These Smoked Burgers are juicy, packed with smoky flavor, and incredibly easy to make. Whether you're using a pellet grill, an electric smoker, or a charcoal setup, this guide will walk you through how to smoke burgers that are anything but ordinary.
Smoked burger patties are a great way to add deep flavor without a lot of effort. Once you try them, you may never go back to grilling! Try smoking ribs next!
Smoked Burgers Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Main Dish
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 1:40 but only about 15-20 minutes of active cooking time.
- 🍴 Servings: 8
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Smoky, savory, and juicy with endless seasoning options-from classic salt and pepper to bold BBQ rubs or spicy blends.
- 🥔 Best Served With: Crispy fries, jalapeno coleslaw, sausage baked beans, or mac and cheese-plus all your favorite burger toppings.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes! Form the patties up to 24 hours in advance and store them covered in the fridge. Smoke just before serving for the best texture and flavor.
From Our Kitchen to Yours
For years, I believed juicy burgers could only come from two places: a hot skillet on the stove or a blazing backyard grill. But once I discovered smoked burgers, everything changed. The smoky flavor, the tenderness, the way the meat absorbs just the right amount of wood aroma-it's a whole new level of burger bliss.
Like our smoked flank steak, smoking burgers is a great way to add deep flavor without a lot of effort. Once you try them, you may never go back to grilling!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: The best mix for burgers is 80/20 ground beef. They cook up nice and juicy and have plenty of flavor. Avoid leaner cuts of ground meat, which may dry out a bit during smoking.
- Wood Chips or Pellets for Smoking: You can smoke burgers using hickory (bacon-ish aroma), apple, pecan, mesquite (steak-ish aroma), maple, cherry, or oak chips or pellets. They each lend a slightly different flavor to the burgers. If you're new to smoking, a hickory and mesquite make a good start because they are often the most readily available.
- Buns and Toppings: Choose your favorites. The sky is the limit!
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Smoked Hamburger Variations
- Different Meats: Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or any mixture of ground meat.
- Smoky BBQ Rub: Mix together some paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, and garlic powder. Generously sprinkle the homemade beef rub on the outside of each patty before smoking.
- Spicy Kick: Add a pinch (or more) cayenne pepper, chipotle powder, or smoked paprika to the ground beef.
- Smoked Toppings: Try smoking bacon or coating it in maple syrup and brown sugar before smoking to make candied bacon. You'll think you died and went to heaven!! You can smoke onions and vegetables too! Slice some peppers, onions, or jalapenos, toss with olive oil, and place in a pan. Smoke for 30-40 minutes.
- Smoked Cheeseburgers: Add slices of your favorite cheese during the last 10 minutes of smoking.
- Stuffed Burgers: Simply form thin patties, spoon in sautéed veggies or shredded cheese on half of them, then top with another patty and seal the edges. Season both sides and smoke as usual. You'll end up with juicy, flavor-packed burgers that surprise with every bite.
- Glazed Burgers: Brush barbecue sauce all over the top, bottom, and sides of your hamburgers in the last 15 minutes of smoking.
How to Smoke Burgers
To get started making smoked burgers, prepare your smoker by adding wood chips or pellets and water. Preheat the smoker to 225°F and open the top vent. While it's heating you can mix together the burgers.
Step 1: Divide the meat. Separate the beef into softball-sized sections of meat and gently shape it into a ball.
Step 2: Shape. Use a burger press or your hands to shape the burgers into patties. Season both sides of the burgers with salt and pepper, or your custom seasoning blend.
Step 3: Smoke. Place the burger patties in the smoker with space between the patties to allow for even heat and better smoke circulation. Smoke at 225°F for 60-90 minutes.
Step 4: Flip. Once the burgers reach the desired doneness/temperature, flip the burger. If you're adding cheese add it now. Sear the uncooked side for only a minute or two, long enough to sear it.
Step 5: Assemble and enjoy. Remove the smoked burgers and serve up on a bun with all your favorite toppings. For extra flavor, spread the bun with spicy mayo or copycat Big Mac sauce.
How Long to Smoke Burgers at 225°F?
