How to Grill A
PERFECT BURGER
Burgers are part of the American experience— of course, they are eaten elsewhere in the world, but many people relate the process of grilling the perfect burger and biting into it as a very American-style cuisine item.
It’s undeniable that burgers are incredibly popular as a food, even when just looking at the statistics. In fact, nearly half of all menu items sold in U.S. restaurants are burgers, and about 50 billion are eaten annually across the nation.
billion
are eaten annually across the nation.
And while eating virtually any burger is a delicious experience, whether it’s at a restaurant or via takeaway, there’s something special about biting into a freshly grilled burger patty.
Making burgers at home is truly an art of grilling, as BBQ burgers can contain more flavor, juiciness, and texture than those baked in the oven or fried in a skillet. Plus, the amount of versatility that comes with making burgers is virtually endless!
And if you want to learn how to create the perfect dish for a long weekend get-together or a summery family dinner, this is the right place to discover the secrets behind a perfect grilled burger recipe.
So, read on for more information on grill selection, temperatures, ingredients, and even some fantastic recipes that are sure to get your mouth watering and your fingers itching to fire up that grill.
Best Grills For Cooking
Burgers
Before we learn exactly how to grill, the perfect grill unit is the essential starting point. While you can use a wood-burning BBQ or a smoker, the crispy outside texture that a good gas or charcoal grill gives to a burger patty truly enhances the experience.
To get you started with the best grills for cooking the perfect burger on, the following units are ideal for when you want to fire it up and serve a juicy meal— and it doesn’t just have to be burgers, either!
And when it comes to comparing each type of grill— gas, charcoal, and griddle— the key aspect lies in the flavor difference. It’s subtle but does matter, as gas contains a great flame-licked taste, charcoal has a smoky aroma, and the griddle is most versatile for adding your own chosen flavors to the mix.
As for cooking times, temperatures, and lid positioning, each grill essentially functions the same for burger patties. We will discuss cooking times and the ideal temperature range in just a moment, but grillers do prefer to keep the lid closed to encourage faster cooking and to allow all the flavors to be contained within the meat.
Keeping the lid closed is also generally recommended for meats with a thickness of over ¾ inches, and because the burger patties we are going to be exploring here are 1 inch thick, the lid should be kept closed. But now, let’s talk about some specific grills!
Gas Grills
As mentioned, gas is a great way to grill your burgers. Some of the benefits of cooking with gas include how easy it is to ignite and get up to the perfect temperature, faster and more reliable cooking times, the evenness of searing, and that delicious flame-grilled flavor that is irreplaceable.
MODEL
814154
FUEL TYPE
Propane
TOTAL GRILLING AREA
426 Square Inches.
Grilling Surface BTUs
24,000 BTUs.
Get your grill on with this freestanding, compact, and fiery gas grill. It’s the perfect size to feed your family without taking over the entire yard!
MODEL
956944, 956947
FUEL TYPE
Natural Gas or Propane
TOTAL GRILLING AREA
695 Square Inches.
Grilling Surface BTUs
50,000 BTUs.
With this gorgeous freestanding grill, you not only have plenty of surface area for your burger patties, but the additional rotisserie and infrared side burner are also great for making sides or frying your bacon at the same time.
Charcoal Grills
There are many benefits to using a charcoal grill instead of a gas one, including the intense heat for perfect searing, easy ignition starters, and the all-natural smell and flavor of smoke cooked right into your food.
MODEL
BLZ-4-CHAR+BLZ-4-CART
FUEL TYPE
Charcoal
TOTAL GRILLING AREA
630 Square Inches
Layer in the coals and fire it up, because this adjustable grill is great for creating burger recipes. It has an adjustable tray for the fuel which allows you to set how hot the temperature gets precisely.
Gas Griddles
As a great addition to the gas cooking family, gas griddles are common in restaurants all over the country for many reasons. Those include being able to get an ideal sear, the versatility of griddles, and how much food you can actually cook at once.
MODEL
BLZ-GRIDDLE-LTE-LP, NG+BLZ-GRIDDLE-CART
FUEL TYPE
Natural Gas or Propane
TOTAL GRILLING AREA
495 Square Inches
Grilling Surface BTUs
36,000 BTUs.
With plenty of storage space and lights for night-time cooking, you can rely on this mobile cart-mounted gas griddle for all of your burger ingredient storage, cooking, and serving needs.
