If you’re like me, summer means BBQs.
Whether it be at your backyard or on the beach, these meals can bring together all kinds of people from friends to family members.
Now that we have our food ready, let’s talk about how to cook a BBQ burger!
What Are The Ingredients In A BBQ Burger?
There are many different types of barbecue burgers available out there, but they usually fall into three categories: beef, chicken, and vegetable-based.
However, what makes a good BBQ burger recipe varies depending on who you ask.
If you want something simple that will satisfy everyone, then this is the one for you.
- 1 pound ground chuck (or 80/20)
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- ⅛teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 slices American cheese
- 5 hamburger buns
- BBQ sauce
- Coleslaw mix
- Pickle spears
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cooking spray
- Bun warmer
The only thing I changed was using chicken breast instead of ground chuck because I wanted more protein.
But if you prefer beef over chicken, feel free to use whatever meat you choose.
How Do You Make A BBQ Burger?
It sounds simple enough but there’s actually quite a bit involved when making this type of dish.
- Prepare the meat (grilled) — You will need to season your ground beef well so that it doesn’t dry out while cooking.
- Make the slaw — Slaws are great for adding texture and freshness into any sandwich.
- But what if I told you they could also double as a side dish? It won’t just be good for dunking either.
- The addition of cabbage adds another layer of flavor to the sandwich.
- Add the toppings — We want some sweet pickles too, which also add extra flavor.
A quick note before we get started
This article assumes that you already know how to grill an entire steak.
If not, there are plenty of resources online, both video-based and written, that explain exactly what to do.
What Is The Best BBQ Burger Recipe?
The answer may surprise you…
- BBQ sauce (optional)
- Pickle slices (optional)
- Coleslaw (optional)
- Pretzel rolls (optional)
- Sliced onions (optional)
For this recipe, I chose to use pretzel rolls for my sandwich because they hold up well in terms of temperature and taste great when hot off the grill.
They also provide an extra layer of texture, which makes them ideal for holding on to excess grease and moisture while cooking.
If you don’t want to buy rolls, you could always use buns instead.
However, if you choose to go this route, you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛teaspoon garlic salt
- ⅛teaspoon paprika
- ⅛teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 4-6 small pretzels
- Optional ingredients: BBQ sauce, sliced pickles, cole slaw
Equipment Needed
- Towel/Paper towels
- Medium skillet
- Large pot
- Bowl
- Deep fryer basket
- Grill pan
- Cooking thermometer
What Is The Difference Between A BBQ Burger And A Regular Burger?
A barbecue burger is one of those foods that has been around forever but somehow never really caught on until now.
It’s basically just a traditional hamburger with grilled meat on top instead of bread.
There isn’t much in the way of ingredients either as they rely heavily on fresh vegetables and other simple additions.
You will find that most barbecue burgers use ground beef instead of whole pieces.
The reason why this is done is because it allows for more control over cooking time.
If the burger was made using larger chunks of meat, there wouldn’t be enough surface area to get that grill taste without overcooking it.
By grinding up the meat into smaller particles you give yourself more options when making sure that the burger cooks evenly throughout.
Another thing that makes barbecue burgers different than normal burgers is that they don’t usually come with any sort of bun.
Instead, they often include lettuce leaves or even tomatoes depending on what kind of burger you want to make.
Many restaurants also offer sides such as potato salad or macaroni salad which go great alongside an order of barbecue burgers.
What Are Some Toppings For A BBQ Burger?
There are many different ways to top a burger when grilling.
Some will want just lettuce and tomato while others may want more.
Here are some suggestions for topping options:
- Cheese – There are so many cheeses out there! Try mozzarella sticks, sharp cheddar cheese slices, shredded Monterey Jack, cottage cheese, cream cheese, etc.
- Make sure they don’t melt too much before placing them on top of the patty.
- Lettuce – A good way to keep things clean, but also prevent cross contamination.
- You could always use iceberg lettuce if you prefer.
- Tomatoes – If you want to save time by prepping tomatoes ahead of time, then go for it.
- Otherwise, slice up some fresh ones while cooking.
- Pickle chips/pickled vegetables – Pickles tend to be high in sodium, which is why I would suggest using pickle chips instead.
- They come prepared and cut into bite sized pieces, making them easy to eat and less messy than slicing up your own veggies.
- Sautéed onions and peppers – Add sautéed onions and peppers to give this burger an extra kick.
- Coleslaw – Coleslaw is usually made with cabbage, so you can try adding sliced red cabbage, green cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, or any other type of vegetable you like.
- Diced avocado – Avocados are rich in healthy fats, vitamins, fiber, and potassium.
- The only downside is that avocados can get expensive.
- But if you buy organic, you should be able to find one ripe enough to enjoy without having to break the bank.
- Ketchup / hot sauce / mustard / relish – Ketchup, hot sauce, mustard, and even relish can add a lot of flavor to a burger.
- Just make sure not to put too much heat on top of the meat because you will end up burning yourself.
How Do You Grill A BBQ Burger?
Grilling a BBQ burger is simple enough in theory, but there are several different ways to go about this task.
The first thing you want to do is choose what kind of meat you would like for your burger.
There are so many options out there, including beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, and even fish! I personally love ground up chuck (also known as hamburger) because it has great texture and taste.
Next, you need to decide whether or not you will use fresh vegetables.
If you want to make sure that your barbecue burger is healthy, then you should definitely consider using fresh veggies instead of pre-cut ones.
However, if you prefer frozen veggies, they work just fine too.
You also need to decide on whether or not you intend on making your own buns.
