Grilled Burger Recipe: Tips for the Best Burgers at Home

Pitmaster tips for a delicious grilled burger recipe. Learn how to achieve the juiciest patties every time.

What you’ll need

• Ground Beef: A lot of times I grind my own beef from leftover brisket trimmings. But when buying beef from the store, I always look for a blend that is 80% meat to 20% fat or 70/30, if I want even more fat and flavor. Ground chuck is a great option, but keep an eye out for fun blends including different beef cuts.
• Seasoning: Use coarse seasoning like kosher salt and black pepper or Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub.
• Cheese Slices: American, cheddar and pepper jack are all solid options.
• Charcoal: I always cook with Cowboy Charcoal. I like briquets for burgers, but lump charcoal works too. It just burns a little hotter.
• Buns: Potato buns, sesame seed buns, brioche buns
• Toppings: pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup

See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.

How to make the best grilled burgers

You can technically grill burgers on any type of grill, including a gas grill or pellet grill. But to me, the best grilled burgers are the ones cooked over charcoal.

Set up your grill for two-zone cooking. Light Cowboy Charcoal Briquets using a charcoal chimney. Once the coals start to ash, dump them on one side of the grill and add your grill grates on top.

Add the lid to your grill, adjust the vents and let the grill temperature get to medium to medium-high heat (around 350-400F degrees)

Disclosure: I am a paid ambassador for Cowboy Charcoal.

Step 1: Form your burger patties

You don’t need a large bowl for this. Instead, just remove the plastic wrap from your ground beef and divide the pound of meat in half.

We’re making 1/2-pound burgers here. No thin patties. Save that for the smash burgers.

Using your hands, shape the meat into two thick patties. The size should be about an inch larger than the buns you’re using. Place them on a pan or plate.

Use your thumb to press a dimple into the center of each patty. This will help prevent it from ballooning up.

Pro Tip: Don't overwork the meat. You don't want the beef fat to melt in your hands. You want it to stay cold, so it adds juiciness and flavor to the patty.
If your patties have gotten too soft and warm, cover them with plastic wrap and throw them in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before grilling. 

Step 2: Season your burgers

We’re not going for meatloaf patties here, so don’t add seasoning inside the patty. Instead, generously coat the tops with salt and pepper or your favorite beef spices. I use a heavy coat of Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub.

Step 3: Grill the patties

Place your patties on the grill, seasoning side down, over the hot coals. Season the back side and add another dimple.

Add the lid to your grill to help reduce flareups. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip the patties and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Add slices of cheese, and finish cooking them to your desired internal temperature.

How to serve the best burgers

How you build these burgers is complete up to you. My hubby likes American cheese, mustard and pickles on a classic hamburger bun and that’s it.

I’m a fan of cheese, mayo, ketchup, lettuce, onions, pickles and tomatoes on a brioche bun.

Some people prefer animal style with lettuce and no bun.

Honestly, the perfect burger is the one you make yourself using your favorite buns, condiments and fixings.

How to make gourmet burgers

These thick, juicy grilled burgers make the best gourmet burgers because they can handle all the fun toppings.

For inspiration, I usually look at restaurant menus. Red Robin has a huge variety to get your creative juices flowing.

Then have fun adding BBQ sauce, burger sauce, different cheeses, bacon, pickled onions. Heck, I’ve even seen peanut butter on burgers.

Storage

Store leftover burger patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze cooked burgers for several months.

For quick dinners, buy ground beef in bulk. Then shape your patties and store them in the freezer before seasoning or cooking. When you’re ready for burgers, thaw them in the fridge, add the dimple, season and grill.