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    Home » Kitchen Laughter Recipes Blog » Beef

    Smoked Hamburgers {1 hour}

    Published: Feb 3, 2022 · Modified: Jun 22, 2022 by Jason C · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    These yummy Smoked Burgers are out of this world amazing! When you are hosting a big ol’ cookout with friends, neighbors and family, this will be the quick and easy recipe you reach for time and time again.

    smoked burgers on a tray with mustard, lettuce, cheese and the buns.
    Smoked Burgers for Your Next Cookout!
    Contents hide
    1 🍽️ Why This Works
    2 🍔 Ingredients
    3 🐄 Ground Beef vs Ground Chuck
    4 ⏲️ Equipment and Tools
    5 🔥 Instructions
    6 🌡️ Burger Cooking Chart
    7 ❗Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Burger
    8 🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating
    9 Meal Prep
    10 ➕ Additions and Substitutions
    11 💡 Serving Suggestions
    12 ❓ Recipe FAQ
    13 Smoked Hamburgers

    🍽️ Why This Works

    Simple | Nothing beats a simple recipe that turns out tasting like a million bucks. Let’s be honest. Eat these with or without a bun for the perfect weekend meal.

    Inexpensive | This is simple ground chuck that can be purchased at the butcher, at the local grocery or in big packs at Costco. Ground chuck is lower priced but we want it this time, as it has all the flavor.

    Entertainment Worthy | This will be your “go-to” when hosting the block party when you have to man the grill. Smoke these along with the Smoked Hot Dogs and your party will be like no other. Just by changing things up a bit, allows you pack in flavor.

    🍔 Ingredients

    ingredient photo showing the ground chuck, chopped onion, and salt & pepper with labels.
    Just a Few Simple Ingredients for the Burgers

    Ground Chuck | This fatty beef comes from the shoulder area of the cow and is a popular choice when making hamburgers or meatballs. The 80% lean ground meat is the favorite for most of us when we are going to start making burgers as they will always turn out tender and juicy. That extra fat is our friend here.

    Chopped Onions | Use sweet or yellow onions.

    Salt and Pepper | Sprinkle some in for extra flavor.

    Chipotle Mayo (optional)

    ingredient photo for the chipotle in adobo sauce for the burgers.
    Chipotle in Adobo Sauce

    This tastes best when allowed to chill overnight for the flavors to blend.

    Mayonnaise | Use the mayonnaise that you like.

    Sour Cream | Use full fat or reduced fat for this recipe. Substitute plain greek yogurt, if you want to trim off a few calories.

    Chipotles in Adobo Sauce | You will be using two of the chipotles from the can. Freeze any that is leftover for recipes in the future. Most grocery stores have these in the international aisle near the hispanic foods.

    Lime Juice | Squeeze some juice from a fresh lime.

    Cilantro | Add in cilantro and adjust to your taste.

    🐄 Ground Beef vs Ground Chuck

    Before you run to the grocery store to buy the meat, make sure you know the differences between ground beef and ground chuck.

    Ground Chuck | This is fatty (20%) and comes from the shoulder area of the cow. The fat helps this cut stick together, which is why we reach for it when we make burgers or meatballs. For anything that you want to stick, reach for the ground chuck. When you grill burgers using this, expect that it will shrink quite a bit given the amount of fat drippings that will be lost during cooking. Just plan ahead.

    Ground Beef | This collects all of the trimmings from all over the cow and grinds it into ground beef. This works great for tacos, stroganoff or anything where it doesn’t matter if the meat sticks together. The ground beef can range is fat content from 7-13%.

    ⏲️ Equipment and Tools

    Grill | We use our Big Green Egg for this one but pull out your Traeger, Char-Broil, Weber or Masterbuilt. You can even use your gas grill with a smoker box.

    Wood Chips | Use the wood that you enjoy the flavor. We used pecan this time but always use the Smoker Wood Chart Cheat Sheet to check if you are unsure of how smoky each wood can be.

