If you’ve ever stood at the grill wondering “wait… how long do burgers actually cook?” you’re not alone.
Here’s the quick answer: most burgers take 3–4 minutes per side over medium-high heat. But the real answer depends on thickness, heat, and how you like them cooked.
I’ve tested this so many times, and once you understand a few simple cues, you’ll never have to guess again. No dry burgers, no overcooking, just juicy, perfectly grilled burgers every time.
If you’re cooking for your family or hosting friends, this is the method I always come back to.
Want to learn more about cooking times? Learn how long to grill chicken breast, how long to grill pork tenderloin, how long to grill pork chops, and how long to bake chicken wings.
If you need inspiration for a hamburger recipe to become your family’s new home chef then try our Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger! The combination of sweet pineapple, spicy mayonnaise, and the perfect hamburger is sure to up your burger game!
Table of Contents
- Exactly How Long to Grill Burgers
- What Affects Burger Grill Time
- Choose the Best Burger Meat
- Internal Temperature of Burgers (Chart)
- How to Grill Burgers (Step-by-Step)
- Expert Tips
- The Best Burger Toppings
- Charcoal Grill vs Gas Grill
- Why Burgers Turn Out Dry (And How to Fix It)
- FAQs
- Storage Instructions
- FAQs
- What to Serve with Grilled Burgers
- Best Grilled Hamburger Recipe
Exactly How Long to Grill Burgers
Grill burgers for 3–4 minutes per side over medium-high heat (400–425°F) for a standard 3/4-inch thick patty.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Medium-rare: 6 minutes total (130–135°F)
- Medium: 7–8 minutes total (140–145°F)
- Medium-well: 8–9 minutes total (145–155°F)
- Well-done: 9–10 minutes total (160°F)
Pull the burgers off the grill about 5 degrees early. They continue cooking as they rest, and this is one of the easiest ways to keep them juicy.
What Affects Burger Grill Time
Not all burgers cook the same, and this is where most people get tripped up.
Here’s what actually changes your timing:
- Thickness: A thinner burger (1/2 inch) cooks faster, closer to 2–3 minutes per side. A thicker burger (3/4 inch or more) needs the full 3–4 minutes per side.
- Grill temperature: If your grill isn’t hot enough, burgers cook slower and dry out. You want medium-high heat so you get that sear on the outside while keeping the inside juicy.
- Starting temperature: Cold burgers straight from the fridge take longer than ones that sit out for 10–15 minutes.
Choose the Best Burger Meat
My favorite type of beef for burgers is ground chuck because of it’s fat and flavor. Lean beef (90/10) doesn’t contain enough fat and yields a dry burger. If it isn’t available to you, try regular 80/20 ground beef.
Success tip: Look for a ratio of 80/20 (80% lean ground beef and 20 percent fat). This is the most common ratio that burger chefs use.
Internal Temperature of Burgers (Chart)
There are several factors to consider when it comes to how long it takes reach your ideal internal temperature including the size of the burger, the temperature of the grill, and what type of grill you use. Because of that, use the temperatures listed and the times as a guide:
- Medium-rare burger: 130-135°F (6 minutes total)
- Medium burger: 140-145°F (7-8 minutes total)
- Medium-well burger: 145-155°F (8-9 minutes total)
- Well-done burger: 160°F (9-10 minutes total)
Keep in mind: the burgers will continue to cook once you remove them from the heat. Pull them 5-10° before the desired temperature (aka target temp). See the chart below for all the burger cook times and temps you need.
Note: For optimal food safety, the FDA recommends that you should always cook your burgers to a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. This protects from food born illnesses.
How to Grill Burgers (Step-by-Step)
Skip down to the recipe card if you want the full grilled hamburger recipe with my favorite seasonings.
Preheat the grill
Close the lid and bring the heat the grill to medium-high heat (400-425 degrees Fahrenheit). Clean the grates and brush the grill grates with oil.
Shape the Burgers Right
A 6-ounce portion of beef should give you a 4 1/2-inch wide burger that’s about 3/4 inch thick. The burger will shrink in diameter as it cooks so keep that in mind. You want the burger to be the right size for the buns!
Success tip: press a small indent in the center with your thumb to prevent them from ballooning in the center.
Season Burgers Well
Season the shaped burgers with your with your favorite spices, but don’t go crazy. I love salt, pepper, somed paprika, and onion powder. Always season the formed burger patties before grilling so the salt doesn’t draw out too much moisture.
Cook the Burgers on the Grill
Place patties on direct heat or open flame. Close the lid and gill for 3-7 minutes per side (see internal temperature chart or the recipe card for temps and times).
Expert Tips
- Don’t open the lid or move the burgers, and flip only once. This will give you the best grill marks!
- Cook times will vary depending on the thickness of your burgers and your preferred level of doneness, so always use a meat thermometer.
- Grill burgers over direct heat with the lid closed. This gives them a sear with grill marks and helps them cook evenly.
- A 6-ounce portion of beef should give you a 4 1/2-inch wide burger that’s about 3/4 inch thick.
