can you cook burgers on an offset smoker

Last Updated on: 26th June 2023, 02:33 pm

Offset Smokers are a versatile instrument that can cook different foods with different techniques. There are limitless recipes you can use to get the most out of your smoker. 

But burgers are the one of the best food when you think of spending a bbq night with your college friends on the beach. so it is often a common question that can you cook burgers on an offset smoker

the short and straightforward answer to this question is yes. You can smoke burgers on your offset smoker. but you need to be careful about over-smoking them. in additions, you should use red meat in burger patties to get a smoke ring.

In this article we will discuss whether you can cook burgers on an offset smoker or not. Let’s get started.

can you cook burgers on an offset smoker

The straightforward answer to this will always be Yes. You can cook burgers in an offset smoker but you have to be familiar with the process to get the most out of burgers. 

There are different techniques to cook meat in an offset smoker.

Most of the pitmasters prefer to cook only the meat inside the smoker and toast the buns on a toaster. But you can also grill the buns in the offset smoker if you want.

 To do so you will have to add a grill in a firebox and cook the buns over direct heat.

smoked burgers

The meat used in the patties should be preferably ground. You will have to make patties of 3-4 inch length from ground meat. 

These patties should be cooked for a shorter time than usual smoking to avoid over-smoking

To smoke burgers indirectly, you have to add burgers or patties in the smoking chamber and burn the fuel in the firebox. 

The burgers will not be exposed directly to fire and will be cooked indirectly through smoke. The exhaust vent should be open to avoid buildup in the cooking chamber.

Related:Best smoker for beginners

To grill the burgers directly, you will have to add a grilling grate in the firebox that should be heat resistant. Most people like to burn fire within the smoker, but it can damage your smokers build. 

Lit the fire and add them on a grilling grate in the firebox to grill the burgers.

Why cook burgers on offset smoker

Cooking burgers in an offset smoker may force you to get out of your comfort zone but the result will be worth the effort. As they say , revenge is best when served Cold ,the same applies with burgers.

 Here are some major benefits of smoking burgers in an offset smoker.

Unmatched flavor

The major reason for cooking burgers in an offset smoker is the flavor it provides. By smoking burgers on an offset smoker, you can enhance the taste of your burgers by adding smokey flavor. 

Related:5 Best Offset Smoker Grills of the Year

Moreover grilling burgers in an offset smoker gives them a crispy taste.In addition to the enhancing flavor offset smoker also increases and retains the tenderness of the meat. 

burgers

When meat patties are smoked for some time, the fat content within them melts and increases the tenderness of meat and eventually the burgers.

Better appearance

Taste alone is often useless if it doesn’t come along with a mouth watering appearance. Smoking burgers in an offset smoker enhances the appearance of burgers like a charm. 

If the burger Patties are grilled for some time after smoking then it gives them a smokey appearance.

In addition to giving a crispy look , it also produces smoke rings on the patties of burgers. Producing smoke rings is the important characteristic of an offset smoker which makes it more popular than other smokers when it comes to smoking.

Related:Food choking statistics 

The reason behind the formation of smoke rings is the breakdown of NO2 present in smoke. It is broken down NO which then reacts with the meat surface and gives it a pinkish color at that point. 

This pinkish color is known as a smoke ring.

Different cooking method

Offset Smoker is a versatile smoker and can perform different functions. So you will be able to cook burgers with different techniques with a single instrument. 

The most common techniques used in offset smoker are grilling and smoking.

Related:Best offset Smokers under 1000

By smoking you can enhance the tenderness of meat by cooking it at low temperature for a longer time. While grilling you can make the burgers more crispy by cooking at a higher temperature. 

It depends on you to choose any technique of your choice

How to cook burgers in offset smoker

Smoking burgers in an offset smoker is an easy process but it can be overwhelming when doing it for the first time.

To avoid destroying the taste of the meat you can follow these step by step guide to cook your burgers in an offset smoker.

  1. First of all, you have to choose the meat of your choice. The meat should be preferably grounded to increase the tenderness of the meat. After that make the patties from the meat which should not be too thick to avoid uneven cooking.
  2. After making patties you will have to season the grills of offset smoker to add flavor to patties. You can also season the patties if you want.
  3. If you want to add any kind of flavor to your burgers then you can add a water pan in your Smoker and add any liquid of your choice like vinegar, fruit juices or water. It helps to avoid the drying out of patties during the smoking process.
  4. After you are done with the preparation of meat, it’s time to prepare the smoker for the process. The heat source in an offset smoker is charcoal, so you should first ignite the charcoal to heat up the smoker.
  5. After you have ignited the charcoal, wait until the smoker has reached the desired temperature. You can decide any temperature of your choice but preferably it can be around 250F° .
  6. After the smoker has reached a consistent temperature you can add your patties inside the smoker. If you want to smoke then add them in the cooking chamber and if you want to grill then you should consider adding them in the firebox.
  7. Now you just have to wait until the meat has been cooked properly and a smoke ring has been generated. The time required will depend on the temperature at which you are smoking. If you are smoking at 250F° then it shouldn’t take more than 40 minutes.
  8. After the cooking has been completed you can consider removing patties from the smoker. If you have smoked the patties then we recommend cooking them on direct heat for some time to add crispy flavor.
  9. At the end you just have to toast the buns in a toaster ,add the topping of your choice and enjoy the burgers cooked with offset smoker.