    Knife | Chopping up those onions can be done with a knife or a food chopper. Use whichever you prefer.

    Small Food Processor | Optional if you plan to make the Chipotle Mayo to serve with your burgers.

    🔥 Instructions

    instruction photos showing mixing the ground chuck with onions, smoking, and then serving.
    Mix, Smoked and Serve!

    Smoked Hamburgers

    Step One: Set smoker up for indirect heat at 250°. We love using our DIY Fire Starters to start up the flame. Add the wood chips for the smoke.

    Step Two: Divide one pound of ground chuck into four sections and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Form four round burgers and press your thumb into the center of each burger to allow them to cook even and flat.

    Note: Pressing your thumb in the center allows the meat to have room to expand as it cooks. It makes a huge difference, so give it a shot. We do this on smoked burgers and grilled burgers.

    Step Three: Smoke the burgers until the internal temperature reaches 135° for a nice medium rare, which should take less than an hour.

    🌡️ Burger Cooking Chart

    DonenessTemperatureAppearance
    Rare 120-125°Bright Red
    Medium Rare130-135°Bright Pink
    Medium140-145°Slightly Pink
    Medium Well150-155°Mostly Brown
    Well Done 160°All Brown
    Ground Beef Burger Doneness Chart

    ❗Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Burger

    Make sure to choose a fatty cut of ground chuck. When you snag a tasty 80/20 pack of beef, you know you will have the best tasting burgers at your cookout. Isn’t that what we all want?

    Don’t over handle the beef. Too much rolling, pushing and handling will make it tough. Divide it into quarters and quickly make the patty.

    Push your thumb into the center of the burger to help it stay flat and keep its shape.

    Always remember to remove your meat five degrees LESS than your desired doneness. As it rests, it will continue to cook for a few minutes and will reach the target temperature.

    Always allow the burgers to rest, just like we do for steaks and chicken, for several minutes to allow the juices to set up inside the burger and not run out.

    Add cheese or other toppings at the very end. The cheese will melt as the burger is so hot.

    Use a temperature gauge to check the internal temperature of the beef before removing from the grill. USDA suggests ground beef be cooked to 160° which is when e coli is killed. Whether you use a wireless version or an old fashioned meat thermometer, always test the meat before serving.

    Refrain from using frozen burgers as they won’t end up as juicy as you want them. Reach for the fresh ground beef for this one.

    🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

    Store any leftover burgers in the refrigerator inside a sealed container for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or Air Fryer.

    Freeze any leftovers in a sealed container like Ziploc Freezer Bags. I like to double wrap mine so they are protected in the freezer. Take them out the night before and put them in the refrigerator. Zap in the microwave for a minute or your Air Fryer.

    Meal Prep

    top down view of the smoked burgers on butcher paper with all of the items needed to assemble the buns.
    Don’t Forget to Offer All the Fixings too!

    Meal prepping this for a BBQ is a snap! Here are a few ideas to make this go smooth:

    • Cut up the onions, if you plan to put them in your burgers.
    • The day before, prep all of your fixings to make the cookout a simple “pull out and smoke the burgers” type of day.
    • If you are making the Chipotle May or the Burger Sauce, do that the day before as well.
    • Prep your side dishes that you plan to serve with the burgers.

    ➕ Additions and Substitutions

    There are lots of ways to mix this up to have a completely different flavor profile.

    Caramelized Bacon and Onion Burgers: Caramelize both onion and chopped bacon and gently mix in with the burger.

    Bacon Blue Burgers: Cook the burgers until they are about 3-4 minutes from finishing, top with a couple slices of cooked bacon and then blue cheese. Finish cooking and serve on your favorite buns.

    Teriyaki Pineapple Burgers: While your burgers are on the grill, place slices of pineapple on the grill and cook 1-3 minutes each side. When burgers are 3-4 minutes from being done, top with thick teriyaki sauce and grilled pineapple. Place it all on thick buns and serve to your guests.

    Sliders: Make smaller burgers and use Sweet Hawaiian Rolls to make these into the best sliders when you are looking at feeding a crowd.