What Do You Need For The
Perfect Burger
Making the perfect burger essentially depends on the grill and ingredients that you use— it’s honestly as simple as that! As such, the following four aspects of burger creation are what any cook should focus primarily upon, in order to produce the perfect grilled burger.
A Clean Grill
A dirty grilling surface will not produce a spectacular burger patty. Because of old residue and remaining flavors, your patties might stick to the grill itself and fall apart, as well as take on the taste of past meals cooked there.
Clean Grill
Stiff Wire Scraper
Elbow Grease
As such, it’s important to clean your grill before the patties touch it. To do so, brush it off with a stiff wire scraper to remove all residue and put some elbow grease into it. And speaking of grease, don’t forget to brush it down with extra virgin olive oil afterward, and it should be shiny and ready for cooking!
Mixture Of Ground Beef
Not every type of ground beef is ideal to be turned into burgers. When shopping for the perfect burger mince, it’s important to choose a mixture of lean and fatty meat. We recommend an 80/20 combination, as it has 80% lean beef and 20% fatty content. The balance between fat and lean meat creates a delicious patty, with the fat contributing to how juicier the burger actually is.
creates a delicious patty
80% lean beef
20% fat beef
Some of the best burger meat cuts to get this combination include chuck or sirloin for leaner options and fatty meat like brisket, navel, or short rib cuts.
Additionally, though many people like to add an egg or egg yolk to bind the patty together, this is not necessary when using an 80/20 meat mixture, and could lead to mushy or pasty patties.
The Right Size
Though how big or small your burgers become is up to you, there are a few guidelines for creating and cooking the perfect burger. For example, you don’t want a patty that is engulfed by the bun, or one that overflows the bread boundary— a patty that’s just the right size is the goal.
right size burger patties
4 inches in diameter
1 inch thick
As such, forming burger patties into equal rounds that are 1 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter is the best option for sizing. Not only will your patties cook evenly, but they also remain juicy and fit perfectly into most normal-sized burger buns.
Seasonings
As with everything else in the kitchen (or the outside grilling area), seasonings are absolutely essential. No one wants bland food, and burgers are no different.
Meats, in general, are best treated with large flakes of sea salt or Kosher salts, as it brings out the smooth fattiness of the meat— particularly beef. But you shouldn’t be shy with ground black pepper, either.
add to your patty mixture
Sea Salts
Ground Black Pepper
Garlic and Onion powder
Other common seasonings include garlic and onion powder, or their freshly minced equivalent. Additionally, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and a variety of pre-mixed seasonings are great to add to your patty mixture.
Best Burger Seasoning Recipe
This is a great seasoning mixture to use for topping burger patties, giving them a sweet, smokey, spicy tang. You can also use this mix as a dry rub for other BBQ grill beef recipes like steak, ribs, and roast beef!
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons smoked paprika.
2 tablespoons onion powder.
2 tablespoons brown sugar.
3 tablespoons sea salt.
2 tablespoons garlic powder.
1 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground.
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small jar, and shake well to mix. It will keep in the pantry for around 6 months.
Toppings
One of the best parts of eating a burger is how many options you have for customization. Whether you want cheese, fresh toppings, or any other combination, you can add it to your burger to enjoy.
Most of the common toppings include cheese, vegetables, and other meat types, as well as ketchup, mustard, and relish.
But the options truly are endless!
Cheddar
Pepper jack
American
Cheese
Brie
Mozzarella
Lettuce
Tomato
Onion
Pickles
Jalapeños
Fresh chiles
or Basil
Mayonnaise
Aioli
Jam
Salad
Dressing
Hot sauce
Buffalo Sauce
or BBQ Sauce
Bacon
sausage
patties
mushrooms
onions
roasted
red peppers
How Long To Grill Burgers
When it comes to how long to grill burgers, it does depend on your personal preference for how rare or well-done the patty becomes.
How to grill burgers the right way is an essential part of the final product and how tasty it is— while you certainly don’t want to end up with a charcoal puck of a burger, you also don’t want to bite into a raw patty that is essentially ground beef sashimi!
That being said, burger patties should be cooked until they are no longer pink, which is an internal temperature of at least 160°F, according to the USDA food safety guidelines. Though eating a rare or medium-rare steak is acceptable to health guidelines, ground beef is not processed the same way and can contain dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli that might make the eater sick.
