Pellet Grill Burger Recipe
These mouthwatering Pellet Grill Burgers are grilled hot and fast on the pellet smoker for juicy, tender, meaty goodness. Feeling hungry yet? Good news - they cook in only 15 minutes!
Servings: 6 burgers
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 6 burger buns
- 6 slices cheese (optional)
- optional condiments and toppings (mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, etc.)
Instructions
Preheat
- Fill your pellet grill hopper with hardwood pellets and set the temperature to 375℉. Allow the grill to preheat with the lid closed for about 10-15 minutes while you make the burger patties.
Shape
- Divide the ground beef evenly into 6 equal portions (I use a digital food scale for this).
- Using your hands, form 6 hamburger patties that are slightly wider than your burger buns, since the patties will shrink a bit while cooking. Place them on a large baking sheet that is lightly greased.Pro Tip: To reduce shrinking while cooking, chill the patties for 20 minutes before grilling. Then, using your thumb or the back of a spoon, make an indentation in the middle of each patty.
Season
- In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- Evenly season both sides of the hamburger patties with the seasoning mixture. (I season liberally.)Pro Tip: Don't add the seasoning until right before you're ready to grill, since salt can pull moisture out of the meat.
Grill
- Place patties directly on the grill grates and close the lid. Cook for 5-10 minutes on the first side, then flip them over and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until the desired internal temperature is reached: Medium-rare: 130-135℉, Medium: 140-145℉, Medium-well: 150-155℉, or Well-done (USDA's recommendation): 160℉.Pro Tip: Pull your patties off the grill 5℉ early, since they will continue to cook a bit on the counter.
- Place sliced cheese on top of the burger patties immediately after cooking, while they are still hot. (This keeps melted cheese off your grill grates.)
- Toast your burger buns on the grill for a couple of minutes.. (I like to lightly brush mine with melted butter first.)
Assembly
- To assemble your burgers, spread mayonnaise or mustard inside the burger bun. Add your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, ketchup, and pickles.
- Serve with French fries, potato chips, or onion rings. Enjoy!
Notes
For Best Results:
- Use ground beef with a higher fat content, no less than 20% to ensure a juicy burger.
- Avoid overworking your meat while forming the patties, or your burgers could turn out tough.
- Season your patties right before you're ready to grill them to prevent the salt from pulling moisture from the meat.
- Keep a close eye on the internal temperature of your burger patties while they cook and pull them off the grill 5℉ before your desired internal temperature is reached:
- Medium-rare: 130-135℉
- Medium: 140-145℉
- Medium-well: 150-155℉
- Well-done (USDA's recommendation): 160℉
Storage:
- In the Refrigerator: Raw patties can be placed in a plastic zip bag or airtight container and refrigerated for up to one day before cooking. Leftover patties can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- In the Freezer: You can also freeze raw burger patties by placing squares of wax paper in between each patty, stacking them on top of each other, and placing them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.