Traeger Burgers
These delicious, smokey burgers are perfect for a quick weeknight meal or summer BBQ!
Servings: 8
Calories: 300kcal
Cost: $10
Equipment
- Traeger Grill Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 pound ground beef I use 85/15 for burgers
- 1/4 cup apple sauce
- 3/4 cup Ritz crackers, crushed about 20 crackers
- 1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon Beef Base or 1 tbsp bouillon powder or 1 crushed bouillon cube
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat your Traeger--turn it on to the "Smoke" setting with the lid open until you can see the smoke. Then close the lid and turn the temperature to 180°F.
- While the Traeger heats up, prep the meat mixture. Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands to make sure all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal patties (due to the weight of the meat and the other ingredients, each patty weighs about 4.8 ounces). Use a burger press or two plates to flatten the patties until they are about 1/2 inch thick. Set patties on a tray (I like to put a square of parchment paper between each patty) so they're ready to bring out to the grill.
- When the Traeger reaches 180°, put the burgers directly on the grate. Close the lid and let them smoke at 180° for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the heat up to High (450°). Let the burgers cook 4-5 more minutes while the Traeger heats up, then open the lid and flip the burgers over. Close the lid and let them cook for another 4 minutes.
- Burgers are done when the internal temperature is 160°F (see notes). Turn off the grill. For cheeseburgers, add the cheese and close the lid and let the burgers sit in the residual heat of the grill for a few minutes to get the cheese melty. Then remove.
Video
Notes
Due to the chemical reaction from the smoke, they may still look pink even at 160°. I recommend checking for doneness with a digital thermometer, but on average this takes 8-10 minutes after turning the heat to High, flipping halfway through.
I recommend using hickory, mesquite, or an all-purpose blend/signature wood pellet blend for these burgers. However, burgers are pretty versatile so any pellet you have should work just fine.
How to Make Gluten-Free:
•Use a gluten-free Ritz-style cracker. You can find some made by the Simple Mills, Lance, and Fit Joy brands. You could also use gluten-free bread crumbs or ground oats, but crackers are preferred.
•Be sure to choose a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce--many are not gluten-free because they contain barley malt. Alternatively, you can use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce: check the labels to be sure you are using a gluten-free brand.
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg
