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    🏠Home » Recipes » Beef Recipes

    Grilled Smokehouse Burger

    Jun 15, 2014 · Modified: Apr 10, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 3 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.60 from 5 votes

    A smokehouse burger... just the name says thick, juicy, and smokey. An incredible smoked burger that is worthy of being served in a smokehouse, but now you can cook them on your home gas grill.

    Smokehouse Burger with a bite out of it

    Jump To:
    • 🐄The Beef
    • ♨️The Grill
    • FAQs for Smokehouse Burgers
    • Serving Grilled Smokehouse Burgers
    • 📖Burger Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    This is the type of burger you would expect when you walk into a smokehouse, pub, or brewery dining room. It is big, thick, and juicy, infused with great spicy taste and smoke to make a memorable meal.

    Start with a good burger. I usually use a ground chuck or sirloin. Mix with your favorite BBQ sauce. I used my favorite Gate's of Kansas City, but American Test Kitchen likes Bull's Eye.

    Spice with some salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. You can easily change this, but this is a very nice combo.

    Based on a 2008 Cook's Country recipe (subscription required), I did only a few changes for taste. As usual, American Test Kitchen recipes turn out great, but this one is also simple.

    My Rating

    My rating system. Great 5 out of 5

    A nice solid 5.

    🐄The Beef

    Start with a good burger. I usually use a ground chuck or sirloin. 80 to 85% fat will generally stay moist, but leaner will be drier.

    This is not the time for a substitute ground meat. While this would cook fine with ground turkey or chicken, they will tend to dry more on the surface due to the thickness of the patties.

    ♨️The Grill

    For burgers, you generally want the grill as hot as it will go. It can be gas or a charcoal grill.

    If your grill is super hot (like mine), you will need to leave a cooler area of the grill to move nearly done burgers to finish if the surface of the patty is getting done early.

    Smoking on a gas grill

    One of the main features of this recipe is smoking the burger. I like to use hickory, or other hardwoods are preferred.

    Many people like to soak wood chips. Most experts no longer do this, and I have stopped soaking, also.

    Many grills have an attached smoker box. You can also use a cast-iron smoking box or an aluminum pouch. You only need about 10 minutes of smoke—a more detailed discussion on smoking with a gas grill.

    FAQs for Smokehouse Burgers

    What is a smokehouse burger?

    Generally, it is a large thick, and juicy spiced-up burger with a smoky wood flavor.

    What meat to use?

    A good quality ground beef that is 80 to 85% lean. I prefer ground chuck or sirloin.

    Can I use liquid smoke?

    Yes. While real hardwood smoke is preferred, at home, you can get excellent results with good quality liquid smoke— it should only contain water and smoke. Use 1 teaspoon per pound of meat.

    What is the best grill temperature to use?

    As hot as it will go on either your gas or charcoal grill. You should keep one area of the grill at a lower heat to use to finish if needed when the outside is done, but you haven't reached the minimum safe internal temperature.

    What is the best final internal temperature?

    The minimum safe internal temperature to safely consume any ground meat is 165°.

    Serving Grilled Smokehouse Burgers

    A great burger deserves a great bun. Make sure the bun fits the burger and brown it a bit on the grill (turn it down first). Top with condiments of your choice along with bacon, cheese, and anything else you want.

    Serve with a potato of some type like French fries or potato salad, traditional picnic dishes like coleslaw or macaroni salad. And I do love onion rings.

    📖Burger Recipes

    How to Grill a Hamburger; A Beginner Tutorial

    Grilled Juicy Lucy Burger

    Healthy Low Fat Burgers

    Moist Grilled Chicken Burgers

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    101's Best Recipes, Beef Recipes, Grill Recipes
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    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    raw burger with wood chips and seasonings

    Preheat the grill to the maximum and leave a cooler area that may be needed near the end of cooking. Of course, clean and oil grates.

