Skip to Content

6 Tips For Grilling Hamburgers On A Traeger Grill

Sharing is caring!

We strive to provide you with authoritative, trustworthy, and expert advice. In doing so, the staff at bbqdropout.com performs extensive research, editing, and fact checking to every post on this webiste. If you feel that this article can improve, please feel free to reach us at staff@bbqdropout.com

Can You Grill on A Pellet Grill

One common misconception about pellet grills is that they cannot effectively grill burgers.

This could not be further from the truth!

High heat is the key to a well grilled burger on a pellet barbecue.

If the Traeger isn’t hot enough, the burger will only smoke and lose its wonderful sear.

So, give your grill plenty of time to heat up to the temperature you require before adding your hamburger patties.


What Temperature Do You Cook Burgers on A Pellet Grill? 

For classically grilling burgers, we recommend heating your grill to temperatures ranging from 425°F to 450°F.

The temperature varies according to the thickness of your burger patties.

Because smaller patties don’t take as long to cook, a higher temperature is usually used since they cook through quickly.

For thicker patties, consider a lower temperature, such as 400 degrees (F).

This allows thick patties to cook through without becoming scorched or over-seared on the outside.

For example, 1/4-pound patties will cook beautifully at 400°F for around 5-7 minutes on each side.


How to Grill Hamburgers on A Traeger Grill 

First and foremost, always use high-quality ground beef to make your burger patties.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with purchasing pre-made patties, but I prefer to have complete control over the entire process.

It only takes a bit of salt and pepper to season a batch of burger patties. 

Although other spices such as cumin, smoked paprika, or even a dash of chipotle seasoning never hurt anyone!

Use your hands to portion the seasoned beef into round patties and they’re ready for the Traeger!

Typically, 1/4-pound patties or 1/3-pound patties should be used to portion your burgers. 

With a Traeger, you can cook your burgers in two ways: traditionally grilling them or smoking them. 

It’s a good idea to pre-heat the Traeger before you start preparing your burger patties, so it’s hot and ready when the patties are finished.

Always heat your Traeger with the lid closed before adding the burgers. 

Furthermore, for the greatest results, you should only flip your burgers once, letting the patties grill for about 2-3 minutes on each side. 

Avoid pressing the burgers down with the spatula, since this will squeeze the burger’s juices out rather than cook them faster.

As you grill the burgers, you may observe that the outer rim begins to become pinkish/red.

This is known as a “smoke ring,” and it signifies that your burgers are nearly done!

This is a typical occurrence when meat is cooked in a smoker.

Use a meat thermometer to check if they’re done to your liking, but never cut them to check.

If you cut the burger, the juices will drain, resulting in a dry burger.

Allow 5-10 minutes for the burgers to rest once they’ve been cooked.

Biting into a burger that’s hot off the grill is not only messy, but it also prevents the juices from collecting and redistributing throughout the patties.


How Long do You Grill Burgers at 450°(Fahrenheit)

Burgers will cook faster on a pellet grill than on a gas grill.

On a wood pellet grill, it takes around 6 minutes altogether, 3 minutes on each side of the burger patty.

This will give you a nice medium rare centre.

If you want the centre to be more medium well to well done, cook the burger for around 4-5 minutes on each side.

Just be careful not to over-char the burger’s outside.


Do You Need to Flip Hamburgers on A Traeger Grill? 

Absolutely!

The only time you don’t flip burgers on a Traeger grill is when smoking them, which we’ll discuss later.

Aside from timing, another good indicator that the burgers are ready to be flipped is when they begin to “sweat.”

This is the point at which the liquids and fats start to accumulate on the surface of the patty. 

As earlier mentioned, for best results, only flip the burgers once.

Over-flipping or over-working your burger is a classic mistake. Use the “one and done” meat grilling rule of thumb.


Final Thoughts

Every Cookout enthusiast should own a Traeger Grill and Smoker.

This wood pellet smoker will not let you down, whether you’re trying to dazzle guests or simply looking for new methods to cook tasty foods.

It gives you so many different ways to prepare meals, and your imagination will only expand these possibilities.

With Father’s Day approaching, a Traeger Grill and Smoker is unquestionably the best gift.

A gift from which you will benefit as well, since you will be able to taste and devour all of the delectable creations that result from it.