Smoked Burger Recipe
If you are a new member of the smoking squad, you must be wondering can you really smoke hamburgers? Yes, you can! In fact, you can smoke anything in your smoker as long as it is edible. And if you still haven’t given this smoked burger a try, trust me one bite of it will make you forget all about the pan-fried beef burgers you have been having in your life.
In this article we bring you the most easiest and simplest way to make a Smoked Burger without compromising on its quality! So, give this recipe a read so you can get that patty smoking!
What is a Smoked Hamburger?
Sandwiched between a bun and loaded with toppings, a Smoked Hamburger comes with a juicy patty – only when it is perfectly smoked in a smoker. Speaking of smoker, if you are really eager to learn about a thing or two on how smokers work, check out our articles:
- How To Use an Offset Smoker
- How to Use a Masterbuilt Propane Smoker
- How Does an Electric Smoker Work
Unlike Brisket or Ribs, smoking Burger is relatively easier and saves a lot of time. With a juicy interior and a crispy exterior, it is really hard not to savour every bite of it. So, if you are out of time and have your tummy to fill, you know what to throw at that cooking grate of your smoker. A meaty patty of course!
How to Make Smoked Burgers
Like I said, it is super easy, quick and packed with flavors. Smoking Burgers require no special degree. You just need to have a strong grip over timings and temperature, and of course some tips to make that Krabby Patty even better.
To make things even simpler for you, we have broken down our Smoked Burger recipe into steps so you can follow it easily!
- Choosing The Right Meat
Every beef cut will give you the desired beefy flavor, but if you are looking for something that gives you tenderly juicy patties, then look for those cuts that come with good fat content such as Chuck Steak, Brisket or Boneless Ribs.
Lean cuts, on the other hand, come with less fats. This makes your Burger pat Patty less juicy, but that doesn’t mean you don’t give it a try. It all comes down to personal preferences.
- Preparing The Meat
Once you got the meat, it can go two ways. You can either grind your meat in food processor or hand chop it. Once done, modify your ground beef into circular Burger Patties.
While making Burger Patties, make sure you are doing it with a gentle touch. As for thickness, it should range from ½ to 1 inch. If your Patty exceeds this range, you will be waiting longer for that Patty to get done cooking.
Lastly, always make your patties greater than the diameter of the bun as meat tends to shrink while cooking.
- Seasoning The Meat
The purpose of seasoning is to enhance the flavor of the wood. So, season your patties wisely and generously.
I personally prefer keeping it simple by adding a little salt, black pepper and garlic powder. But why stick to the rules when you can be your own chef! You can add some of your favorites as well.
- Preheating The Smoker
This rule goes for every meat out there. Preheating your Smoker provides a suitable temperature to your meat, and once your meat gets set in the preheated smoker it wastes no time to get the process of cooking started.
To get the perfect smoked burger, preheat your smoker to a range of 225° F – 350° F.
- Choosing The Right Wood
Sure the woods are for achieving the smoke but that doesn’t mean you shove any wood into your smoker. Some meats come out really delicious when smoking it with specific woods, and of course it also comes down to personal preferences as well.
The most preferred woods for smoking burgers are Hickory, Cherry and Mesquite.
- Time to Cook and Smoke
Time and Temperature. The essential things to focus on while cooking and smoking your meat. Compared to other meats, Smoked Burgers here take less time to cook.
Ideally, these burgers are smoked at 225° F for about an hour, however, these temperatures can vary depending on how patient you are. If you want your Burger served quick, you may want to get your patty cooked at high temperature.
Flip the Burger Patty when it is halfway in there, and make sure you are not flipping too frequently – one flip is enough.
If you are a cheese lover, I’ve got an important task for you. Once you have flipped the patty and it is almost there to get done, add a cheese slice on top of the Patty so it gets enough time to melt.
- Burgers, Assemble!
Take out those buns and toppings because we have got nicely done and very smoky burger patties coming!
Simple buns are simply not my type. I prefer getting my buns toasted in butter and I believe you should give it a try as well. And for toppings, we’ve got an extensive list for that! Choose your favorite toppings and make your smoked burger even flavorful!. And, if you are still confused about choosing the toppings, you could always eeny meeny miny moe your way or you could choose what I choose.
From bottom to top, my smoked burger comes with a lettuce leaf, tomato, burger patty, cheese and caramelized onions. For sauces, you can go for Chipotle, Sriracha or any other preferred one.
In conclusion, you can add any condiments you like.
- Serve
My favorite part! The key to bliss is really a complete meal. So, pair up your smoked hamburger with a nice soothing drink, and sides like fries, salad or anything that your heart says yes to!
And if you are a newbie with a spirit to try more meat smoking, check out our article Best Meat To Smoke and get that smoking skills of yours polished!
What temperature to smoke a burger at?
Hamburgers can be smoked at various temperatures. It all comes down to how much time you have to cook up your burgers. Smoking your burger at higher temperature cooks your meat faster, and at lower temperature requires more time.
- How long to smoke a burger at 225° F or 250° F?
At a range of 225° F to 250° F, it takes about an hour to get the burger patty fully done. While maintaining the temperature of the chamber, make sure you are also monitoring the internal temperature of smoked burger. Ideal internal temperature for Smoked Burger Patty is 160° F.
- How long to smoke a burger at 300° F or 350° F?
Smoking your hamburger within 300° F to 350° F will take no more than 30-45 minutes to get it to perfect doneness. As I said, more the temperature, lesser time it will take. But that doesn’t mean you set your smoker on fire, right?
Same thing for this temperature range as well, aim for an internal temperature of 160° F.
Important Tips To Remember
To make your Krabby Patties even better, we have some tips for you so you can put them in action for the rest of your life!
- Lean to Fat Ratio
More the fat, juicier will be your meat. But that doesn’t mean you keep on adding fat unnecessarily. The perfect lean to fat ratio for Smoked Burger is 80:20. The fat content shouldn’t exceed 25%.
- Searing
Searing your meat is like a cherry on top. The purpose of searing the meat is to get its true flavors distinguished. Sear your Burger Patty at 400° F for 3 to 5 minutes. Once that nice and lovely brown crust starts to appear, take it out and assemble it with your favorite toppings!
- Adding a Pan
Whenever you put Burger Patties in your smoker, try adding an extra pan beneath the grates where you have put your burgers at. The purpose of adding this pan is to collect all the grease and drippings from your patties. This makes it much easier and quick to clean your smoker.
Final Word
Craving for a smoked burger already? Well, if you have all the things we mentioned above then lit up your smoker and get that burger smoking!
Once you’re done devouring that smoked burger and licking those sauces off your fingers, let us know how you liked your burger! And if you still have any unanswered questions, don’t be so shy and ask away.
Recipe Card
Smoked Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Ground Beef
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 4 Cheddar Cheese Slices
- 4 Burger Buns (toasted)
- Burger Condiments
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225° F.
-  Form 5-6 burger patties, and make sure they are at least ½ inch thick. Thepatties should be greater than the size of a bun, as patties shrink duringcooking.
-  Sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of the patties. •      1 teaspoon kosher salt•      1 teaspoon ground black pepper•      1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Â Place the burger patties on the cooking grate of your smoker.
- Â Smoke the patties for an hour or until the desired doneness reached.
-  For cheeseburger, add a slice of cheddar cheese on top of the patty – addit 2-3 mins before taking the patty out so it melts down perfectly.
-  To reverse-sear a burger, heat up your smoker to 400° F and sear eachside of the patty for few minutes.
- Toastor Grill your burger buns with butter.
- Assembleyour burger with your favorite condiments and serve.
Nutrition
s and serve.