As such, the following information is your guide to internal temperatures and cooking times for all types of beef burgers. Additionally, make sure the patties are 1 inch in thickness, 4 inches in diameter, and that your grill is fully heated to 450°F to 500°F for the most accurate cooking experience.
Cooking time
4 minutes
Cooking time
6 to 7 minutes
Cooking time
5 minutes
Cooking time
8-9 minutes
Rare— Cooking time of 4 total minutes, and an internal temperature of 125°F.
Medium-Rare— Cooking time of 5 total minutes, and an internal temperature of 135°F.
Medium— Cooking time of 6 to 7 minutes, and an internal temperature of 145°F.
Well-Done— Cooking time of 8 to 9 minutes, and an internal temperature of 160°F (the minimum recommended by the USDA).
If you experience fluctuations in cooking time, there could be several reasons for that. Make sure the grill is completely preheated before adding the patties, and that each is the same size, shape, and thickness.
A meat thermometer is one of the easiest ways to check for doneness, particularly when inserted through the side of the burger patty for a more accurate read, instead of down through the top.
Step By Step
Process
Some cooks are intimidated by the prospect of making their own burger patties and grilling them, but with our easy step-by-step process, the task is simplified and even fun. Read on for a walkthrough from ground beef to the final product!
- Clean And Heat The Grill
- Form The Patties
- Grill The Burger
- Toast The Buns And Add Cheese
- Rest The Burger Patties
- Serve
Clean And Heat The Grill
As previously mentioned, a clean grill leads to a great burger, so always scrape off the cooking surface in advance.
Additionally, it’s important to preheat your grill to the right temperature so that the cooking time does not fluctuate— closing the lid and letting it get to 450-500°F before continuing.
Form The Patties
For the burger patty, you should always start with cold beef that has just come out of the fridge. The cool internal temperature helps the patty retain its shape during formation and into cooling.
Avoiding room temperature beef also prevents bacteria from growing on it as it thaws, so it’s a win-win! Plus, you should make sure to get the patties onto the grill as quickly as possible after taking the meat out of the fridge so that it doesn’t warm up too much.
Depending on how many burger patties you want to make, pop the right amount of ground 80/20 beef into a large bowl with your chosen seasonings. Mix together only until the meat and seasonings come together, and be careful not to overwork it, as that can lead to dry and crumbly cooked patties.
Shape and size your patties to the right dimensions and form them with a shallow depression in the center, making the outside edges about ½ inch higher than the middle. This assists in the patties cooking evenly on the grill.
Grill The Burger
Now that the grill is hot and you have burger patties ready to go, it’s time to cook! Each patty should only take about 8 minutes to complete.
Additionally, when it’s time to flip the burgers, make sure that you don’t press down on them— this will make the interior juices and grease leak out and dry out the patty. You’ll know when the burger needs to be flipped when it is easily lifted by your spatula and the outside is nicely browned.
Toast The Buns And Add Cheese
If you want to add sliced cheese to the top, it’s recommended to do so for the last minute of cooking time to prevent over-cooking the patties. This is also when you can put the open halves of the burger buns directly on the grill and toast them for around 1 minute, as well.
Rest The Burger Patties
Like steaks and other meat cuts, you should always rest your burger patties after cooking and before serving. To do so, take aluminum foil and tent it over the burger patties off the heat and on a rack. Set a timer for a further minute or two and wait for the proteins to relax once more, improving the juiciness of the burger.
Serve
The hard part of making and cooking the burgers is now over, so now it’s time to assemble the perfect burger and enjoy it! Choose from the nearly endless variety of toppings, sauces, and other food products that can enhance your burger, serve immediately, and enjoy!
Different Burger
Recipes
Many grillers are on the lookout for what they could consider the best burger recipe, but of course, that can be a subjective opinion and quest. However, we have compiled some of the most delicious burger recipes below, all of which are ideal to be cooked on the grill.
From cheesy goodness to spicy flavors, salty bacon to a vegetarian option, read on for what could be your next favorite recipe for burgers on the grill.
Mushroom And Swiss Burger
A classic combination of mushrooms and cheese, this perfect burger is gourmet, gooey, and great. The addition of sweet onions to the sauce topping pairs perfectly with the buttery buns and the fatty beef patties.
Serves 4 people.
