How to Grill the Perfect Burgers
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Summer time is upon us and there is nothing like throwing some burgers on the grill. Learn all the steps and tips on How to Grill the Perfect Burgers. The results are always juicy and flavorful burgers perfect to serve at any summer barbecue or event.
How to Grill the Perfect Burgers
When it comes to making burgers we definitely like getting creative and trying all kinds of variations. Like my Homemade Turkey Burgers and my Buffalo Chicken Burgers. Can’t forget my Mahi Mahi Burgers as they are always a hit. However, sometimes we are just in the mood for a good old classic cheese burger.
Follow my steps and tips on How to Grill the Perfect Burgers. Get juicy and flavorful burgers every single time. Top with your go-to burger fixens or get creative with them. It’s always the perfect occasion to make some perfectly grilled burgers.
Ingredients needed to Grill the Perfect Burgers:
- Ground Beef– Don’t go too lean with your meat when making burgers. Go for ground beef that is 80/20 or 85/15 at the most.
- Spices and Herbs– Pink sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and dried oregano.
- Aromatics– Garlic and onion. These add so much flavor.
- Coconut Aminos– For that umami taste that will elevate the flavor of your burgers.
- Olive Oil– Will prevent your burgers from sticking to the grill.
- Cheese Slices– My go to cheese for a classic burger is cheddar cheese.
- Burger Buns– We love brioche buns. You can use any preferred burger buns.
Equipment needed to Grill the perfect Burgers:
- Grill– We use a standard gas grill to make our burgers. If you don’t have a grill, you can use a cast iron skillet with ridges or a griddle to make your burgers.
- Large Mixing Bowl– To mix your ground beef with spices, herbs and aromatics.
- Large Baking Sheet Pan– I like using a large baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper to lay my burgers on. I then wash it and use it to place my cooked burgers on it.
How to Grill the Perfect Burgers:
- Step 1– Start by lining a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Mince garlic and thinly dice onion. Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl and add in your minced garlic and diced onion. Add in the rest of spices and herbs; pink sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika., dried rosemary, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Drizzle in coconut aminos and olive oil.
- Step 2– Use your hands to mix ingredients in with ground beef. Mix well making sure everything is combined and all the ingredients are well incorporated into the beef. Work your beef to combine but careful not to overwork the meat.
- Step 3– Use your hands to scoop out a chunk of the ground beef and start shaping it into patties. Shape your ground beef into a patty that is about 4-4.5 inches wide and 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Place your burger on prepped baking sheet pan. Repeat this process until all the ground beef has been shaped into burgers. As long you shape your burgers into this wideness and thickness, you will end up with 6 burgers. Use the bottom of a glass or mason jar to make a dent in the middle of each burger patty.
- Step 4– Cover your burgers with Saran Wrap, parchment paper, paper towels or anything like that. Place burgers in the fridge for a good 20 minutes to an hour. When you are ready to grill the burgers, lightly grease the grill grates with a bit of oil and preheat your grill for 10 minutes.
- Step 5– Remove your burgers from the fridge and place them on preheated grill. Grill your burgers for 4-5 minutes (more or less time depending on how done you want your burgers. Check chart below for a guide on how long to grill your burgers for). Flip and grill for another 4-5 minutes. Place slices of cheese over each burger patty. Clean baking sheet pan or grab one that’s already clean and transfer grilled burgers to it.
- Step 6– Serve your burgers inside burger buns and top with your favorite burger fixens such as lettuce, onion, tomatoes, and pickles. Add your preferred condiments such as ketchup and mustard. Enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Use meat that is not too lean– You want some fat in your meat. This will make your burgers nice and juicy. Meat that is too lean will make for dryer burgers. I like to stick to 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef.
- Do not overwork your beef– As you mix your ground beef with the seasonings, you want to make sure everything is well incorporated. However, make sure not to overwork it. As you mix your meat, you want your fat and protein to remain combined. This will ensure your burgers hold-up together and keep their shape and form. This also makes for juicy and flavorful burgers. If you overwork your burger meat, it will cause the fat and protein to essentially “break”, causing the patties to crumble, lose flavor, and get dry and dense.
- Shape all your burger patties with the same width and thickness– Keeping your burgers the same size will ensure that they all grill evenly.
- Make your burger patties wider than your buns– As burgers grill they will start to cook down and shrink. Making them slightly wider than your buns will then make them the same size after they are cooked.
- Use the bottom of a glass to make a dent in your burgers– Burgers tend to plump up in the center as they cook. Making an indentation in the center of your burger will prevent it from plumping and shrinking too much. The burger patty will hold its form and shape.
- Chill your burgers for at least 20-30 minutes– I like chilling my burgers before grilling. As you shape your burgers with your hands, their natural body heat will warm up the meat even more. Chilling them after, will solidify and retain the fat from the meat and from the added oil. As the burgers grill, the fat will slowly dissolve and most of it will stay in the burgers making them nice and juicy.
