Smoked Burgers
By Morgan BollingPublished on April 28, 2025
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If you like, you can grind your own beef for this recipe. We love serving these burgers with our Spicy Burger Sauce, but mayonnaise and/or barbecue sauce are also delicious. Top with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and bacon, if desired. This recipe can easily be halved.
Instructions
- Divide beef into 4 equal portions and gently shape into patties about 4½ inches in diameter and about ¾ inch thick. Using your thumb or fingers, make 1-inch-wide by ¼-inch-deep divot in center of each patty. Cover patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preheating grill. (Patties can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Place wood chip packet on top of coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place; turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature between 350 and 400 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Sprinkle both sides of each patty with salt and pepper. Place patties on cooler side of grill and cook, covered (position lid vent over patties if using charcoal), until patties register 110 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer patties (without flipping) to hotter side of grill. (Turn all burners to high if using gas.) Cook, covered if using gas, until lightly charred on bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip patties, top with cheese, and continue to cook until browned on second side and patties register 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 135 degrees (for medium), 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Place burgers on bun bottoms and add bun tops. Serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Smoke is a fantastic seasoning for burgers; it highlights and complements the beef’s savoriness. We used 80 percent lean ground beef and made fat patties—thicker patties meant more time on the grill absorbing that enchanting smoke flavor. We started the burgers over indirect heat with a packet of wood chips placed over the fire providing ample smoke. After about 10 minutes, we moved the burgers directly over the heat to sear them for a nice browned, flavorful crust. After topping with cheese, you can cook these burgers to whatever temperature you like, but we prefer them medium (about 135 degrees), as the extra cooking time means a better charred crust.
Before You Begin
If you like, you can grind your own beef for this recipe. We love serving these burgers with our Spicy Burger Sauce, but mayonnaise and/or barbecue sauce are also delicious. Top with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and bacon, if desired. This recipe can easily be halved.
Instructions
- Divide beef into 4 equal portions and gently shape into patties about 4½ inches in diameter and about ¾ inch thick. Using your thumb or fingers, make 1-inch-wide by ¼-inch-deep divot in center of each patty. Cover patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preheating grill. (Patties can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Place wood chip packet on top of coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place; turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature between 350 and 400 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Sprinkle both sides of each patty with salt and pepper. Place patties on cooler side of grill and cook, covered (position lid vent over patties if using charcoal), until patties register 110 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer patties (without flipping) to hotter side of grill. (Turn all burners to high if using gas.) Cook, covered if using gas, until lightly charred on bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip patties, top with cheese, and continue to cook until browned on second side and patties register 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 135 degrees (for medium), 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Place burgers on bun bottoms and add bun tops. Serve.
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