Smoked Burger secret?

[noboundaries]

Wow, this thread started back in 2011. I don't cold smoke yet, so can't help you Tim.

I use an 85/15 blend of ground chuck, season with Mont Steak Seasoning, then dimple the patty. Most of my patties are 6-7 oz.

I do something I coined called grill smoking, and it kind of fries the burgers to get the best of grilling and smoking. I use a well seasoned paella pan, put it on the Kettle over a HOT fire of charcoal and wood chunks, usually hickory or mesquite. Then I spray the pan with oil and throw the patties in the pan. Put the lid on the Kettle and let them grill smoke for 6-8 minutes. They caramelize real nice. Flip them and repeat. Check IT and adjust time to remove at 165F. I used to eat them like steak, medium rare, but no longer.

The paella pan gives a great crust on the meat. The smoke from the chunks gives a great flavor.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

How do you cold smoke and keep the chuck below 40 ? Sorry I am a novice

Kind of depends on the type of smoker you have.

Most of use use some sort of external smoke generator and pipe the smoke into the cold pit.

For me I use my vertical gas smoker and my smoke tubes from A Maze N smokers. If the outside temp is low enough I place the tube right in the pit. If not I place it in my mailbox mod and pipe the smoke in.

 

[bregent]

How do you cold smoke and keep the chuck below 40 ? Sorry I am a novice

It probably helps if you are cold smoking in Maine in the middle of Winter :)

 

[Firewolf96]

I take a pretty different approach than most people and I am willing to share my "secret".
I run a 30" Masterbuilt electric smoker with cold smoker attachment.
Using 10 lbs of beef (I have used 73/27 and either 80/20 or 85/15, can't recall), I mix in a homemade taco seasoning (I just grabbed one online that sounded good and modified it as I mixed the seasoning together in a bowl prior to applying to the meat). Burgers cook fast and I try to take the low and slow approach.

Mix the seasoning in thoroughly - this means 20-30% of the seasoning at a time.
I form my patties thick, if I remember correctly - at least 1 inch, maybe 1.5?, so they don't cook too quickly, but about 1/3 or 1/4 lb each. They end up like sliders, some larger.
Filled the smoker and started the temp at 200-220 for about 45 minutes max, then dropped it to 180 for almost 1.5 hours. At this point, gauge what you want to do with the temps for the last 30-45min - raise it up to 200 get the juices coursing through and wetting the outside, or drop it to 160 to dry the outside and get a more solid smoke flavor. I feel like when it dries the outside, the smoke comes through stronger - might just be me.
Honestly, I may have tweaked the temps up and down a couple times during the cook. I like the effect it has when you fluctuate the temps.
I do this long smoke/cook to get more smoke flavor in these burgers. I feel like less than an hour doesn't do it justice.

I made a large batch (36) of these and about the same number of brown sugar burgers (I can post both of these recipes if anyone is interested...that is, IF I actually wrote it down this time) and had people try them. You almost don't want to put anything on them they were so good. Literally, I ate a number of them without buns, cheese or condiments.

Please note: nothing was added to make these stick together and zero fell apart.

And FYI, microwaving them until you see the juices coming out is totally OK. I didn't want to wait any longer when I was reheating them. :)

 

[sauced]

I smoke them all the time with nothing added. They stay together fine.

Same here!!

 

[hb99]

I've smoked burgers a number of times, but I prefer adding the egg, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, etc.

Once you put them on the rack there's no need to touch them. I cook mine to 160F.

IMO, they taste great...even cold.