# Hamburgers and Hot Dogs



## knifebld (May 12, 2014)

As I had quite a busy mother's day serving all the deserving ladies, I decided to go simple yesterday and smoke some burgers and dogs..

Hot dogs turned out amazing! Wrapped them in bacon dusted with Jeff's rub and they were simply the best dogs I had ever had.

Burgers turned out ok, I also dusted with Jeff's rub and turned them at about half way. They had a lovely smoke line, but they just were not like burgers on the grill.

Was wondering if I should have tossed them on the grill after the smoke to give them that fine grill taste on top of the smoke? Any of you have any pointers with burgers and dogs?


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## kc5tpy (May 15, 2014)

Hello.  Ya just gotta turn it down a notch or 3 and do burgers and dogs once in a while.  I don't know what smoker you have but I use charcoal.  As you said you missed that grilled taste to the burgers.  I only grill mine.  I add wood chips for the smoked flavour but I still go hot and fast.  This is the one time when white smoke is not such a bad thing.  When adding chips to a hot and fast cook they ignite almost immediately.  They produce white smoke.  Add the chips and get smoke going with lid on.  Lid off, throw the meat on the smoker.  Lid on for 2-3 minutes.  Lid off turn the food.  Lid on 2-3 minutes.  Lid off and DONE.  Then leave the lid off to avoid a creosote build up in your smoke.  Just my way of doing it.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


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## chef jimmyj (May 16, 2014)

Hamburgers can be smoked at 225° for an hour or two, they will be from rare to medium depending on thickness, then finished on the hottest part of your grill, 1-2 minutes a side. Great smoke flavor but unfortunately Rare and Mid/Rare Burgers are probably out of the question...JJ


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## brooksy (May 16, 2014)

I do my burgers like KY does. Regular grilling with some wood chips thrown on for the smoky taste. I also have a stick burner so it's easy. Never did smoked hot dogs. Might have to at the next party.


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## pdqgp (May 16, 2014)

I grill my burgers and LOVE them!    My kids call them Dad's famous burgers   
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Real simple.   I take fresh ground beef, I mince up cooked bacon, just a little bit of onion minced (kids can't see them or they will reject), and a few tablespoons of ketchup to help provide moisture, flavor and bind it together.   I sprinkle some McCormick *Montreal Steak seasoning* on them before putting them on the grill.   This is perhaps the best steak/burger seasoning I've ever used.    I also  have a small cast iron tin of hickory chips over the center of the back burner that I leave in there when I grill.   It's wrapped in foil with just a few holes and does a great job of seasoning my foods.  

I've found the key to the really good burgers is to mix the higher fat content ground beef with some ground chuck.   They come out extra juicy.  I love bacon so I also usually toss a couple strips of bacon on the grill and then on my burger too.  Yum!


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## knifebld (May 16, 2014)

Thanks guys, so the consensus is not in the smoker (was smoking in my WSM 22.5) but on the grill with some wood chips for a quick smoke. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Got it!

Cheers, Chad


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## chef jimmyj (May 16, 2014)

pdqgp said:


> I grill my burgers and LOVE them!    My kids call them Dad's famous burgers
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I had the same problem with onions and my kids when they were little. I would all my ingredient to a small Food Processor and puree them. If you cook with onions frequently in other dishes and sauces, once a week, puree the amount of onion you expect to use with some veg oil and store in the refer in a jar. The oil will rise to the top but that helps preserve the the onion longer...JJ


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## Bearcarver (May 16, 2014)

I have done some Smoked Burgers finished on the Grill, like JJ mentioned (except I use about 150* smoker temp), and they are Awesome, but I don't do it any more, because it is a PITA doing some smoked & some not smoked, and still finishing them Med-Rare all at the same time. Mrs Bear doesn't like hers smoked.

If it wasn't for her request, I would smoke the Burgers all of the time!!

Bear


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## jeepdiver (May 16, 2014)

I've smoked some and finished off on the grill on my PG500, and I didn't care for them.  They become a little too "rubbery" (for lack of a better word) on the outside, even when done to medium.  With the pellet grill I find they are better just doing them on the open flame at 350 or so than smoking first.  Of course one of the benefits of the pellet popper is everything has the wood taste to it.


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## Bearcarver (May 16, 2014)

JeepDiver said:


> I've smoked some and finished off on the grill on my PG500, and I didn't care for them.  They become a little too "rubbery" (for lack of a better word) on the outside, even when done to medium.  With the pellet grill I find they are better just doing them on the open flame at 350 or so than smoking first.  Of course one of the benefits of the pellet popper is everything has the wood taste to it.


Hi JD !!

I don't know how low you can go with the pellet pooper, but if you can get it below 150* it won't get rubbery. Anywhere between 120* and 150* is great---Then finish on hot grill just like normal.

Bear


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## smokinhessil (Jul 11, 2014)

When you smoke them you definitely need a very low temp, I did my last at 170. From there they are perfect on a hot grill to sear in all of the flavor that was built. I think that your hot dogs would have been just as good on a grill after the rub. I have tried smoked hotdogs a couple times and they never did much for me, but I didn't wrap them in bacon either. What a delicious way to find your personal preference.


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## driedstick (Jul 16, 2014)

Smoked are great and so are grillers, just depends on the time you have that day, I smoke 225 for hr or so then throw them on hot grill My wife & kids love them. 

A full smoker is a happy smoker.

DS


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 16, 2014)

If you are going to smoke Un-Cured meat below 225°, make sure the Hamburgers are VERY COLD and smoke no more than 1 Hour. Beyond that Bacteria starts to multiply rapidly...JJ


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## Bearcarver (Jul 16, 2014)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> If you are going to smoke Un-Cured meat below 225°, make sure the Hamburgers are VERY COLD and smoke no more than 1 Hour. Beyond that Bacteria starts to multiply rapidly...JJ


Yup---When I used to do it, I didn't like the 225*, because it seemed to start cooking it slowly, and turned them somewhat rubbery.

I liked 150* for no longer than 1 hour, and then right onto a 500* Grill to finish.

But like I said, Mrs Bear doesn't want hers smoked, like everything else, so I just grill them now.

Bear


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## knifebld (Jul 17, 2014)

Bearcarver said:


> I have done some Smoked Burgers finished on the Grill, like JJ mentioned (except I use about 150* smoker temp), and they are Awesome, but I don't do it any more, because it is a PITA doing some smoked & some not smoked, and still finishing them Med-Rare all at the same time. Mrs Bear doesn't like hers smoked.
> 
> If it wasn't for her request, I would smoke the Burgers all of the time!!
> 
> Bear


I hear ya on the PITA factor...especially if you are only smoking for you.


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