    Mixing spices in a small bowl

    Mix 1 teaspoon each of coarse salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix 2 pounds of a good burger (80-85%) with three tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce, one teaspoon of coarse salt, and one teaspoon pepper. Mix just enough to combine and distribute.

    wood chips in smoker box

    Get the smoke going on your grill. I have an attached smoker box. You can also use a cast-iron smoking box or an aluminum pouch. You only need about 10 minutes of smoke—a more detailed discussion on smoking with a gas grill.

    burgers formed with center dimple on black board

    Form the burger into 1 inch thick patties. That will be about 3 ½ to 4 inches in diameter—dimple the center 1 ½ inch by about ⅛ inch on each side.

    seasoning the raw burgers on a black board

    Give both sides a good sprinkle of the spice mixture.

    raw burgers on the grill with smoke starting

    Place over the hot side of the preheated grill. Grill each side for about 5 minutes until nicely brown.

    cooked burgers on grill grate

    Continue to grill until you reach 165°. The total time was about 12 minutes but will vary some by the thickness and your grill. If your burger is getting done on the outside before reaching 165°, move it to the cooler area of the grill until done.

    burger on a bun

    Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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    📝Recipe

    Smokehouse Burger with a bite out of it

    Grilled Smokehouse Burger

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    A smokehouse burger... just the name says thick, juicy, and smokey. An incredible smoked burger that is worthy of being served in a smokehouse, but now you can cook them on your home gas grill.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.60 from 5 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 27 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 4

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 2 pound hamburger - 80-85% lean
    • 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
    • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
    • 1 teaspoon pepper

    Seasoning

    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon pepper
    • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the grill to the maximum and leave a cooler area that may be needed near the end of cooking. Of course, clean and oil grates.
      clean and oil grill crates
    • Mix 1 teaspoon each of coarse salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix 2 pounds of a good burger (80-85%) with three tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce, one teaspoon of coarse salt, and one teaspoon pepper. Mix just enough to combine and distribute.
      Mixing spices in a small bowl
    • Get the smoke going on your grill. I have an attached smoker box. You can also use a cast-iron smoking box or an aluminum pouch. You only need about 10 minutes of smoke.
      smoking gas grill
    • Form the burger into 1 inch thick patties. That will be about 3 ½ to 4 inches in diameter—dimple the center 1 ½ inch by about ⅛ inch on each side.
      burgers formed with center dimple on black board
    • Give both sides a good sprinkle of the spice mixture. You don't need to use all of it, just to your taste.
      seasoning the raw burgers on a black board
    • Place over the hot side of the preheated grill. Grill each side for about 5 minutes until nicely brown.
      raw burgers on the grill with smoke starting
    • Continue to grill until you reach 165°. The total time was about 12 minutes but will vary some by the thickness and your grill. If your burger is getting done on the outside before reaching 165°, move it to the cooler area of the grill until done.
      cooked burgers on grill grate
    • Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
      burger on a bun
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. These are large burgers, about ½ pound and 1-inch thick.
    2. Use ground meat that is 80-85% lean.
    3. Be sure to dimple the center of the burger before cooking. This prevents it from puffing up and helps even out cooking.
    4. Use the BBQ sauce you like. And the wood chips you like (I like hickory.)
    5. If you can't smoke, you can mix in 1 teaspoon per pound of a good quality liquid smoke.
    6. You only need about 10 minutes of smoke. I no longer soak wood chips.
    7. Heat the grill to high. Be sure to leave an area of the grill cooler so if the outside is done, but the center is not, you can move the burgers there to finish.
    8. The minimum safe temperature for any ground meat is 165°. Be sure to check with a thermometer to keep your family and guests safe.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Grilled Smokehouse Burger
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 605 Calories from Fat 405
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 45g69%
    Saturated Fat 17g85%
    Cholesterol 161mg54%
    Sodium 288mg12%
    Potassium 652mg19%
    Carbohydrates 7g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 39g78%
    Vitamin A 29IU1%
    Calcium 45mg5%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editors Note: Originally Published June 15, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    1. Nancy

      May 30, 2022 at 7:15 pm

      5 stars
      very good

      Reply
    2. Chris

      June 22, 2014 at 4:59 pm

      Holy smokes, you rarely give out 5's so I know this must be one serious burger! I'll have to try it on our gasser.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        June 29, 2014 at 8:48 pm

        Yep serious... Since it is so thick, it needed different technique.
        Thanks for the note Chris.

        Note to readers: Check out Chris's blog Nibble Me This

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