re cooking on a gas grill, always make sure your propane tank is full. Set up the grill by igniting 2 or 3 burners to create a cooler and hotter zone. Close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for 15 minutes.FOR A PELLET GRILL Set up your grill for the sear setting, which will be around or above 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure your hopper is filled with pellets so there is no chance of it running out while you’re grilling the best burgers.We love Jack Daniel’s Charcoal pellets for an authentic grilled flavor but will also use hickory or mesquite pellets when needed.With any grill, close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for 15 minutes before cooking anything.BURGER TEMPERATURE GUIDE
Medium-Rare burgers 4 minutes per side | 130-135 F
Medium burgers 5 minutes per side | 135-145 F
Medium-Well burgers 6 minutes per side | 145-155 F
Well-done burgers 7+ minutes per side | 155-160 F
According to the USDA, burgers should be cooked to an internal temperatureof 160°FPRO TIPS
Be sure to shape the patties slightly larger than the buns, as they will shrink a little when cooking.
Don’t press down on your burgers while grilling them. It can cause the juices to be squeezed out of the patties, drying them out.
Add flavor to your burgers by using wood chips. For a charcoal grill place the chips directly on the coals. Wait until the flames have died down before adding your burgers to avoid additional flare-ups. For a gas grill use a smoker box of foil packets when smoking on a gas grill. For a pellet grill, you can also use a smoker box or a pellet tube right on the grill grates for additional smoke flavor.
Always keep a squirt bottle on hand to lightly extinguish any flare-ups, or simply close the lid to cut off the airflow to the fire.