    💡 Serving Suggestions

    Besides your family’s favorite potato or macaroni salad, there are so many side dishes that will go perfectly with these burgers.

    Smoked Potato Salad

    Smoked Deviled Eggs

    Grilled Broccolini

    Grilled Mexican Street Corn

    ❓ Recipe FAQ

    How long should you cook a burger?

    Always rely on checking the internal temperature for vs looking for the amount of time to cook the meat. Timing will also change when you are cooking a thick burger vs a super thin smash burger.

    What internal temperature should the burger be cooked?

    Ground meats should be cooked to 160-165° per the USDA. E coli will be killed off at 160 degrees.

    How do you check the doneness of a burger?

    Use a wireless or old fashioned meat thermometer.

    How long can I keep ground chuck or ground beef in the refrigerator after buying?

    Don’t go more than two days.

    How to determine the doneness of the burger if I don’t have a thermometer at all?

    The old chef’s trick of gently pushing down in the center of the burger. If it is soft and a little bit of squishiness to it, it is still leaning toward the rare side. If the center is firm, it is medium well to well done.

    Related Recipes

    • Grilled Kobe Beef Cheeseburger Kebabs {20 Minutes}
    • Smoked Chili
    • Grilled Sweet Onions {30 Minutes}
    • Smoky Grilled Meatloaf {45-60 Minutes}

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    smoked burgers on a tray with mustard, lettuce, cheese and the buns.

    Smoked Hamburgers

    Get ready for the most mouthwateringly delicious burgers you've ever had. These are a huge hit at cookouts as they carry the old fashioned smoky flavor. Make sure to have the potato salad on stand by!
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Smoking Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 515kcal
    Author: Jason

    Equipment

    • Smoker
    • Wood Chips
    • Knife
    • Food Processor optional for sauce

    Ingredients

    Smoked Hamburgers

    • 1 lb Ground Chuck 80% lean
    • ¼ cup Onion chopped
    • Salt and Pepper to taste

    Chipotle Mayo (optional)

    • ½ cup Mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup Sour Cream
    • 2 Chipotles in Adobe in can
    • 3 tbsp Cilantro
    • Salt and Pepper dash

    Instructions

    Smoked Hamburgers

    • Set smoker up for indirect heat at 250°.
    • Divide one pound of ground chuck into four sections and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Form four round burgers and press your thumb into the center of each burger to allow them to cook even and flat.
    • Smoke burgers until internal temperature reaches 135°, which should take less than an hour.

    Chipotle Mayo (optional)

    • Combine all of the ingredients into a small food processor and ouse a few times. Pour into container for serving.
    • Store in the refrigerator for up to one week in a sealed container.

    Notes

    Smoking Time: Smoke at 250° until internal temp reaches 135° which should take a bit less than an hour – depends on the thickness. 
    Beef Choice: Make sure to choose a fatty cut of ground chuck. When you snag a tasty 80/20 pack of beef, you know you will have the best tasting burgers at your cookout.
    Don’t Over Handle the Beef: Too much rolling, pushing and handling will make it tough. Divide into quarters and quickly make the patty.
    Thumb Press: Push your thumb into the center of the burger to help is stay flat and keep its shape.
    Remove Burger Early: Always remember to remove your meat 5 degrees LESS than your desired doneness.
    Allow to Rest: Always allow the burgers to rest, just like we do for steaks and chicken, for several minutes so the juices set up inside the burger and not run out.
    Cheese: Add cheese or other toppings at the very end. The cheese will melt as the burger is so hot.
    Internal Temperature: Use a temperature gauge to check the internal temperature of the beef before removing from the grill. USDA suggests ground beef be cooked to 160 degrees which is when e coli is killed. Whether you use a wireless version or an old fashioned meat thermometer, always test the meat before serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 503IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenlaughter or tag #kitchenlaughter!
    Smoked Hamburgers {1 hour}Smoked Hamburgers {1 hour}
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