It’s always nice if you can get creative when cooking a burger, especially since homemade ingredients tend to be more flavorful than store bought ones.
If you don’t feel confident about making them yourself, however, then you should opt for store bought buns.
Finally, you need to determine whether or not you will put cheese on top.
Cheese adds additional flavor, which makes sense considering that it’s usually melted onto your sandwich anyway.
What Is The Best BBQ Sauce For A BBQ Burger?
The key ingredient in any BBQ burger recipe is good barbecue sauce.
But which one should I use?
Let’s take a look at some popular options.
Ketchup & Mayo – Ketchup + mayo = classic.
It’s simple but effective.
Plus, if you want to make this into a full-on sandwich then you need something else to hold it together.
Barbecue Sauce – If you’d prefer to go with a more complex option, try using barbecue sauce as the main component of your burger.
Just remember not to overdo it!
You don’t want to end up with a sweet glaze instead of a savory sauce.
Mustard Based Sauces – Mustards tend to be pretty spicy so they work well in meaty sandwiches.
However, many mustards also contain sugar or corn syrup, so keep an eye out for those ingredients too.
Honey based sauces – Honey is natural sweetener that works wonders when used in cooking.
Try adding honey to chicken recipes for even better results.
Sweet/Spicy Barbecue Salsa – A great choice for someone who wants their BBQ sauce to taste extra flavorful without being too intense.
The salsa adds just enough spice to balance out the sweetness of the honey.
So there you have it!
Now you know what to buy and where to find them.
With these tips under your belt, you can start working on your next BBQ burger!
What Are Some Side Dishes For A BBQ Burger?
BBQ Burgers are great because they don’t require much in terms of cooking time.
You just need to grill them up until they get nice and golden brown.
The secret behind this type of grilling is using indirect heat (which is a fancy way of saying “low-and-slow”).
Using indirect heat allows you to cook your meat slowly without burning it.
It also helps prevent flare ups which could ruin your day by causing smoke damage to your house.
The only things you really need as a side dish are something salty (like potato chips) and something sweet (like cookies or cake).
However, if you want to make your meal even more delicious, try adding other ingredients such as lettuce, tomatoes, onion rings, and cheese slices.
You may also consider serving drinks such as soda water, lemonade, or beer.
But remember, alcohol will burn easily so keep an eye out for any signs of fire.
How Do You Know When A BBQ Burger Is Done?
The most important thing to look out for while grilling your burgers is doneness.
There are two things you need to keep in mind here: temperature and time.
You want to make sure both things are right before you put the burgers on the grill.
If you don’t follow this step correctly, then you may end up with undercooked (or burned) meat.
So what does “underdone” mean?
Well, if the inside has not reached 160 degrees Farenheit (71 C), then it’s still raw.
However, if the burger reaches 145 degrees Farenheit (63 C), then it’s safe to eat.
When cooking burgers, you will also notice that they tend to get darker as they cook.
The color changes due to the Maillard reaction which creates browning flavors.
So once again, you should look out for darkening.
Once you see this happening, remove them from the heat source so they finish cooking through without burning.
So now that we know when to check the doneness, let’s move onto how to tell if a burger is cooked through.
To figure this out, take one of the burgers and place it on top of a piece of paper towel.
Press down firmly, but gently enough so that it doesn’t tear the paper towel.
After pressing down, you should feel the juices start to seep out into the paper towel.
This means the burger is fully cooked through.
Remove it from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before cutting it open.
If there is no juice running out after the first minute, then you might want to leave the burgers longer until you reach this point.
Another way to tell if a burger is fully cooked through is by using an instant read thermometer.
Insert the probe into the center of the burger, press lightly, and wait three seconds.
Look at the display on the front of the probe and compare it against the instructions listed below.
- Rare – 120°F – 125°F
- Medium Rare – 130°F – 135°F
- Well Done – 140°F – 150°F
Tips for cooking a BBQ burger
There are many different ways to prepare a BBQ burger.
For example, I prefer to use whole wheat buns instead of regular white bread because it adds more fiber, nutrients, and vitamins.
Additionally, I always buy grass-fed beef because it’s better for my body than conventional beef.
You can go ahead and buy pre-made beef patties, though.
Just remember that those patties generally contain fillers such as soy protein or corn starch.
They will taste good, but they won’t give you the same texture as homemade ones.
Also, try to avoid ground chuck since it tends to be very fatty and lacks moisture.
Ground sirloin steak works great too, especially if you marinate it beforehand.
In terms of seasonings, I recommend adding garlic powder and onion powder to enhance the smoky barbecue flavor.
Try adding black pepper, salt, and paprika to spice it up further.
And lastly, if you choose to serve it on lettuce leaves, then sprinkle it with shredded cheese just before serving.
Can You Freeze A BBQ Burger?
I don’t recommend freezing BBQ burgers for two reasons: First, they become mushy.
Second, the flavors will not retain as well in frozen form.
If you want to make some extra BBQ burgers, I would suggest making them fresh and saving them for later.
You may also find that your meat starts to dry out after being frozen, so use this time to season if necessary.
You could even put the leftover meat into a sandwich wrap and pop it in the freezer until your next BBQ session.
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Grill
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup onion
- 1 eggs
- 1 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a big bowl.
- Start the grill.
- Using the yummys! High-end Burger 4 precisely shaped burger patties are formed by pressing.
- The patties should be cooked for 12–14 minutes, rotating once. Burgers should not be pressed down on as this will result in a dryer burger.
- Brush a little extra barbeque sauce on the tops of the burgers just before you finish grilling them.
- Remove from grill, then top with your prefered toppings and serve on buns!
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.