Smoking burgers low and slow at 225°F allows the smoky flavor to build while keeping the patties juicy. How long it takes depends on how well-done you want them. Use the internal temperature guide below to target your ideal smoked beef burgers doneness:
| Doneness | Internal Temperature | Description | Estimated Time |
| Rare | 125°F | Very red center, very soft | 60 minutes |
| Medium Rare | 135°F | Warm red center, soft | 65 minutes |
| Medium | 145°F | Pink center, slightly firm | 70 minutes |
| Medium Well | 150°F | Slightly pink center, firm | 75 minutes |
| Well | 160°F | No pink, very firm | 90 minutes |
🌡️ Always use a meat thermometer for the most accurate results. For food safety, the USDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F.
Recipe Tips
- Preheat your smoker. You want it at a consistent 225°F before adding patties to ensure steady smoke and heat.
- Shape patties evenly. You want them about ¾ inch thick and be sure to press a thumbprint in the center to help them cook evenly without puffing.
- Avoid overworking the meat. Mix and shape gently to keep the texture tender.
- Avoid pressing the burgers while they cook. This squeezes out flavorful juices.
- Use a meat thermometer. This is the best way to track doneness precisely and avoid guessing. You won't be able to use visual clues to check because smoking causes a chemical reaction in the meat making it appear pink.
- Let burgers rest for 5 minutes after smoking to lock in juices.
If you enjoy smoking meat, try smoked pork tacos and these smoked meatballs next!
Serving Suggestions
Pair smoked burgers with classic sides like some air fryer steak fries or air fried frozen sweet potato. While jalapeno mac and cheese is always a creamy, comforting crowd favorite.
For a summer cookout sip on a tequila berry cocktail and enjoy some buffalo snack mix while the burgers are smoking.
Smoked Burgers Recipe FAQs
You can store leftover smoked burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or freeze them for up to three months.
For the best results, reheat in your oven at 325°F for about 10-15 minutes or a little longer depending on the size of your hamburgers. You can also reheat them in the microwave.
While smoking burgers, you do not need to flip them. Once the burgers are nearly cooked to the desired doneness, flip the smoked burgers once, just to sear them and crisp up the other side.
The pink hue can be from the smoke ring-not undercooking. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the doneness of your smoked burgers.
Use 80/20 beef, don't overcook, and avoid pressing juices out during smoking. Letting patties rest 5 minutes after cooking helps too.
If you love burger recipes like this but want to think outside the box, try these burger bowls. Serve with a creamy burger bowl sauce and you're in for a treat.
How to Make Smoked Burgers Video
Easy Smoked Hamburger Patties
Equipment
- smoker or pellet grill
- burger press
- grill spatula
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ground beef ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork or ground lamb
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 8 Burger Buns
Optional Burger Toppings
For Smoking
- Water
- Wood chunks or chips pre-soaked, or pellets (whichever your smoker uses)
Instructions
- To make the burger patties, take a soft ball sized section of meat and gently shape it into a ball.
- Using a burger press or your hands, shape the burger and place on a plate.
- Once all the burgers have been shaped, season with salt and pepper and both sides.
- Cook the burgers in the smoker at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 60-90 minutes
- Depending on what doneness you prefer, see chart in notes but use your thermometer to check for doneness.
- Once the burgers have reached temperature, flip the burger to sear the other side quickly (only leave on for a minute or two before removing and add cheese after you flip, if desired).
- Remove hamburgers to a serving plate
- Serve with all your favorite toppings! and enjoy!
Notes
- Preheat your smoker to a steady 225°F before adding the patties for even heat and consistent smoke.
- Shape patties evenly about ¾-inch thick. Press a thumbprint in the center of each to prevent puffing as they cook.
- Handle the meat gently when forming patties-overmixing can make burgers tough.
- Don't press the burgers while smoking, as this squeezes out flavorful juices.
- Use a meat thermometer 🌡️ to check doneness. Smoking can leave burgers pink even when fully cooked due to a natural chemical reaction.
- Let burgers rest for 5 minutes after smoking to seal in juices before serving.
gray says
Thank you for sharing! We loved it. Everyone. These are the best smoked hamburgers we’ve ever tried. So good ❤️
Karin and Ken says
I’m so glad you love these burgers as much as we do! We can’t get enough of them. Thank you for letting me know. You made my day! All the best. Karin