- Clean your grill– You want to make sure your grill grates are clean and that there is no food residue. This can result in your burger patties not being cooked evenly. Use a grill brush to thoroughly clean the grates.
- Preheat your grill– You do not wan’t to skip this step. Preheating your grill will prevent the burgers from sticking to it. This will also allow for the burger patties to cook evenly.
- Do not press down on your burger patties– Pressing down on your burger patties as they grill will make them release all those juices. You don’t want that. You want all those juices inside of your patties to keep them nice and juicy!
- Flip your burgers only once– Flipping them more than once will start to dry out your burgers.
- Toast your buns– Toasty buns are so good and will elevate the overall flavor of your burgers. This also prevents your buns from getting soggy.
- Season your burgers with other herbs and aromatics– Use other herbs and aromatics such as green onions, shallots, cilantro, parsley, dill, etc.
- Substitute for olive oil– Avocado oil is a great substitute.
How to serve grilled burgers:
We love serving these grilled burgers with classic toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes and onions. But we also love to get creative with our toppings from time to time. Were love topping our burgers with avocado, sautéed mushrooms, pickled onions, bacon and more fun toppings. I love to use brioche buns but you can use any kind of buns you desire. Can’t forget your condiments, use ketchup, mustard or a good burger sauce. If you are going for a low-carb option, just serve these with some lettuce wraps.
More Fun Toppings:
- Pickles
- Bacon
- Pickled Red Onions
- Garlic Butter Sautéed Mushrooms
- Cilantro-Lime Jalapeño Ranch Dressing
- Barbecue Sauce
- Homemade Guacamole
What to serve grilled burgers with:
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Corn On the Cob
- Grilled Summer Veggies
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Home Fries
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Cucumber Herb Salad
How to Grill the Perfect Burgers FAQ’s:
What is the best grill temperature for burgers?
When grilling burgers is best to heat your grill on high heat. Which is about 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grilling your burgers on a high temperature cooks them quick allowing for all the juices to remain in the patties and not drying out.
How long to cook burgers on a gas grill?
How long to cook burgers on a gas grill depends on how done you want your burgers. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burgers. You will know they are done when they have reached the temperature of the level of doneness you desire. For a well-done burger you want a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Check out the chart below for a full guide of what internal temperature you want for each doneness and how long to cook your burgers for to reach each one.
| Level of Doneness: | Length of Cooking Time: | Internal Temperature: |
| Medium Rare | 2 1/2- 3 minutes per side | 135 degrees F. |
| Medium | 3 1/2- 4 minutes per side | 145 degreed F. |
| Medium Well | 4 1/2- 5 minutes per side | 155 degrees F. |
| Wel Done | 5 1/2- 6 minutes per side | 160 degrees F. |
Do you need a binder?
No. You do not need to add a binder for your burgers. Some like to add eggs, flour or breadcrumbs as a binder for their burgers. However, you really don’t need one. Your burgers will hold on their own just fine.
Can you make burgers ahead of time?
Yes. You can prep your burgers ahead of time. Place them on large baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper and tightly wrap with Saran Wrap. Keep them refrigerated for up to 24 hours until you are ready to grill. If you have grilled them ahead of time, keep them in an airtight container. Keep your cooked burgers refrigerated for up to 2-3 days.
Do you grill burgers with the lid open or closed?
It’s best to grill your burgers with the lid closed. This will allow your burgers to grill evenly. Especially if it’s a windy day. Grilling burgers with the lid closed is how they get that nice smokey flavor. It also helps the cheese melt better.
What is the secret to juicy burgers?
There are many steps you can take to make sure your burgers come out nice and juicy. My main tip to getting juicy burgers every time is to chill your patties first. This solidifies and retains the fat from the meat and oil added. As the burgers grill, the fat slowly dissolves. Which means most of it will be retain in the burgers as they cook. Making them nice and juicy.
Storing and Reheating:
Place any leftover burgers in an airtight container. Keep them refrigerated for up to 1-2 days if they have the cheese on top. If you didn’t put cheese on them, keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days. I prefer to reheat burgers by throwing them back on the grill for a couple of minutes. Reheating them on the stovetop over a cast iron skillet it also a great way to reheat them. You can certainly microwave them, however I wouldn’t recommend as it does change the texture and taste of the meat.
Freezing grilled burgers:
You can certainly freeze grilled burgers. I personally like to season the ground beed, for my patties and freeze them before grilling. You can also freeze them after grilling them. However, I would suggest not adding the cheese if you are going to freeze them.
Place burgers (either uncooked or cooked) in a large freezer bag. I like to put a piece of parchment paper between each patty to prevent them from sticking to each other as they freeze. Keep burgers frozen for up to 2-3 months. To defrost, thaw-out in the fridge overnight. Place back on the grill to reheat or to cook if they need to be.
Dif you like this guide on How to Grill the Perfect Burgers? You may also like these other “how to” guides:
- How To Make Homemade Beef Bone Broth
- How to Make Oatmeal (Stovetop and Instant Pot)
- How To Make Homemade Immunity Bombs
- How to Perfectly Boil Eggs
- How to Cook Quinoa
- How to Make Cauliflower Rice
- How to Make Spaghetti Squash Noodles
How to Grill the Perfect Burgers
Summer time is upon us and there is nothing like throwing some burgers on the grill. Learn all the steps and tips on How to Grill the Perfect Burgers. The results are always juicy and flavorful burgers perfect to serve at any summer barbecue or event.
Ingredients
For Patties:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 tsp pink sea salt
- 1.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 small yellow onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 slices cheddar cheese
- 6 burger buns
Instructions
Start by lining a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Mince garlic and thinly dice onion. Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl and add in your minced garlic and diced onion. Add in the rest of spices and herbs; pink sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika., dried rosemary, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Drizzle in coconut aminos and olive oil.
Use your hands to mix ingredients in with ground beef. Mix well making sure everything is combined and all the ingredients are well incorporated into the beef. Work your beef to combine but careful not to overwork the meat.
Use your hands to scoop out a chunk of the ground beef and start shaping it into patties. Shape your ground beef into a patty that is about 4-4.5 inches wide and 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Place your burger on prepped baking sheet pan. Repeat this process until all the ground beef has been shaped into burgers. As long you shape your burgers with this wideness and thickness, you will end up with 6 burgers. Use the bottom of a glass or mason jar to make a dent in the middle of each burger patty.
Cover your burgers with Saran Wrap, parchment paper, paper towels or anything like that. Place burgers in the fridge for a good 20 minutes to an hour. When you are ready to grill the burgers, lightly grease the grill grates with a bit of oil and preheat your grill for 10 minutes.
Remove your burgers from the fridge and place them on preheated grill. Grill your burgers for 4-5 minutes (more or less time depending on how done you want your burgers. Check chart above under FAQ's for a guide on how long to grill your burgers for). Flip and grill for another 4-5 minutes. Place slices of cheese over each burger patty. Clean baking sheet pan or grab one that's already clean and transfer grilled burgers to it.
Serve your burgers inside burger buns and top with your favorite burger fixens such as lettuce, onion, tomatoes, and pickles. Add your preferred condiments such as ketchup and mustard. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- Use meat that is not too lean– You want some fat in your meat. This will make your burgers nice and juicy. Meat that is too lean will make for dryer burgers. I like to stick to 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef.
- Do not overwork your beef– As you mix your ground beef with the seasonings, you want to make sure everything is well incorporated. However, make sure not to overwork it. As you mix your meat, you want your fat and protein to remain combined. This will ensure your burgers hold-up together and keep their shape and form. This also makes for juicy and flavorful burgers. If you overwork your burger meat, it will cause the fat and protein to essentially “break”, causing the patties to crumble, lose flavor, and get dry and dense.
- Shape all your burger patties with the same width and thickness– Keeping your burgers the same size will ensure that they all grill evenly.
- Make your burger patties wider than your buns– As burgers grill they will start to cook down and shrink. Making them slightly wider than your buns will then make them the same size after they are cooked.
- Use the bottom of a glass to make a dent in your burgers– Burgers tend to plump up in the center as they cook. Making an indentation in the center of your burger will prevent it from plumping and shrinking too much. The burger patty will hold its form and shape.
- Chill your burgers for at least 20-30 minutes– I like chilling my burgers before grilling. As you shape your burgers with your hands, their natural body heat will warm up the meat even more. Chilling them after, will solidify and retain the fat from the meat and from the added oil. As the burgers grill, the fat will slowly dissolve and most of it will stay in the burgers making them nice and juicy.
- Clean your grill– You want to make sure your grill grates are clean and that there is no food residue. This can result in your burger patties not being cooked evenly. Use a grill brush to thoroughly clean the grates.
- Preheat your grill– You do not wan’t to skip this step. Preheating your grill will prevent the burgers from sticking to it. This will also allow for the burger patties to cook evenly.
- Do not press down on your burger patties– Pressing down on your burger patties as they grill will make them release all those juices. You don’t want that. You want all those juices inside of your patties to keep them nice and juicy!
- Flip your burgers only once– Flipping them more than once will start to dry out your burgers.
- Toast your buns– Toasty buns are so good and will elevate the overall flavor of your burgers. This also prevents your buns from getting soggy.
- Season your burgers with other herbs and aromatics– Use other herbs and aromatics such as green onions, shallots, cilantro, parsley, dill, etc.
- Substitute for olive oil– Avocado oil is a great substitute.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
