Attempting smoked burgers tonight (will be updating with pics)

[pcmyers23]

After reading just a bit about them they sound too good not to try. About to head to the store to get ground beef and some other stuff to go with it. Plan on makin a salad with the burgers (tryin to eat kinda healthy). Couple questions for the experts:

Read somewhere on here I need to poke a hole or make a thumb imprint to keep the burgers from puffing up. Is that needed?

Planning on doin these like I normally do burgers, just spice and some woochy thrown in. Does it need an egg or something else to hold together?

Thoughts on what temp to get the smoker runnin at? Id like to try my hand at reverse searing, sounds amazing. Id be able to finish em on my kettle thats next to my WSM.

Only other thing Im unsure about is what IT to pull them from the smoker at. The other person eating requires a well done burger but Im not picky.

Thanks!

 

[welshrarebit]

You could take the middle section off of the WSM and put you grill right on the charcoal ring to finish the burgers. Or, tie wire the charcoal ring the charcoal ring to a charcoal grate of a weber grill of the same size and then after the smoke phase grab the charcoal basket and put that in your kettle and sear...

 

[pcmyers23]

You could take the middle section off of the WSM and put you grill right on the charcoal ring to finish the burgers. Or, tie wire the charcoal ring the charcoal ring to a charcoal grate of a weber grill of the same size and then after the smoke phase grab the charcoal basket and put that in your kettle and sear...

That is a grate (heh) idea! Never read that before on here. Will be trying that remove the middle section way. Keep telling me things like that, I like the way you think.

 

[welshrarebit]

Sorry had to switch to tapatalk to upload photo...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pcmyers23]

Sorry had to switch to tapatalk to upload photo...




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I see you attached the charcoal grate to the ring...I'm missing the point of it though. Please explain bc Im curious

Edit: Nvm I got it after rereading Welsh's post. Thanks for hte pic

 

[welshrarebit]

It's also good that you can along the two grates so that less charcoal will fall thru and on long smokes you can grab one side and shake all the ash off, tilt the basket so all the lit coals go to one side and then refill the basket with more unlit coals and a couple of wood chunks and you've got the
Minion method for the next ten or so hours. I've done this on my
mini but not in my R2D2... Yet!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pcmyers23]

I like that idea but I will have to do it another day. So youre saying you bought an extra charcoal grate (or I guess the one from my 22.5 kettle is the same thing) and staggered it under? I think I get it..

Headed to the store now. I'll be back with pics once the burgers are formed and then some Q-view for yall.

Thanks for the good ideas.

 

[themule69]

Yes the thump print in the middle helps a lot. As for IT figure 135° MR 145° M 155°  160° W. You will need to pull them a few deg. early as they will continue to cook. Fallow the above advice for the smoker setup.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[pcmyers23]

 
Yes the thump print in the middle helps a lot. As for IT figure 135° MR 145° M 155°  160° W. You will need to pull them a few deg. early as they will continue to cook. Fallow the above advice for the smoker setup.

Happy smoken.

David

I was about to post asking about IT and my question was already answered. Freakin sweet, thanks.

Only thing Im unsure of..do I still smoke them to those IT's if Im doin that reverse sear at the end?

Couple pics below with some bonus ones before Qview gets here. The cheese was bought today but thats for tomorrow or the next day most likely.

IMAG0077.jpg

• pcmyers23
• Jan 25, 2015

IMAG0075.jpg

• pcmyers23
• Jan 25, 2015

IMAG0076.jpg

• pcmyers23
• Jan 25, 2015

 

[themule69]

For reverse sear move to the high heat about 10° before the sear. Something I like to do is give them about a 15 min rest after the smoke and before I move to the sear. That allows for the juice to redistribute and then a good sear on the outside ready to eat right off of the smoker.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[bertman]

Waiting to see how these turned out....   

Smoked burgers is something I haven't tried yet, and we have no shortage of ground beef or venison around here.

 

[pcmyers23]

 
For reverse sear move to the high heat about 10° before the sear. Something I like to do is give them about a 15 min rest after the smoke and before I move to the sear. That allows for the juice to redistribute and then a good sear on the outside ready to eat right off of the smoker.

Happy smoken.

David

I will be doing that. Thanks for all the help.

IMAG0078.jpg

• pcmyers23
• Jan 25, 2015

 

[themule69]

 
I will be doing that. Thanks for all the help.

IMAG0078.jpg

• pcmyers23
• Jan 25, 2015

It should be good.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[timberjet]

Now this is a healthy burger.

big burger.jpg

• timberjet
• Jan 25, 2015

not. hahaha.....

 

[gary s]

Now that's what I call a burger,  Good job !!!

Gary

 

[themule69]

 
Now this is a healthy burger.

big burger.jpg

• timberjet
• Jan 25, 2015

not. hahaha.....

That looks GREAT!

Happy smoken.

David

 

[timberjet]

Sorry for the Hijack but I just could not resist. Whenever I read the words healthy and burger in one post. That most ultimate burger I ever made comes to mind. Hahaha....

 

[pcmyers23]

 
Sorry for the Hijack but I just could not resist. Whenever I read the words healthy and burger in one post. That most ultimate burger I ever made comes to mind. Hahaha....

Haha woww that burger looks ridiculous. Alright so I got distracted by some conversation and when I checked the burgers after 1.5 hrs the IT was already 180*...quite disappointing. So I didnt sear them like I'd planned and they were a bit dry. However, 3 people ate 2 lbs of meat/5 burgers. Never tasted a burger like that before and I cant wait til next time so I can do them right. If youve never smoked burgers before Id definetely give it a try, just dont overcook them. The pic in my hand was my 2nd burger that I ate bc I just needed more smoke flavor. Tossed it on a bun real quick with just lettuce/tomato.

IMAG0081.jpg

• pcmyers23
• Jan 25, 2015

IMAG0080.jpg

• pcmyers23
• Jan 25, 2015

 

[inkjunkie]

What's the reason for a thumb print?

 

[pcmyers23]

What's the reason for a thumb print?

From what I understand it helps keep them from puffing up during the smoke. Someone correct me if Im wrong please.