Quick Look at these Traeger Smoked Burgers
- Ready In: about 1 hour
- Serves: 3
- Main Ingredients: ground beef, spices, hamburger buns, & toppings
- Dietary Info: dairy-free & gluten-free
- Best For: backyard cookout, burger night, 4th of July, Father’s Day
- Why You’ll Love It: If you love traditional flame grilled burgers, you have to swap out the gas grill for an electric smoker! It is a longer cook time, but the low and slow heat allows the fat to slowly render resulting in the most juicy burger you have ever tasted PLUS it results in the most incredible smoky flavor!
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Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Ground Beef – use high-quality, fresh ground beef. I prefer 80/20, as it has the best flavor (because of the higher fat content), but feel free to use a leaner ground beef if you prefer.
- Seasoning – keep it simple with just a few spices or try my easy burger seasoning for even more flavor.
- Hamburger Buns – any variety work here – whole wheat, gluten-free, lettuce bun, etc.
What Does It Mean To Reverse Sear A Burger?
It means to sear AFTER (or close to) fully cooking meat. So, first, smoke the burgers at 225 degrees F to the desired internal temperature. Then give them a quick sear on high heat on the smoker or on a gas grill to give that nice char on the outside, while ensuring the inside is not over-cooked. It is called reverse-searing because typically on a gas grill meat is seared first and then moved to indirect heat to finish cooking – here we do the opposite.
How To Smoke Burgers
Step 1 – Mix up the ground beef and seasonings.
Step 2 – Form patties, put a thumb indent in the middle, and season with more salt & pepper.
Step 3 – Put patties directly on the grates of a preheated smoker.
Step 4 – Let them smoke to your desired internal temperature.
Smoking Burgers Pro Tips
Do NOT press down on the burgers with a spatula. This will squeeze out some of the juices that you want staying inside your burger!
Burgers taste best with a quick char on the outside (in my opinion), so bring the smoker to a high heat or a gas grill to give the burgers a quick sear before eating.
Burger Internal Temperature Chart
| Finish | Internal Temperature |
| Medium-Rare | 130-140 degrees F |
| Medium | 140-145 degrees F |
| Medium-Well Done | 145-155 degrees F |
Although it should be noted the USDA states that burgers are safe to eat when they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Step 5 – Option to sear or add cheese, then let them rest, and serve!
Best Ways To Serve Smoked Burgers
They can be served on your favorite hamburger buns with toppings, just like any other burgers! Some of our favorite toppings are lettuce, tomatoes, quick pickled red onions, pickles, and a generous drizzle of our house burger sauce!
Smoked Burgers FAQs
I would recommend ground beef, specifically high-quality 80/20, for the best flavor.
No, they are placed directly on the grill grates so the smoke & heat will circulate around them. When you do the sear at the end, you do need to flip them to get a nice char on both sides.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder, optional
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
Buns + Toppings:
- hamburger buns, regular, gluten-free or lettuce
- cheese slices, dairy-free or regular
- tomato slices
- red onion slices
- lettuce
- burger sauce, optional
Instructions
- Prep Smoker: Ensure your smoker is clean and preheat to 225℉.
- Prep Patties: Place 1 pound ground beef in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Mix to combine. Create 3 equal sized balls (you should end up with 3 patties that are approximately 5-6oz each and approximately ¾ inches thick). 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.
- Thumb Indent + Season: 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). Sprinkle patties with a little more salt and pepper.
- Smoke Burgers: Place patties on smoker for approximately 40-55 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 10-15 degrees below your desired internal temp (See temperature chart in Notes).
- Optional Reverse Sear: Remove the burgers. Turn smoker up all the way and then sear the burgers for 1-2 minutes per side or until you have reached your desired internal temperature – alternatively this can be done on a gas grill (which I actually prefer).
- Cheese: Place a piece of cheese on each burger after searing the first side.
- Let Rest: Remove from grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. This will help the juices redistribute and ensure they are juicy!
- Build Burgers: Build your burger using a bun, burger sauce, tomato, lettuce and/or onion!
Notes
- Internal Temps: Medium-Rare: 130 -140 degrees F; Medium: 140-145 degrees; Medium-Well: 145-155 degrees F.
- Reverse Sear: you don’t HAVE to reverse-sear them – you can simply continue smoking until they reach your desired internal temperature and then remove. If you are making a cheeseburger and you are not searing, place cheese on when you have about 10 minutes left of cook time.
- 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.
- Pellets/Wood Chips: I love hickory, mesquite or cherry wood chips for burgers.
- Internal Temp: use an internal meat thermometer or probe to keep close track of the internal temperature; this is the best way to know when the burger is done.
Bridget says
Delish – we will be making them all summer!
ELH says
These were SO good – don’t skip the sear at the end!