Skip to Main Content
  • Start firing up incredible food now and pay over time.  |learn more

Techniques & Tips: Making the Perfect Burger with Sammy Moniz

Jump To Recipe
Techniques_Tips_Making_the_Perfect_Burger_with_Sammy_Moniz_001

Every backyard chef should know how to make a decent burger from scratch. In this video, Sammy Moniz shows you three different ways to form your own ground beef patties – the smash burger, the ring mold burger, and hand-formed patties.

Traeger Classic Burger

by Traeger Kitchen

Prep Time

10 Min

Cook Time

15 Min

Serves

4

Pellets

Hickory

Sometimes you don't need much to make a great burger. Cheese, onions and beef smashed together on a griddle are all you need to make your taste buds happy and your neighbors envious. Get smashing.

Ingredients
main
1 Pound80/20 ground beef
Traeger Beef Rub or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Melted unsalted butter, for greasing
2 Mediumwhite onions. thinly sliced
4 SlicesAmerican cheese
4 potato buns, or white burger buns
For Serving
2 CupShredded iceberg lettuce
sliced pickles, for serving
ketchup
Mustard
    Steps
  • 1

    When ready to cook, place a cast iron griddle on the grill grates. Close the lid and set the Traeger temperature to 450°F. Preheat for 15 minutes.

  • 2

    Divide the ground beef into 4 4-ounce portions and lightly roll into balls. Season with Traeger Beef Rub or salt and pepper.

  • 3

    Grease the griddle with melted butter. Place the onions on the corner of griddle to start caramelizing.

  • 4

    Place the beef balls on the hot griddle and immediately smash down with a spatula until flattened thin, about 1/2 inch thick. Cook until well-browned on the bottoms. Carefully flip the burgers, place some onions on top of the patties, then drape the cheese over the onions. Cook until the cheese melts.

  • 5

    Brush the buns with melted butter, then place on the griddle to toast.

  • 6

    To build the burgers, spread your desired sauce(s) over the bottom buns, then top with lettuce, a burger patty, more lettuce, pickles, more sauce, and the top buns. Serve immediately. Enjoy!