Ingredients
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced.
1 sweet white onion, sliced.
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted.
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
½ teaspoon salt.
4 brioche buns, halved and toasted.
½ teaspoon pepper.
1.5 pounds ground beef.
2 tablespoons of your favorite steak seasoning, or our Best Burger Seasoning.
4 slices of Swiss cheese.
Method
Heat your grill and make the burger patties by forming ground beef into 4 evenly-sized rounds. Top off each with half a tablespoon of your favorite steak seasoning, or our Best Burger Seasoning. Set aside.
To make the mushroom and onion topping, heat a large skillet and add the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Turn down the heat to a medium flame and add the sliced white onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook the mixture until soft and golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Time to get grilling! Put your beef patties on the grill and cook them for around 8 minutes before flipping and cooking for another 8 minutes, or until done to your personal preference. Put a slice of Swiss cheese on top of each patty and let it melt with the ambient heat of the grill.
When the cheese is melted, you can remove the burgers from the grill and allow them to rest for 1 minute. Then, place them in the brioche buns and top with the mushroom and onion mixture, and serve.
Additional Topping Ideas:
Arugula.
BLT Burger
What else is more all-American than the combination of a favorite sandwich— the BLT— and a big, juicy burger? This is a great match, where the streaky, smokey bacon sets off the flavor of the beef patty, ultimately balanced out by the crisp lettuce and acidic tomato that cuts the fat as you eat, topped off with spicy ketchup to make the perfect burger recipe.
Serves 4 people.
Ingredients
1.5 pounds ground beef.
1 teaspoon sea salt.
½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground.
4 slices of cheddar cheese.
4 brioche burger buns, halved and toasted.
8 strips of bacon.
4 large green lettuce leaves, such as butter or romaine.
2 medium-sized tomatoes, sliced.
1 avocado, sliced.
¼ cup ketchup.
2 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce.
¼ teaspoon cumin.
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika.
Method
Turn on the grill and make the patties. Combine the ground beef, salt, and pepper in a bowl and work into 4 equally-sized patties.
Cook the bacon to your liking— we recommend not letting it crisp up too much, and leaving it a bit floppy, as it’s easier to layer later.
Add the patties to the grill and cook for about 8 minutes on each side to reach the perfect burger temp, or until done to your liking. Top each with a slice of cheddar, and let the cheese melt.
Rest the burgers for 1 minute off the grill, then it’s time to build the burgers. Start with the brioche bun bottom, and layer the patty, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado.
Now, it’s time to make the spicy ketchup topping. Combine the ketchup in a small bowl with the hot sauce, cumin, and paprika, and mix well. Spoon over the top of your burgers and put on the top bun, serve, and enjoy!
Additional Topping Ideas:
Caramelized onions.
Chopped parsley.
Ranch sauce.
Russian dressing.
Impossibly Good Veggie Burger
For any vegetarians or vegans, finding a good burger option can be a tiring and frustrating experience. Many restaurant veggie patties are not very good and can be dry or downright gross.
Instead of prolonging your search for a decent vegetarian option, why not turn on the flame and make your own impossibly good veggie burgers on the grill? This recipe makes 8 veggie patties, and you can choose from a variety of toppings, sauces, and bun types to complete the meal according to your own dietary or personal preferences.
Ingredients
8 ounces of mushrooms.
1 large carrot.
1 ½ cups broccoli florets.
½ medium white onion.
1 can of black beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed.
⅓ cup walnuts, halved.
2 cups spinach leaves, tightly packed.
¼ cup fresh herbs, chopped (such as cilantro, parsley, or chives).
½ cup panko (or homemade) breadcrumbs.
2 eggs (or 2 flax eggs, if vegan).
¾ cup brown rice, cooked.
2 large garlic cloves.
2 tablespoons of flavorless oil (such as olive, grape, canola, or avocado).
1 tablespoon tomato paste.
1 teaspoon smoked paprika.
1 teaspoon chili powder.
¾ sea salt.
¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground.
Burger buns and toppings.
Method
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line baking sheets with non-stick parchment paper.
Clean all the vegetables and pat dry. Then, trim the bottoms off the mushrooms and broccoli florets, and chop all the vegetables roughly. Add to a food processor along with the garlic, oil, and spices, and blend until a coarse grind appears. This can take about 20 to 40 pulses, depending on your machine.