The Best Burger Toppings
- To make a perfect cheeseburger, add a slice of your favorite cheese after you flip them and cover the grill to melt it.
- Caramelized onions and mushrooms (they’re great with swiss).
- Classic burger toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, and mayo.
- Don’t forget the hamburger bun! Add a bit of oil and toast them on the grill before serving.
- My all time favorite burger house sauce in these burger bowls always makes an appearance.
Charcoal Grill vs Gas Grill
- Charcoal grills are superior for slow cooking and smoking, if you want a smoky flavor.
- Searing is faster on a charcoal grill, which is why grilling enthusiasts love them for steaks.
- Their temperature zones are larger meaning you can use your charcoal grill at a lower and higher temperature than a gas grill. Which can make maintaining the temperature of a gas grill much easier.
- Charcoal grills take longer to warm up and cool down, taking roughly 30 minutes.
- They require more time to clean. A charcoal grill creates a lot of ash and needs cleaned more frequently.
- A gas grill warms up and cools faster.
Why Burgers Turn Out Dry (And How to Fix It)
If your burgers have ever turned out dry, it’s almost always one of these:
- Overcooking: This is the biggest one. Use a thermometer if you can. It takes the guesswork out completely.
- Too lean of beef: I always use 80/20. Anything leaner just doesn’t have enough fat to stay juicy.
- Pressing the burgers: This squeezes out all the juices. It’s tempting, but don’t do it.
- Flipping too often: Flip once and leave them alone. This helps them develop that crust and keeps moisture inside.
Trust me on this. These small things make a big difference.
FAQs
The best ratio for grilling hamburgers is 80/20, meaning there is 80% lean ground beef and 20% fat content. If your beef has more fat, the burger will be too moist and fall apart. If you have less fat, you will have dry burgers.
Ground chuck is the best ground beef to use for grilling hamburgers. It is ground from the cow’s shoulder and possesses the ideal 80/20 ratio for a super flavorful, juicy burger. Ground round and ground sirloin are both a bit too lean to use, especially if a juicy hamburger is your goal!
Our guide to different cuts of beef shares more about each cut and what type of cooking method and recipes to use them for.
Both work well, but a gas grills take less time to warm up and the heat is easier to maintain. If you’re comfortable with a charcoal grill, or that’s all you have, you can use it. They’re especially great for getting a great sear on steaks, like grilled ribeye.
Classic burger toppings include lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion, ketchup, cheese, and/or mayo. To get creative, try griddle onions and mushrooms, avocado, bacon, feta sauce, a fried egg, sauteed peppers and onions, or even grilled pineapple. Check out more of the best burger toppings.
Storage Instructions
Once you cook the burgers, they last 3-4 in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Be aware that they’ll dry out slightly once you reheat the burgers.
Raw ground beef does not have a long shelf life and should be refrigerated no more than two days. Freeze any hamburger patties that are not cooked.
Separate uncooked hamburger patties by a piece of parchment and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to four months.
FAQs
Grill burgers with the lid closed. This helps them cook evenly and keeps the heat consistent.
Grill burgers over medium-high heat, around 400–425°F, for the best sear and even cooking.
What to Serve with Grilled Burgers
While this is a topic that will always be up for debate, we have some thoughts on what make the best side dishes for burgers!
- Potato salads: sweet potato salad or chipotle sweet potato kale salad.
- Salads (without leafy greens): cucumber tomato avocado salad, strawberry quinoa salad with feta, grilled zucchini salad, watermelon feta salad, summer corn salad, or tomato peach burrata salad.
- Pasta salads: Avocado pasta salad, Italian pasta salad, lemon orzo salad, or summer orzo salad, Mexican street corn pasta salad.
- Leafy greens: grilled peach salad, La Scala chopped salad, or kale apple salad.
Best Grilled Hamburger Recipe
Save this Recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck 80% lean (Note 1)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 4 burger buns of choice
- Toppings: lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, ketchup, mustard, etc.
Instructions
- Form the ground beef into 4 (6-ounce) burger patties about 4 1/2 inches in diameter and 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Press your thumb into the center of each burger patty to form a small indent.
- Brush the grill grates clean and wipe them down with a lightly oiled paper towel.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400-425°F).
- While it’s preheating, mix the seasonings together in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the burger patties generously with seasoning.
- Place the burgers on the hot grill grill with the lid closed for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the burgers and your preferred doneness. It takes about 4 minutes on each side (8 minutes total) to grill a 3/4 inch burger to medium (140-145°F). See note 2 for other grill times and internal temperatures.
- Serve the burgers with your choice of bun and toppings.
Notes
- Rare (130-135°F): 5-6 minutes total (roughly 2-3 minutes per side)
- Medium Rare (130-135°F): 6–7 minutes total (roughly 3 minutes per side)
- Medium (140-145°F): 7–8 minutes total (roughly 3-4 minutes per side)
- Medium-well (145-150°F): 8-9 minutes total (roughly 4-5 minutes per side)
- Well-done (160°F and above): 9-10 minutes total (roughly 5 minutes per side)
Video
Equipment
- Gas or Charcoal Grill
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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