A smoked burger tastes like a grilled burger with a deeper, richer flavor. You smoke thick patties low and slow, then give them a quick sear for a crust. It takes about an hour, so it fits on a weeknight.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef, 80/20 (80% lean)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (or 1 tbsp all-purpose BBQ rub in place of the spices above)
- 6 slices cheddar, pepper jack or American cheese
- 6 burger buns, toasted
- Toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and BBQ sauce
- Smoking wood: hickory, oak or cherry (chunks, chips or pellets)
Steps
- Divide the beef into 6 even portions, about 1/3 lb each. Gently shape each one into a patty about 3/4 inch thick. Do not pack them tight.
- Press a shallow dent in the center of each patty with your thumb so it stays flat as it cooks.
- Mix the salt and spices and season both sides of the patties. Keep them cold in the fridge while the smoker heats.
- Set up your smoker for 225°F with hickory, oak or cherry. Wait for thin, clean smoke.
- Place the patties on the grate and smoke until they reach about 140°F inside, usually 40–50 minutes.
- Heat a grill, griddle or cast-iron pan to about 450–500°F.
- Sear the burgers 1–2 minutes per side until browned and the center of the thickest patty reads 160°F, the USDA safe temperature for ground beef.
- Add the cheese in the last minute and cover so it melts.
- Rest the burgers 2–3 minutes, then serve on toasted buns with your toppings.
Why this works
Smoking the patties low gives them time to soak up flavor before they cook through. Thick patties work best here. Thin ones cook too fast on the smoker to take on much smoke. The final sear adds the browned, crispy edges that make a burger taste like a burger.
Ground beef needs to reach 160°F all the way through. That is the USDA safe temperature, because grinding mixes surface bacteria into the center of the meat. Unlike a steak, you cannot leave a burger pink in the middle and call it safe.
Keep them juicy at 160°F
Cooking to 160°F can dry out lean beef. A few things help:
- Use 80/20 beef. The fat keeps the burger moist.
- Handle the meat as little as you can when shaping.
- Do not press down on the patties while they cook. That squeezes out the juice.
- Pull them as soon as they hit 160°F. A quick instant-read thermometer makes this easy.
Best wood
Hickory is a classic burger smoke. Oak is a bit milder, and cherry adds a touch of sweetness and color. The cook is short, so chips or pellets both work well.
Seasoning
Salt and pepper is all a good burger really needs. For more flavor, swap the spices for our all-purpose BBQ rub. Top the burgers with a spoonful of Kansas City BBQ sauce for a sweet and tangy finish.
Make ahead / storage
Shape the patties up to a day ahead. Stack them with parchment between them and keep them cold. Cooked burgers keep 3–4 days in the fridge. Reheat them in a covered pan over medium heat.
Variations
- Smokehouse burger. Add bacon, crispy onions and BBQ sauce.
- Jalapeño burger. Mix 2 chopped jalapeños into the beef and use pepper jack.
- Sliders. Make 12 small patties and start checking the temperature at 25 minutes.
Keep reading
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