The Ultimate Smoked Burgers, which are prized for their rich meaty flavor, feature ground chuck patties that are smoked low and slow on a grill or in a smoker. Then these smoked hamburgers are reverse-seared in a cast-iron skillet to give them a great crust on the outside and juicy, tender beef on the inside.
Like my recipe for Smoked Ribeye Steak, smoking burgers infuse them with the most delicious kind of savory flavor. Combine this smokiness with their big, bold beef flavor, and these smoked hamburgers reign supreme and are a must-try at your next cookout.
If you are a burger fan, I hope you will try this smoked burger recipe. And, if you have never tried my recipe for The Ultimate Southern-Style Burger, Southern Homemade Shrimp Burger, or my Southern Crispy Fried Chicken Burger, you don’t know what you are missing!
I’ve included step-by-step instructions and even a “how-to” video so that you, too, can smoke burgers like a prize-winning BBQ pitmaster.
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Ingredient notes:
- Ground chuck – in an 80/20 mix of lean to fat is the star of this dish. You can’t have a hamburger without ground beef.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper – enhance the beef flavor and add just the right balance of seasoning.
- Garlic powder – is an optional ingredient. Truthfully, these delicious burgers are great with just salt and pepper, but I like the hint of garlic that the garlic powder provides.
- Hamburger buns – a burger without a bun is a hamburger steak. Find the freshest ones you can and load them up.
- Lettuce and tomato – are the classic pairing with hamburgers. Feel free to change things up a bit and add your favorite topping.
- Condiments – are not pictured, but add what you like. My favorites are mayonnaise and mustard, but I know lots of you like ketchup as well. If you want to walk on the wild side, try my Jezebel Sauce or tomato jam.
How to make smoked burgers:
- For a Big Green Egg or Kamado-type grill, soak one cup of wood chips in water for one hour. Light the charcoal and when it comes up to 250 degrees F., scatter the drained wood chips over the fire. Add a cleaned and oiled grill grate. You do not need to use the plate setter for this recipe.
- For any other type of grill or smoker, follow the manufacturer’s directions to prepare it for smoking and preheat it to 250 degrees F.
- While your grill/smoker is preheating, divide the ground beef into four equal amounts. Use your hands and shape each into three-quarters to an inch thick patty, a little larger in diameter than your buns. Use your thumb and put a slight indention in the center of each patty to ensure it stays flat while cooking.
- Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder evenly over both sides of the burgers.
- Carefully place the burgers on the grill/smoker and close the lid. Let them smoke for about 30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 125 degrees F. as measured by an instant-read meat thermometer.
- When the burgers start getting close to the proper temperature, heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. After removing the patties from the grill, place them in the skillet to reverse sear them.
- It will take two to three minutes per side for your burgers to finish cooking, depending on your desired degree of doneness. Medium-rare = 130°F, medium = 140°F and medium-well = 150°F. Over 160°F is well done and is what the USDA recommends.
- When the burgers are done, remove them from the skillet and let them rest for about five minutes.
- Assemble the smoked burgers, add your favorite condiments and toppings, and serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs:
The short answer is it depends on several variables, including the size and thickness of your patties, the meat temperature when it goes in the smoker, the temperature of your grill/smoker, and the desired doneness of the meat.
You do not have to flip the burgers while they are smoking. You will, however, need to flip them when they are searing in the skillet.
It’s normal for smoked meats to have a pink tinge. It doesn’t matter what color your burgers are as long as they are cooked to the proper temperature. That’s why it is crucial to use a good instant-read meat thermometer.
Don’t press the meat while cooking; pressing squeezes all of the juices out. Don’t overcook it, and choose the correct meat/fat blend. In burgers, fat isn’t the enemy; it adds flavor and keeps everything moist and juicy.
Sometimes the choices available at the grocery store are overwhelming, but I always choose ground chuck in an 80/20 blend of lean to fat.
Beef can handle even the strongest woods like hickory or mesquite. Feel free to use your favorite. I like and use oak, pecan, and fruitwood most of the time.
At our house, we like homemade french fries, fried onion rings, summer pasta salad, smoked baked beans, grilled vegetable kabobs, or my southern potato salad.
Top tips and tricks:
- Be sure to use a clean plate to place your cooked burgers on. Don’t reuse the one you used for the raw meat.
- Use a light touch when forming your patties. Too much handling makes them tough and dry.
- I usually pull my burgers off the stove or the grill when they are about five degrees below my target temperate. Because of carry-over cooking, they will continue to cook while they rest.
- I just listed the bare minimum number of toppings in the recipe. Feel free to add your favorites. Some ideas include sliced onion, fried onion rings, bacon, pickles, fried green tomatoes, pickled okra, bean sprouts, avocado slices, and sliced mushrooms. Check out my Ultimate Southern-Style Burger for how we do it in the South.
- Speaking of toppings, don’t forget the most popular burger topping, cheese! Smoked Cheeseburgers can’t be beaten! American cheese is the most popular, followed by cheddar and pimento cheese (my favorite) but the sky is the limit, and use what you and your family like.
More recipes for the grill:
If you like to grill as we do, you might also like these popular recipes on my blog:
Here are a few more popular recipes: Grilled Grouper with Mango Salsa, Smoked Shrimp, Smoked Beef Short Ribs, Smoked Queso, and Grilled London Broil.
If you want even more recipes or menu ideas, here is a link to all of my recipes that are cooked on the grill
★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!
📋 Recipe:
The Ultimate Smoked Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground chuck 80/20 ratio blend of lean to fat, makes four-six ounce patties, two pounds makes four-eight ounce patties
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional
- 4 hamburger buns split and toasted
- 4 slices tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Assorted condiments
Instructions
- For a Big Green Egg or Kamado type grill, soak one cup of wood chips in water for one hour. Light the charcoal and when it comes up to 250 degrees F., scatter the drained wood chips over the fire. Add the grill grate. You do not need to use the plate setter for this recipe.
- For any other type of grill or smoker, follow the manufacturer’s directions to prepare it for smoking and preheat it to 250 degrees F.
- While your grill/smoker is preheating, divide the ground beef into four equal amounts. Use your hands and shape each into three-quarters to an inch thick patty, a little larger in diameter than your buns. Use your thumb and put a slight indention in the center of each patty to ensure it stays flat while cooking.
- Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder evenly over both sides of the burgers.
- Carefully place the burgers on the grill/smoker and close the lid. Let them smoke for about 30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 125 degrees F. as measured by an instant-read meat thermometer.
- When the burgers start getting close to the proper temperature, heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. After removing the patties from the grill, place them in the skillet to reverse sear them.
- It will take two to three minutes per side for your burgers to finish cooking, depending on your desired degree of doneness. Medium-rare = 130°F, medium = 140°F and medium-well = 150°F. Over 160°F is well done and is what the USDA recommends.
- When the burgers are done, remove them from the skillet and let them rest for about five minutes.
- Assemble the burgers, add your favorite condiments and toppings, and serve immediately.
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