Traeger Burgers – Recipe and Cooking Guide

Hey Smokers and welcome to my post where we will run through my Traeger Burgers recipe and cooking guide. As you may or may not know, this site is all about cooking on my Traeger Pro 22 Pellet Smoker and seeing where we can take things. And today, that is into the land of the smoked burger!

Now, cooking a burger is normally something that I leave to the good old traditional BBQ grill, however as I have my new pellet smoker, I thought I would give it a shot there instead. So let’s get into it all below:

Traeger Burgers: What You’ll Need

Ok, so below is what I used to cook me some burgers on the smoker:

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of ground beef (80/20 mix for best flavor and juiciness) – or pre made patties if you would prefer)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Your choice of burger seasonings (optional, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or a pre-made burger seasoning blend)
• Burger buns
• Your favorite burger toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese, etc.)
• Cooking oil (for the grill grates)

Tools

• Pellet grill
• Meat thermometer (only if you have really thin burger patties)
• Grill spatula

Check out my: Traeger Reverse Seared Steak Recipe and Cooking Guide

The Cooking Process

This is what I did and when:

1. Preheat Your Pellet Grill

• Start by preheating your pellet grill to a medium-high heat, around 255°F (107°C). This temperature is ideal for cooking burgers, allowing them to start to sear nicely on the outside while staying juicy on the inside.

2a. Prepare the Burger Patties (Home Made)

• In a large bowl, gently mix the ground beef with your chosen seasonings. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the burgers tough.
• Divide the mixture into equal portions (about 4 to 6, depending on your preferred patty size), and form each portion into a patty. Make sure the patties are about ¾ inch thick. Press a shallow indent in the center of each patty with your thumb to help them cook evenly and prevent puffing up in the middle.

2b. Prepare the Burger Patties (Store Bought)

• Place you patties on a cutting board and add any spices/rubs should you wish to do so.

I used butcher-made patties for my cook and added a little Texan seasoning on the top for a little flavor – this would not be necessary if the butcher had added to the mix – which he didn’t in this case.

3. Oil the Grill Grates

• Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent the burgers from sticking. You can do this by dipping a paper towel in cooking oil and using tongs to rub it over the grates.

4. Smoke the Burgers

• Place the patties on the grill and close the lid. Cook for about 30 – 45 minutes on one side.
• Flip the burgers carefully with a spatula and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes on the other side for medium-rare to medium doneness. If you prefer well-done burgers, extend the cooking time by a few minutes, checking frequently to avoid overcooking.

In my case, I cooked them for 30 minutes on each side and then turned up for sear. To be honest, they probably could have done with another 20 minutes or so before I raised the heat as they were a little rare at the end.

5. Sear the Burgers

This is the final sear on the burger (a bit like reverse seared steak) and can be done one of two ways:

1. Turn the temperature of the smoker up to high and then turn the patties a couple of times once it reached max temp.
2. Pre heat a traditional BBQ plate and sear the burgers off at the end.

If you’re adding cheese, place a slice on each patty during the last minute of cooking and close the lid to let it melt.

I chose option 1 and whilst I had some decent grill burn marks, the outside was still soft. So if you like you burger a little crispy on the outside, then use a BBQ plate to finish it off.

6. Rest and Serve

• Let the burgers rest for a few minutes on a plate to allow the juices to redistribute.
• Serve on buns with your favorite toppings and condiments.

Tips for Perfect Pellet Smoked Burgers

• Avoid pressing down on the burgers with a spatula while they’re cooking. This squeezes out the juices and can lead to drier burgers.
• Experiment with different types of wood pellets to find the flavor you like best. Hickory (Which I used, mesquite, and oak are great for a stronger smoke flavor, while apple and cherry offer a milder, sweeter touch.

At the end of the day, enjoy the process and the delicious results! Afterall, smoking burgers on a pellet smoker is meant to be a fun experience! And as always, I cooked my burgers on the Traeger Grills Pro 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker.

FAQs

Conclusion

So there you have it, my recipe and cooking guide cooking burgers on a Traeger. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.

Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.

Until next time

Have fun and get smoking!

Paul