These Smoked Hamburgers are juicy and simple to make for a crowd. What sets them apart is their rich, bold barbecue flavor. They're just as easy to make as grilling a burger, but after you have one bite, I guarantee you'll never cook a burger any other way again.
Whenever my daughter visits in the summertime, her first request is always these Smoked Hamburgers. They're just as easy to make as on the grill, but let me tell you, the smoker transforms the ground beef into a world of insane flavor.
You can easily customize the burger with all of your favorite toppings and sauces. I created a homemade sriracha sauce that's been a hit with our family time and time again! Serve these burgers on the smoker alongside Roasted Corn Salad or Loaded Baked Potato Salad.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy to prepare burgers for a crowd. Smoking the patties is, in my opinion, easier to cook for a crowd. No quick flipping, just set them on the smoker and cook until they reach the desired doneness.
- Better flavor than the grill. If you love that smoky, char-grill flavor, then these smoked burgers are perfect for you.
- Add your favorite toppings. Use any cheese, sauce, or toppings you or your family desires!
Ingredients
- Burger Patties - Buy ground beef (80/20 or 90/10) or pre-formed patties. Schweid & Sons is a personal favorite of mine and can be found at your local Publix.
- Bacon Slices - Omit if you desire. Buy the regular-cut bacon here.
- Special Sauce - Mayo, Sriracha, mustard, and butter are the ingredients you'll need.
- Buns - Whichever brand is your favorite will do.
- Sliced Cheese - I used cheddar, but pepper jack works beautifully as well!
- Kairos Seasoning - Or your favorite burger seasoning
- Toppings of your choice - Tomatoes, lettuce, onion, etc.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
How to make smoked hamburgers
- Step 1: Preheat Smoker to 250°F. Place bacon on the smoker (it will need to cook longer than hamburgers).
- Step 2: After bacon has been cooking for 15 minutes, season patties with Kairos or your favorite BBQ rub. Place hamburgers onto the smoker.
- Step 3: Once bacon is crispy, remove from the smoker, chop up, and set aside to cool.
- Step 4: Make sauce by combining melted butter, mustard, mayo, sriracha, bacon bits, and 1.5 teaspoon of BBQ rub.
- Step 5: Once hamburgers reach an internal temperature of 140°F, place cheese on top of them. Remove from the smoker once the cheese has melted.
- Step 6: Build Smoked Hamburger from the bottom up (bottom bun, sauce, burger, sauce, remaining toppings, and top bun).
expert tips
- The key to great smoked food is temperature! With the technology we have today-and the wide variety of meat thermometers available-there's no excuse for dry meat. We can easily monitor both the smoker temperature and the internal temperature of the meat (140ºF) to ensure a perfect cook every time.
- Cook the bacon first. It takes longer to cook than the burger patties, so you'll want to make sure it's done in time.
- Make the hamburger patties the same size. Whether you bought them pre-shaped or not, by making them the same shape and thickness, you don't risk overcooking since they will all be done at the same time.
- Don't overwork the ground beef mixture. If you are forming the patties by hand, mix just until combined, then shape and smoke.
Substitutions
- Try a different cheese: Don't have cheddar? Using a Monterey Jack or Colby-Jack cheese works great, too! I don't suggest using a creamy cheese like Gouda or mozzarella. They don't jive with this sauce too well.
- Additional topping ideas:
- Lettuce, tomato, onion
- Dill pickle chips
- Fried egg
- Pickled red onions or jalapeños
- Spicy coleslaw
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Shallots
Equipment
- Traeger Grills - This Timberline Series has me sold! Best smoker I have on the deck.
- Smoking Pecan Pellets - Purely pecans! With no blends, hardwoods, additives, or fillers.
- Meater - Meat thermometers that can handle the high temps and Bluetooth right to your phone for easy monitoring.
- Kairos Seasoning - For this recipe, I used a Texas-style rub, but be sure to check out their seasoning combos.
Storage
Refrigerate your Smoked Hamburgers for up to 3 days in an airtight container. It's best if they are reheated in an oven or an air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through.
The meat can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking or reheating the next day.
More From the Smoker
FAQs
Anywhere from 40 to 90 minutes, be sure to check the temperature frequently using a meat thermometer. This is the best way to know they are done cooking.
Don't over-mix the ground beef mixture, and don't flip the burgers too frequently; just one flip per side is perfect.
Season the meat well with salt and other spices if desired, and use a ground beef mixture that is 80/20 for more fat in the meat.
More Burger Recipes
Video
Recipe
Smoked Hamburgers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 6 oz Burger Patties
- 2 Hamburger Buns
- 3 teaspoon BBQ Seasoning
- 2 Slices Bacon
- 2 Slices Cheddar Cheese
- ½ Cup Mayo
- 2 tablespoon Sriracha
- 2 tablespoon Mustard
- 2 tablespoon Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat Smoker to 250°F. Place bacon on the smoker (it will need to cook longer than hamburgers). 2 Slices Bacon
- After bacon has been cooking for 15 minutes, season patties with Kairos or your favorite BBQ rub. Place hamburgers onto the smoker. 2 6 oz Burger Patties 3 teaspoon BBQ Seasoning
- Once bacon is crispy, remove it from the smoker, chop it up, and set it aside to cool.
- Make sauce by combining melted butter, mustard, mayo, sriracha, bacon bits, and 1.5 teaspoon of BBQ rub. 2 tablespoon Butter 2 tablespoon Mustard ½ Cup Mayo 2 tablespoon Sriracha
- Once hamburgers reach an internal temperature of 140°F, place cheese on top of them. Remove from the smoker once the cheese has melted. 2 Slices Cheddar Cheese
- Build the Smoked Hamburger from the bottom up (bottom bun, sauce, burger, sauce, remaining toppings, and top bun). 2 Hamburger Buns
Notes
- The key to great smoked food is temperature! With the technology we have today-and the wide variety of meat thermometers available-there's no excuse for dry meat. We can easily monitor both the smoker temperature and the internal temperature of the meat (140ºF) to ensure a perfect cook every time.
- Cook the bacon first. It takes longer to cook than the burger patties, so you'll want to make sure it's done in time.
- Make the hamburger patties the same size. Whether you bought them pre-shaped or not, by making them the same shape and thickness you don't risk overcooking since they will all be done at the same time.
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