Tips for cooking burgers in offset smoker

Cooking burgers in an offset smoker is no rocket science. You can get it done by just following the guide given above. But here are a few tips  to make sure you don’t go wrong with the process.

  • The most important thing to keep in mind is to avoid burning fire in the cooking chamber at any cost. If you want to grill the burgers then you can use a firebox but if you light a fire in a smoking chamber it can damage the build of the smoker and make it less durable.
  • You should make sure the top vent of the smoker is always open to avoid smoke build up. The accumulation of smoke can give a bitter taste to meat. You should also avoid over-smoking and remove the meat once it’s cooked .
  • You should make sure that the smoker is ventilated at any cost. If you are smoking more than one patties at a time then you should have some space between the patties . Moreover the ash should be cleaned before starting the process.
  •  You should use apple wood to add flavor to the burgers. Adding any random wood can impart bad flavor to your meat. Hickory can also damage the taste of meat so you should consider avoiding using it.
  • It’s better to cook only patties in the smoker and buns should be toasted in a toaster. Smoking buns can give them loose structure while grilling can burn them if temperature overshoots.

How to get smoke ring on burgers?

Smoke ring is a mouth watering characteristic of smoked burgers. Although you need to keep in mind that it doesn’t determine the doneness of meat. Moreover, You cant get smoke ring on every meat
To get smoke ring on your burgers, you need to use red meat in your patties. Red meat contains higher amount of myoglobin.

When myoglobin comes in contact with smoke gases, it results in generation of pink color on the surface of meat known as smoke ring. Myoglobin is higher in red meat like, beef and brisket than lean meat like chicken

How long does it take to smoke burgers on your smoker?

how long does it take to smoke burgers

There is no black and white answer to this question. As per general rule , it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours depending on various factors like temperature and the meat type used.

Usually burgers are flipped during smoking , which might prolong the process. moreover, if you are smoking at low temperature, then it will take you longer to smoke than doing it at higher temperature.

the smoking time for burgers also depends on several other factors. like if you are using thick meat patties in your burgers, then it will take more time to smoke them effectively.

additionally , it also depends on the temperature at which you are smoking. for example it will take 90 minutes to 2 hours to smoke burgers at 225.

while if you increase the smoker temperature to 250, then it will only take 45 minutes to 1 hour to smoke the burgers. so you will have to keep in mind the temperature while smoking

Do you need to flip burgers when smoking?

There is no straightforward answer to this question. it depends on your personal choice. if you want to get an intense or unique smoky flavor throughout your burger, then you may consider flipping it.

while if you are considering to just have little bit of smoky flavor and more of the traditional burger flavor, then you are good to go without flipping. so its better to test both techniques and choose one that you like

Are burgers good on a smoker?

The simple and straightforward answer to this question will always be yes. Smoking burgers can hep you enhance the flavor of your burgers,. it can add a smoky flavor along with a mouth watering appearance.

Moreover, the flavor of the smoke also depends on the wood type used. so you have full control over the kind and intensity of flavor you are gong to get. in short, smoking can help you make your burgers more appealing.

Will smoked burgers be pink?

There is no black and white answer to this question. The pink color present on the burgers is a result of reaction of myoglobin present in burger patties with the smoke gases.

So the pinkiness depends on the type of meat used in your burgers. if you have used lean meat , then your burgers will not be pink even after being smoked completely.

while the burgers with red meat patties can become pink without being smoked properly.

so we cant judge the smoky flavor of burgers b its pink color. you will have to take several other factors like internal temperature, time and flavor into account before making the final decision.

can you smoke hamburgers in an electric smoker

yes, you can easily smoke burgers in your electric smoker. electric smokers are as effective as regular smokers when it comes to smoking hamburgers.
hamburgers don’t need require much temperature or time for smoking and are usually smoked within 1 to 2 hours . electric smokers can like masterbuilt and traeger can easily smoke hamburgers.

you can smoke several burgers in electric smokers depending upon their capacity, but you will have to keep in mind that you might not get intense smoky flavor like charcoal smoker.

Conclusion

Burgers can be cooked in offset smoker if you are familiar with the nitty gritty of offset smokers

. It is not a complex process and can be completed in less time than usual smoking. You should only cook meat patties in the smoker while buns should be toasted. 

If you enjoyed this article ,then don’t forget read our article on How to use an offset smoker 

Jakob miller