If you are anything like me, you probably enjoy your burgers dark brown on the outside whilst juicy on the inside, and I don’t even want to get started on the flavor. When I grill burgers, I often rely on my trusty Traeger grill to get that beautiful sear on them, and they always come out so good.
Since you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you just got a Traeger grill, and you are completely clueless on how to get your burgers cooking; if this is correct, then look no further because this article contains helpful tips and guidelines to help you cook burgers on a Traeger grill. Ar the end of the article, I have also included a quick and easy burger recipe to spark up some inspiration.
Burgers Nutrition Facts
Guidelines to Cook Burgers on Traeger Grill
If you struggle with cooking burgers on your Traeger grill, no need to feel frustrated, below are some helpful tips and guidelines to cook burgers on a Traeger grill;
Clean out Traeger grill – if you regularly use your Traeger grill, you should be cleaning out the burning pit from time to time. Over some time, the burning pit of your Traeger would accommodate a lot of ash that remains from burnt pellets, and this excess ash may limit the way the grill burns, and as a result, you may find it difficult to reach certain temperatures fast.
Check the quantity of pellets – wood pellets are usually housed in containment by the corner of the grill. Before you embark on your burger journey, you should check the quantity of these pellets in your grill; if it is not present, you should add more pellets. These wood pellets serve as fuel for the Traeger grill.
Set grill to smoke – when you turn on your Traeger grill, it should be set to “smoke” mode, which takes about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the weather). When you set your grill to smoke, your oven should be left open to allow the smoke to escape; this will give your burgers a much cleaner taste.
Preheat the Traeger grill – just like cooking in the oven, before you cook with the Traeger grill, it must be preheated to the required temperature. When it comes to grilling burgers, that temperature is usually 400 to 450 (you can also max out at 500). Preheating the grill will also shorten the time required to cook burgers on the grill.
Insert aluminum foil – when you cook burgers, they release juices (although not as much as pork or turkey). Luckily, Traeger grills come with drip pans to collect the juices from your proteins, but I would recommend covering the top drip pan with aluminum foil. Covering the drip pan with aluminum foil will make cleanup much easier; you do not have to wash or scrub; you simply dispose of the foil.
The right meat for burgers – you can make burgers with any type of ground meat; you can even use a combination of two or more types of meat. But when it comes to picking the best meat for burgers patties, you should be getting one with 15 – 20 percent fat and a lean-to-fat ratio of 80:20 or 85:15.
Season your patties – this is a very simple process, but it would determine the success or failure of your burgers. When seasoning, do not use fresh herbs and spices; instead, opt for a dry rub or other dried ground spices. I like to use a dry rub because it contains various spices all in one.
Use a meat thermometer – the best way to cook meat is with a meat thermometer. You should avoid eyeballing your meat, instead, stick a thermometer in the center of your patties, and when they are ready when they reach an internal temperature of 160.
Add cheese – it doesn’t matter when you add cheese to your burgers, but I would recommend adding cheese just before the burgers are done. At the last minute, add a slice of cheese to each patty and cover the grill. The cheese not only adds flavor to the burgers but also acts as a binding agent for them.
Turn off Traeger grill – if you want your Traeger grill to always burn efficiently, then you should be shutting it down properly after every use. When you press and hold the shutdown button, the grill will no longer put pallets into the fire; rather, it will try to burn out the pellets already in use. This may take a couple of minutes, but it will save you some extra bucks in the long run.
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Cooking Time for Burgers on Traeger Grill
Below is a table showing the required time to cook burgers at different temperatures on the Traeger grill:
| Level of Doneness | Internal Temperature | Cooking Time |
| Well-done | 160°F | 5 minutes per side |
| Medium | 145°F | 4 minutes per side |
| Medium rare | 135°F | 3 minutes per side |
| Rare | 125°F | 2 minutes per side |
Quick burger on Traeger grill
- Ground beef
- Cooking oil
- 1 large onion
- American cheese
- BBQ sauce
Ingredients
- Start by preheating the grill to 275°
- Form the ground beef into patties, and press your thumb on the center of the patties to get a curve
- Season the patties with gourmet burger seasoning, you can also use any rub you have on hand. Season both sides of each patty.
- Place the burger patties on the preheated grill for 30 minutes. Flip the burgers after 30 minutes and continue to cook
- On a separate grill, add some oil and caramelize some chopped onions
- Brush some BBQ sauce all over the patties and smoke for 15 minutes
- Place some caramelized onions on the patties, add more BBQ sauce, add a layer of American cheese, and smoke for an additional 15 minutes
- Add butter to another grill or pan and toast some buns
- Proceed to build your burger with your favorite ingredients and enjoy
Grill burgers on a Traeger grill are very easy, so no need to panic if this is your first time, simply follow the instructions and you would have a delicious burger. If you would like to see other recipe ideas, check out this video recipe.