Wondering how to grill the perfect burgers? All of us are dreaming of a nicely seared hamburger that’s still juicy on the inside. Our hamburger temperature guide will help you get those perfect results every time. To make things even easier, download and print our free printable Hamburger Cooking Cheat Sheet!
A hamburger can taste very different depending on the type of bun, the type of meat, spices, sauces, and toppings such as onions and lettuce.
The common denominator is, everyone wants a flavorful patty that’s not undercooked or overcooked.
You’ll soon find out that making delicious burgers at home is super easy, and your family will keep asking for them! Your biggest issue should be what to serve with burgers!
🍔 Why This Works
The free printable Hamburger Cooking Cheat Sheet has all the information you need in one place for the most common types of meat used for burgers: beef, pork, turkey, and chicken.
Depending on your grill, the meat you use, and other factors like doneness, the cooking times may vary. We love using our Coleman 3 Burner to bring to parties and tailgates and rave about it every chance we get!
It’s a good idea to use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burgers while cooking.
📝 How It Works
Step 1 – Find the type of meat you plan to use in the first column of the cheat sheet.
Step 2 – The second column shows the doneness you want your meat cooked to.
Step 3 – In the third column, you will find the approximate cooking time.
Step 4 – Based on the type of meat and doneness you want, you will find the internal temperature your meat patty needs to reach in the fourth column.
📒 Hamburger Cooking Cheat Sheet
Our free printable Hamburger Cooking Cheat Sheet can help you nail the perfect burgers without too much fuss!
Regardless if you plan on making regular beef, smoked beef, pork, turkey, or chicken burgers, all the cooking times and internal temperatures are listed in our printable. This will work the same if you are making the Travis Scott Burger or even grilling up frozen burgers.
🐮 How To Grill Beef Burgers
What temperature should hamburgers be cooked to?
The most popular type of meat used for burgers is beef, and for that, there are several levels of doneness you can choose from.
Be sure to form your patties between 3/4 and 1-inch thick. Making them too thin may cause them to dry out during the cooking process.
| Doneness | Cooking Time | Internal Temp. (°F) |
| Medium – rare | 6 min. | 130-135° |
| Medium | 7-8 min. | 140-145° |
| Medium – well | 9 min. | 150-155° |
| Well done | 10 min. | 160-165° |
If you’re using high-quality meat, seasonings are optional. However, if you plan to add seasonings to your burger patties, be careful not to overwork the meat.
Mix the seasonings into the beef using your hands and stop as soon as they are dispersed into the meat.
The USDA recommends a temperature between 160-165°F for ground meat, which will give you a well-done burger with no pink in the center.
You can, of course, choose another level of doneness if you’d like your burgers more pink in the middle.
🐖 How To Grill Pork Burgers
Pork burgers are both yummy and budget-friendly, so they’re perfect for feeding a crowd!
Unlike beef, pork burgers should always be cooked to well done. USDA guidelines state the meat should reach the internal temperature of 160°F so it’s safe to eat.
| Doneness | Cooking Time | Internal Temp. (°F) |
| Well done | 10-12 min. | 160° |
The safest way to reach the desired doneness is using a digital thermometer, but if you don’t have one, flip the burgers once juices pool on the uncooked surface.
🦃 How To Grill Turkey Burgers
Turkey burgers are a lighter alternative that’s just as delicious and the kids will totally love it! We love adding pineapples, bbq sauce, pepper jack cheeses and loads of lettuce and pickles.
Ground turkey needs to cook to 165°F internal temperature and I recommend you make the patties at least 1/2-inch thick.
| Doneness | Cooking Time | Internal Temp. (°F) |
| Well done | 10-12 min. | 165° |
Compared to beef, they will need a slightly longer cooking time since the required internal temperature is 5° higher.
🐔 How To Grill Chicken Burgers
Chicken burgers should be cooked just like turkey burgers. It’s nice to experiment with various types of meat for your burgers and also a great way to use meat stored in the freezer.
| Doneness | Cooking Time | Internal Temp. (°F) |
| Well done | 10-12 min. | 165° |
If your ground chicken is too lean you can add a bit of mayo or melted butter to the mixture. This will ensure your burgers turn out juicy and tender, not dry and chewy. We toss in onion, egg and shredded cheese to help it always to come out dripping in juices.
Also, make sure you generously oil the grill grates to prevent sticking!
🔍 Hamburger Cooking Tips
It’s not as convenient as buying it ready-made, but it is truly worth it to use freshly ground meat for your burgers. Making the choice between ground chuck or ground beef isn’t that hard once you master all the differences.
Some butchers will be happy to grind it for you, if you don’t have a meat grinder at home.
If you grind your own meat, you have full control over what meat cuts you’ll be using and the fat content of the ground meat, which is essential for a juicy burger.
This might not be an issue for other types of meat, but for beef, it’s recommended you only add salt after the patties are formed.
Salt dissolves muscle proteins and causes them to cross-link, which can give your burgers a rubbery texture.
For large burger patties, keep in mind some carryover cooking will occur so you can remove them from the grill when the internal temperature is 5 degrees lower than the one you’re aiming for.
Reheat burgers that are leftover from your cookout with your stovetop, oven, microwave and air fryer. All the how-to tips are here for you!
❓ Cooking Burgers FAQ
Keep the ground meat in the fridge right until the moment you are ready to form the patties. Wetting your hands with cold water will make it easier to form the patties, preventing the meat from sticking to your hands. Press a small indentation into the center of the patty so your burgers won’t puff up in the center as they cook.
Is it tempting to pamper your burgers and keep pressing them as they cook? Yes, but don’t do it!
With each press, you’ll be squeezing out those delicious juices.
Instead, allow the meat to cook on one side and only flip once when the time is right.
If you plan to add cheese, do it in the last minute and cover the grill so it can melt quickly.
The correct way to check your burger’s internal temperature is by inserting the meat thermometer through the side until you reach the center.
If you insert the thermometer through the top, it’s easy to miss the center.
100% yes! During resting time, the burgers will continue to cook for a while, and their internal temperature can rise as much as 5 degrees.
You can tent a piece of aluminium foil on top of your burgers to keep them warm as they rest.
While they rest, the juices will redistribute throughout the burger, making them even tastier.
You can keep cooked burgers for up to four days in the fridge.
If you have any leftover uncooked burger patties, you can keep them for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Otherwise, you can store them in the freezer, in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
🖨️ How To Grab
The free printable Hamburger Cooking Cheat Sheet will make all your burger grilling adventures so much easier! To grab, enter your email in the form below and the printable will be sent to your inbox right away.
