Here’s the only recipe you’ll ever need for great grilled burgers made from scratch.
BBQ grilled burgers are loaded with savory, smoky flavors and come out juicy and tender with just a few prep tips.
Holly’s BBQ Burger Highlights
- Flavor: These burgers are bursting with juicy, smoky flavor, perfectly charred on the outside with a tender, savory center.
- Difficulty: Grilled burgers are a cinch to make and can be prepped ahead.
- Recommended tools: A meat thermometer is the best way to ensure proper doneness for all proteins, especially beef.
- Budget tip: Stock up when ground beef is on sale and freeze patties for quick meals.
- Serving suggestions: Keep the grill goodness going and make grilled carrots and grilled watermelon for dessert.
Grill-Ready Goodies
Beef: Look for an 80/20 blend of ground beef (aka lean ground beef), for the ideal ratio of meat to fat. Regular ground beef has too much fat that will create flame-ups while grilling and extra lean won’t be juicy enough.
Seasonings: Worcestershire sauce adds depth of flavor to the beef, but can be swapped out for coconut aminos or soy sauce. Choose any BBQ sauce you like, or dress up a bottle with a dash of teriyaki sauce, sriracha, or extra seasonings like cayenne, smoked paprika, or red pepper flakes.
BBQ Patty Possibilities: Zest up those patties even more by blending in some ground Italian sausage or chorizo.
How to Make Grilled Burgers
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Mix beef, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings in a large bowl (full recipe below).
- Shape beef mixture into patties and brush with BBQ sauce.
- Grill burgers to desired doneness, remove, and allow to rest.
Serve with buns and toppings.
Sear-iously Good Tips
- Lightly blend the meat with the seasonings in Step 2. Packing the patties will result in dense, tough burgers.
- When forming patties, press the back of a spoon into the center of the patty. This prevents the center from bulging up when it’s cooking.
- Get that grill nice and hot before cooking. When the heat comes in contact with the meat, it sears the outside, sealing in all those flavorful juices.
- Pull burgers off the grill at 160°F—they’ll hit 165°F as they rest. Resting keeps them juicy and full of flavor!
Cool It & Keep It
Burger patties can be assembled and frozen raw or cooked and cooled, then frozen. Place them between sheets of parchment paper and transfer them to zippered bags.
Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to one month. Reheat patties in the microwave or add leftovers to a macaroni soup.
Sides for Summer Grilling Season
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Great Grilled Burgers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce
For Serving
- 4 hamburger buns
- toppings as desired
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium or medium-high heat (375℉ to 425℉).
- In a large bowl combine ground beef, Worcestershire, garlic salt, and pepper, mixing until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Form into 4 patties about ½" thick. Brush patties with barbecue sauce.
- Grill patties for 3-4 minutes on each side or until beef reaches 160℉. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Always heat the grill before placing the patties on to achieve a crispy exterior and seal in the juices.
- Do not over-mix the ground beef so it does not become tough.
- Indent each patty with the back of the spoon to prevent bulging in the center.
- Burgers should reach 160˚F before removing from the grill. The temperature will continue to rise as they rest. Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
- It’s a good idea to place parchment paper between each patty before refrigerating or freezing (raw or cooked burgers)
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for 1 month.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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