Juicy burgers are quite possibly the most classic grilling food out there. To help you make the perfect burger, I’ve got a roundup of my favorite burger recipes!

A hand holding a cowboy butter burger, which has steak, cheese and a beef patty on a bun, over a butter dipping sauce

A simple hamburger recipe can be incredibly satisfying during summer BBQs (or in those colder months when you want to feel like you’re at a summer BBQ). Sometimes, though, to get the best burger recipe, you have to go all out. Our homemade burgers are piled high with my favorite toppings, which translates to seriously epic flavors.

Why You’ll Love Each Burger Recipe

These burger recipes set you up for success with juicy hamburger patties and a range of freakin’ delicious toppings. We’ve got everything from melted cheese and BBQ sauce to chimichurri (a sauce I’m putting on everything these days) and a fried egg. I love homemade hamburgers because you can start with a great burger patty and literally build a flavor masterpiece from there. I’ve also got recipes for other proteins you can try something besides a classic beef burger. Give those a whirl too!

A hand holding a smoked birria burger with a burger patty and shredded beef over birria sauce

These burger recipes are pub-style burgers. Want to try smash burgers? They’re all the rage these days! Check out my roundup of my favorite smash burger recipes

Best Tips for Great Burger Recipes

  • Choose quality meat: I’m a firm believer in starting with a great foundation, which is why I’m choosy about the hamburger meat in these burger recipes. A pound of ground beef can make about two or three of our beautiful thicc burgers. I’d recommend using 80/20 ground beef. While lean beef is a popular choice (specifically for smash burgers), the 80/20 blend strikes the perfect balance between fat and meat for a thicker burger, ensuring your burgers stay as juicy and tasty as possible. A lot of these burger recipes go next level by adding steak, so double-check your cuts for proper cooking times.
  • Get in shape: Since we want to ensure even cooking, make sure you divide the beef into equal-sized tight meatballs.
  • Leave time for prep: ​Because we’ve got some epic toppings to create the best burgers, give yourself extra time to prep your accompanying ingredients. Components like beer-battered onion rings and jalapeño poppers take a little more effort, but they’re so worth it when you sit down to a freakin’ delicious dinner.
  • All about the buns: Since the right choice of burger buns can make all the difference. Brioche buns, pretzel buns or potato buns are my personal favorites, since they hold up well with juicy burger patties. 

How do I tell if my burger is done? 

Great question! Your best friend is an instant-read thermometer — I really do swear by my meat thermometer. To get the temp, insert the tip of your thermometer into the center of each patty.

A medium-rare burger is about 130-135 degrees F, a medium burger is 140-145 degrees, a medium-well burger is 150-155 degrees and a well done burger is 160-165 degrees. But if you don’t have a meat thermometer (you should get one, seriously!), you can do the hand trick. A rare burger will feel soft, like the area between your thumb and palm when your hand is flat. Medium is what that same part of your hand feels like when you press your thumb to your ring finger. The more cooked the burger, the firmer it’s going to be.

Add flavor to everything you’re cooking

shop over the fire spice lines

My Favorite Burger Recipes

Without further ado, let’s dive into some of my favorite burger recipes!

​Beef Burger Recipes

The Cowboy Butter Burger is the ultimate bite.

Cowboy Butter Burgers

Cowboy Butter Burgers bring the best of beef and butter together for one epic bite!
View Recipe
Smoked Birria Burgers assembled and ready to devour.

Smoked Birria Burgers

Smoked Birria Burgers are double the beef, double the deliciousness!
View Recipe
Beef Stroganoff Burger held up close to the camera.

Beef Stroganoff Burger

Beef Stroganoff Burger for a delicious dinner!
View Recipe
The bacon jalapeño popper stuffed burger sliced so you can see the popper filling inside.

Bacon Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burgers

Bacon Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Burgers for everything you love about a popper, now in burger form… and wrapped in bacon. #winning
View Recipe
The full Ultimate Smoked Bologna Cheeseburger assembled.