When the vegetables are done, spread the black beans on another baking sheet. Stir the vegetable mixture and re-spread into a thin, even layer, and add both sheets to the oven for another 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
Dry out the food processor and pulse the walnuts, spinach, and herbs. Then, add the beans and pulse until crumbly. Add the vegetable mixture, breadcrumbs, eggs, and tomato paste and pulse again until fairly smooth, but with some small chunks still remaining.
Fold in the brown rice, and then shape the entire mixture into patties. You can freeze them for 3 months or keep them fresh in the fridge for no more than 24 hours. As for how long to cook burgers on the grill, veggie patties only need about 6 minutes on each side.
Additional Topping Ideas:
Alfalfa sprouts.
Guacamole.
Hummus.
Kale.
Pickled onions.
Sliced apples.
Chipotle Burger
This is the perfect grilled burger if you want to have a bit of spicy tang with your beef patty. The combination of chipotles in adobo with avocado and cheese cuts the heat and leaves a pleasant tingling feeling on your tongue. And if you want to cool down the burgers even more, try dipping it into a small dish of ranch sauce.
Serves 4 people.
Ingredients
1.5 pounds ground beef.
⅓ cup white onion, grated.
3 canned chipotle peppers, minced.
2 poblano chile peppers, whole.
1 can of black beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed.
⅓ cup cilantro chopped.
2 avocados, sliced.
4 slices of jack cheese.
1 tablespoon adobo sauce.
1 teaspoon cumin.
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground.
1 teaspoon sea salt.
4 burger buns, halved and toasted.
Hot sauce, optional
Method
Start by roasting the poblano chiles. Rub oil over each chile and grill them on the heated BBQ until charred on each side, then remove to a covered bowl and allow to steam for 15 minutes. Peel off the blackened skin and slice thickly before setting the peppers aside.
For the patties, mix the ground beef, onion, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and seasonings in a bowl and form into 4 rounds.
Grill for around 8 minutes on each side, or until done to your taste, and place a slice of jack cheese on each patty to melt
Assemble the burgers inside the buns and top with avocado, roasted poblanos, cilantro, and top with the optional hot sauce before serving and enjoying.
Additional Topping Ideas:
Crumbled blue cheese.
Guacamole.
Fresh salsa.
Coleslaw.
Pickled onions.
Pineapple slices.
Cheddar-Stuffed Burger
This molten cheese surprise is a delicious option for a dairy-filled burger. Essentially an inside-out cheeseburger, it’s a fun twist on the original and is juicy, gooey, and chewy— in all the best ways. While bacon and barbeque sauce are included in this recipe, you can also top it with a variety of things, making these burgers very easy to customize according to your taste.
Serves 4 people.
Ingredients
1.5 pounds ground beef.
8 strips of bacon.
1 medium white onion, sliced.
1 cup sharp cheese, shredded (such as cheddar or pepper jack).
4 tablespoons of your favorite barbeque sauce.
¼ teaspoon sea salt.
¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground.
4 burger buns, halved and toasted.
Method
Heat up your grill and cook the bacon (we recommend not letting it get too crispy, as it’s hard to stack on the burger). Then remove and set aside.
To make the sauteed onions, use a skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the onion slices and cook for about 10 minutes until golden and soft.
Make the burger patties by mixing the ground beef with the salt and pepper, and forming 8 thin patties.
Next, it’s time to form the burgers around the pocket of cheese. Lay one of the thin patties out on wax paper and pile ⅛ cup of shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons worth of sauteed onions, and another ⅛ cup of cheese in the center of the patty. Then top with another patty and press together to form a thick, enclosed pocket.
Cook the burgers for about 9 minutes on each side to completely melt the cheese inside, and then assemble with barbeque sauce on the bottom bun, bacon on top, and the remaining caramelized onions.
Additional Topping Ideas:
A dollop of mac ‘n’ cheese.
Crispy onions.
Guacamole
Onion jam.
Jalapeño slices.
Pickles.
Conclusion
Burgers are truly an all-American delicacy, and some of the most customizable and easily created foods available to the home cook.
And by simply applying a few tricks to the combination of ground beef and seasonings, as well as choosing the perfect grill type, you can turn raw meat into a dinnertime sensation in a bun that can impress friends and family alike, as well as yourself!