How to Grill a Burger – Learn how to master grilling your classic burger so it turns out juicy, delicious and full of flavor every time! Find all the tips and tricks below!
How to Grill a Burger 101
It’s burger season!! We are BIG on grilling around here so I wanted to make sure we covered the basics, like how to grill the BEST, most perfect burger ever! We make burgers almost weekly (we love these Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburgers, Grilled Turkey Burgers and Chicken Caesar Burgers) during the summer so this is our tried and true grilled burger recipe! Don’t forget we have an amazing homemade burger sauce, burger seasoning AND if you don’t feel like grilling – we have an wonderful Burger Bowl recipe!
Looking for More Ways to Cook a Burger?
If you love burgers as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Blackstone Smash Burgers!
What You Will Need
- ground beef – highly recommend getting 80/20 ground beef from your local grocery store.
- kosher salt and ground black pepper – simple seasonings for adding the best flavor.
- optional – garlic powder and/or onion powder
- hamburger buns – option to use regular burger buns, gluten-free buns, or even a lettuce bun.
- toppings – add any of your favorite burger toppings!
How to Grill a Burger
The first steps are to put the burger ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Form into equal sized portions and then flatten into patties. Push down in the very center with your thumb to create a small dip.
Size + Seasoning
Size: We recommend 1/3 pound burgers (they fit perfectly on a burger bun) that are about 3/4 inch high.
Seasoning: The best seasoning for grilled burgers is simple: salt and pepper. You can add in some onion or garlic powder or use our burger seasoning, but just simple salt and pepper are my all-time favorite!
Once the grill is pre-heated and clean, place the burger patties over direct heat (450/500 degrees F) for 3 minutes per side for a medium rare center. Ensure lid is closed. If making a cheeseburger, move the burger to indirect heat and add cheese slices on top. Close grill until the cheese has melted (checking frequently so it doesn’t fall into the grill).
Let them rest for about 5-10 minutes.
Best Ways To Serve Grilled Burgers
A simple grilled burger is super versatile! Feel free to enjoy on any type of bun you love or just on its own. We love mixing up our toppings, but you can use: pickles, quick pickled red onions, mayo, burger sauce, ketchup, mustard, bacon, caramelized onions, bbq sauce, etc.
Storage & Freezer
To freeze leftover burgers, they should be frozen within 2 hours of cooking and can be frozen for up to 4 months. If you are refrigerating they will be fine for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- What’s the best type of ground beef for burgers? One of the ways to ensure you have a more juicy burger, is to NOT buy the leanest meat you can find. You want a little more fat to the burger patty. This is why most turkey burger or chicken burgers just aren’t that juicy – because they naturally have less fat in them. Highly recommend buying an 80/20 ground beef for burgers. Option to mix in some ground chuck, brisket and short rib.
- What temperature do you grill burgers? Grill your burger on High Heat (or around 450-500 degrees).
- How long do you grill burgers? For an approximately 3/4 inch thick burger that is around 5-6oz, you will grill it for about 6-7 minutes total (3-4 minutes per side) for a medium rare burger (or an internal temperature of 135-145 degrees F). Adjust cook time to your desired doneness. USDA states that burgers are safe to eat when they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Tips on Buying & Storing Ground Beef: We always grab the 80/20 ground beef – the highest quality possible! Keep it in the refrigerator (140 degrees F) for up to 2 days. If using frozen ground beef, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Ensure the packaging is cold when purchased and there aren’t rips or tears in the packaging.
- Best Cheese for Cheeseburgers: Here is a nice little round-up by Food and Wine of the 9 best cheeses for cheeseburgers!
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
Don’t forget to check out my Instagram and TikTok account for some behind-the-scenes action and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more delicious recipe tutorials! Or give me a follow on Facebook or see what I am pinning on Pinterest!
More Burger Recipes You Might Like
How to Grill a Burger
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 6 burgers 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Description
Follow this simple tutorial on How to Grill a Burger to master your skills, so it turns out juicy and delicious every time!
Ingredients
Burger:
- 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Toppings:
- hamburger buns (regular, gluten-free or lettuce)
- cheese slices (dairy-free or regular)
- tomato, sliced
- red onion, sliced
- lettuce
- burger pickles
- burger sauce
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the grill to a high heat (450-500 degrees F) and clean the grill grates. Then wipe them down with oil or spray with a nonstick grilling spray.
- Make Beef Mixture: Place the ground beef in a large bowl and add salt and pepper (and other seasonings, as desired). Mix to combine. Take the beef mixture and create 6 equal sized balls (you should end up with 6 patties that are approximately 5-6oz each and approximately 3/4 inches thick).
- Create Patties: Then use your hands to form patties (try not to overwork the meat). Try and make them a little bit bigger than your bun (if you are using one), as they will shrink a little as they cook. Use your thumb to create an indent in the very center of each patty (this will help ensure the burgers cook evenly without expanding too much in the middle).
- Season Lightly: Sprinkle patties with a little more salt and pepper.
- Cook on Direct Heat 6-7 Minutes Total: Place patties on direct heat (directly over flame) for 3-4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook on direct heat or until an internal meat thermometer reads between 135-145 degrees F (approx. another 3-4 mins). This will result in a medium-rare center. For Medium: cook 3 minutes on the first side and 5 minutes on the second side. For Medium-Well cook 3 minutes on the first side and seven minutes on the second side. For Well-Done cook for 4 minutes soon the first side and six minutes on the second side.
- Don’t Press Down: Do not press down on the burgers with your spatula. This will release juices that we want to keep in the burger.
- Cheeseburgers: If you are making cheeseburgers, move the burgers to indirect heat and place a slice of cheese on top. Close the lid to the grill and let the cheese melt for 1-2 minutes.
- Let Rest: Remove from grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. This will help ensure your burgers are nice and juicy!
- Serve: Enjoy immediately on your bun of choice with your favorite burger toppings!
Notes
- Egg: I know a lot of people use an egg in their burger mixtures – I just never have, but as always, feel free to add one in the mix, if you want to!
- Size: if you make a bigger/thicker burger you will need to adjust the cooking time!
- Paleo/Whole30: serve on a lettuce bun and choose compliant toppings.
- Storage: leftover burgers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Nutrition Info is for the burgers only, not a bun or toppings because they will vary.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 409.8 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.6 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 33.2 g
- Cholesterol: 90.4 mg
Terry Morrison says
Hi Erin…I’m not very good at computer cooking…do you have a cook book…?
Thanks !!!
Terry
Erin says
Hi Terry! I don’t currently, but definitely hope to one day!