The Ultimate Smoked Bologna Cheeseburger

The Ultimate Smoked Bologna Cheeseburger for all you bologna and beef lovers.
View Recipe
charred bbq burger

Charred BBQ Burger

Sliced and serve an extra crispy burger with this Charred BBQ Burger recipe!
View Recipe
sliced in half bleu cheese bacon burger

Red, White & Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger

A great burger for those that want to celebrate our Independence.
View Recipe
Smoked Pizza Burgers sitting on the grill with flames in the background.

Smoked Pizza Burger

Smoked Pizza Burgers is like a personalized, handheld pizza sandwiched in-between two buttered buns. Yum!
View Recipe
three California Burrito Style Burgers lined up on a cutting board in front of a grill

California Burrito Style Burger

This California Burrito Style Burger is made with chipotle lime mayo, juicy burger patties, guacamole, French fries, and cheese sauce!
View Recipe
mega bacon cheeseburger

Mega Bacon Cheeseburger

Try a massive cheeseburger made with a loaf of bread as a bun! Savory and fun for the whole family.
View Recipe

​Other Burger Recipes

Not your typical ground beef burger, but just as good.

Garlic Gochujang Shrimp Burgers

Garlic Gochujang Shrimp Burgers

Garlic Gochujang Shrimp Burgers, where the burger and seafood lovers unite. If you’re looking for a recipe that’s easy to cook and packed with some unique flavors, this is the one to try!
View Recipe
bbq bison burger

BBQ Bison Burger

All natural bison ground meat made into a burger and topped with savory bbq sauce!
View Recipe

Smoked Venison Burgers with Beer Cheese

Making some delicious Smoked Venison Burger with Beer Cheese for an epic fall meal. Paired with a light beer, its sure to hit the spot.
View Recipe
filet mignon burger

Filet Mignon Burger

Try this brand new Filet Mignon Burger over some hot Cowboy Charcoal now! A fun twist on a backyard favorite.
View Recipe

​What to Serve with Burgers

Every one of these flavorful burger recipes is a meal in itself, so an easy recipe for a BBQ side is the way to go here. Burgers and French fries — regular, sweet potato, waffle and more — are a match made in heaven. You could also serve these burger recipes with onion rings, potato salad, broccoli slaw or mac and cheese. 

A line of jalapeño popper stuffed bacon cheeseburgers with buns, sitting in front of a grill

Leftovers and Reheating

If you have leftovers from these burger recipes, store your leftover cooked patties, buns and toppings separately in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. When you’re ready to reheat them, preheat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add a small amount of oil and then reheat the patties for about 2-3 minutes on each side. 

For more of my Favorite Recipes

​FAQs

​What type of beef should I use in these burger recipes? 

For the best burgers, use a mix of ground beef that is about 80/20. While lean beef is a popular choice, the 80/20 blend strikes the perfect balance between fat and meat, ensuring the juiciest burgers. 

What level of heat should I use for my burger recipe? 

There’s a range, but I like to go with 375-400 degrees F (medium-high heat) and a two-zone fire for indirect cooking. Depending on the thickness of your burger and your cooking process, it’ll take 3-5 minutes per side on your outdoor grill to cook. In some cases, like my smoked birria burger, I smoke the burger at a lower heat for a longer time. 

I just want a classic good burger. What toppings should I use? 

Easy — a slice of cheese, a slice of tomato, red onions, a pickle and your favorite condiments. Because you can’t go wrong with a classic.

Get The Cookbooks!

Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire

By Derek Wolf

All the major tastes—salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and umami—are explored in depth, along with an investigation of other components you should consider when it comes to flavor, such as aroma, heat, and texture.

Derek Wolf

Derek is the driving force behind Over the Fire Cooking. He started cooking with live fire in 2016 and decided to start a social media page so his friends and family could follow the journey. Fast forward to today and Over the Fire Cooking has spread across multiple platforms with millions now following Derek's fire cooking journey. He's a southern fellow who enjoys everything from classic BBQ to Central and South American inspired dishes. Whatever he's cooking up, it's guaranteed to be so freakin' delicious!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *