Juicy smoked burgers are as easy to prepare as grilling or pan-frying patties. An optional reverse-searing method, which involves searing the meat after smoking it, adds an extra crispy exterior.

Smoked Burgers Recipe: How to Smoke Hamburgers

A smoked burger is a ground beef patty cooked using indirect heat and smoke. Seasoning the meat with a simple blend of salt, pepper, and garlic allows the flavor of the woodsmoke to shine. Add more flavor by serving your favorite condiments, cheeses, and burger toppings alongside the smoked hamburger patties. 

Serve your juicy burgers with veggie side dishes like potato salad, grilled corn, or [smoked asparagus](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/smoked-asparagus-recipe) for an easy summer cookout. 

Smoking is an easy way to infuse ground meat with big flavor. Here are the basic steps for smoking burgers at home.

1. __Prepare your smoker__. Heat the smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit using the wood chips or pellets recommended by the manufacturer.
2. __Form the patties__. Portion the beef and shape it into round patties. 
3. __Season the patties__. Season the ground meat generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder or your favorite seasonings.
4. __Smoke the burgers__. Transfer the patties to the smoker and cook to your liking, or about 15 degrees less than the desired doneness if using the reverse-sear method.
5. __Reverse-sear the burgers__. Heat the smoker fitted with a sear plate, or a gas or pellet grill to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, then crisp the patties up on each side and serve them alongside your favorite toppings and burger buns.
Here’s how to make a juicy burger with a balanced smoke flavor. 

1. __Use 80/20 ground beef__. Ground meat gets sold by the ratio of fat to muscle, typically 75–93 percent muscle and 7–25 percent fat. An 80-percent-muscle-to-20-percent-fat blend has the ideal amount of fat for smoked burgers, as leaner mixtures dry out during the smoking process. Ground chuck or brisket are great options if you can find them, but any ground beef with this fat content will work well for burgers. 
2. __Try hickory wood__. Smoking experts have preferred specific types of wood for different cuts and meat preparations. Hickory provides just the right amount of BBQ flavor without overpowering the flavor of the beef. If you can’t find hickory, [mesquite wood](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bbq-101-how-to-smoke-meat-with-mesquite-wood) is a comparable option. Learn more about selecting [wood for smoking](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bbq-101-what-is-hickory-wood).
3. __Use a meat thermometer__. To track the internal temperature of the burgers, use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the burger. Cooking time and temperature will vary from smoker to smoker, so a thermometer is the most accurate measure of doneness. Well-done burgers will register at 160 degrees Fahrenheit, while medium-rare burgers will register at 130 degrees. Learn [how to use a meat thermometer](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-a-meat-thermometer-to-cook-food-properly) properly.
4. __Finish with a reverse-sear__. Smoking is a low-and-slow technique that cooks food and adds flavor, but it doesn’t create crispy edges or a charred exterior. Searing the burgers afterward ensures a juicy interior and a crisp, browned exterior for the ultimate combination of smoky and caramelized flavors. Remove the burgers from the smoker when they reach a temperature slightly below the desired final temperature, and finish the cooking process on a cast-iron skillet, grill, or sear plates in your smoker.
Juicy smoked burgers are as easy to prepare as grilling or pan-frying patties. An optional reverse-searing method, which involves searing the meat after smoking it, adds an extra crispy exterior.

A smoked burger is a ground beef patty cooked using indirect heat and smoke. Seasoning the meat with a simple blend of salt, pepper, and garlic allows the flavor of the woodsmoke to shine. Add more flavor by serving your favorite condiments, cheeses, and burger toppings alongside the smoked hamburger patties. Serve your juicy burgers with veggie side dishes like potato salad, grilled corn, or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/smoked-asparagus-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/smoked-asparagus-recipe","linkCopy":"smoked asparagus","category":null}'>smoked asparagus</a> for an easy summer cookout.

What Is a Smoked Burger?

Smoking is an easy way to infuse ground meat with big flavor. Here are the basic steps for smoking burgers at home.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Prepare your smoker. Heat the smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit using the wood chips or pellets recommended by the manufacturer. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Form the patties. Portion the beef and shape it into round patties. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Season the patties. Season the ground meat generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder or your favorite seasonings. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Smoke the burgers. Transfer the patties to the smoker and cook to your liking, or about 15 degrees less than the desired doneness if using the reverse-sear method. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Reverse-sear the burgers. Heat the smoker fitted with a sear plate, or a gas or pellet grill to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, then crisp the patties up on each side and serve them alongside your favorite toppings and burger buns. </li></ol>

How to Smoke Burgers

Here’s how to make a juicy burger with a balanced smoke flavor. <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Use 80/20 ground beef. Ground meat gets sold by the ratio of fat to muscle, typically 75–93 percent muscle and 7–25 percent fat. An 80-percent-muscle-to-20-percent-fat blend has the ideal amount of fat for smoked burgers, as leaner mixtures dry out during the smoking process. Ground chuck or brisket are great options if you can find them, but any ground beef with this fat content will work well for burgers. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Try hickory wood. Smoking experts have preferred specific types of wood for different cuts and meat preparations. Hickory provides just the right amount of BBQ flavor without overpowering the flavor of the beef. If you can’t find hickory, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bbq-101-how-to-smoke-meat-with-mesquite-wood' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bbq-101-how-to-smoke-meat-with-mesquite-wood","linkCopy":"mesquite wood","category":null}'>mesquite wood</a> is a comparable option. Learn more about selecting <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bbq-101-what-is-hickory-wood' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bbq-101-what-is-hickory-wood","linkCopy":"wood for smoking","category":null}'>wood for smoking</a>. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Use a meat thermometer. To track the internal temperature of the burgers, use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the burger. Cooking time and temperature will vary from smoker to smoker, so a thermometer is the most accurate measure of doneness. Well-done burgers will register at 160 degrees Fahrenheit, while medium-rare burgers will register at 130 degrees. Learn <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-a-meat-thermometer-to-cook-food-properly' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-a-meat-thermometer-to-cook-food-properly","linkCopy":"how to use a meat thermometer","category":null}'>how to use a meat thermometer</a> properly. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Finish with a reverse-sear. Smoking is a low-and-slow technique that cooks food and adds flavor, but it doesn’t create crispy edges or a charred exterior. Searing the burgers afterward ensures a juicy interior and a crisp, browned exterior for the ultimate combination of smoky and caramelized flavors. Remove the burgers from the smoker when they reach a temperature slightly below the desired final temperature, and finish the cooking process on a cast-iron skillet, grill, or sear plates in your smoker. </li></ol>

4 Tips for Making Smoked Burgers

Easy Smoked Burgers Recipe

Juicy smoked burgers are as easy to prepare as grilling or pan-frying patties. An optional reverse-searing method, which involves searing the meat after smoking it, adds an extra crispy exterior.

Juicy smoked burgers are as easy to prepare as grilling or pan-frying patties. An optional reverse-searing method, which involves searing the meat after smoking it, adds an extra crispy exterior.
