This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
If you’re determined to learn how long it takes to grill a hamburger, we’ve got you covered. We cover cook times, grill times, and level of doneness, and discuss each type of grill to use for the best results in grilling a juicy burger!
Keep reading and you’ll know the best ground beef to use, and how to shape, season, and grill the best burgers every time. Don’t forget all of our topping options to build perfect burgers!
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
- Why You’ll Love these Grilled Hamburgers
- Choose the Best Burger Meat
- How Long to Grill Hamburgers
- Internal Temperature of Burgers (Chart)
- How to Grill Burgers (Step-by-Step)
- Expert Tips
- The Best Burger Toppings
- Charcoal Grill vs Gas Grill
- FAQs
- Storage Instructions
- What to Serve with Grilled Burgers
- Best Grilled Hamburger Recipe
Why You’ll Love these Grilled Hamburgers
- Grilled hamburgers are so popular because they are an easy family meal.
- Classic hamburgers are perfect for cookouts and parties.
- Every one can customize it with their favorite toppings and enjoy their own cooked-to-perfection burger on a bun or in a burger bowl.
- You can cook them on a gas grill or charcoal grill.
While we are only going to cover how long to grill the perfect beef patties, ground chicken burgers, and ground turkey burgers are always options to consider.
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.
You can also make turkey burgers from ground turkey or chicken burgers from ground chicken! Cook times with these ground meats will vary than compared to fresh ground beef.
How Long to Grill Hamburgers
The cooking time for grilling a hamburger depends on several factors. This includes variables such as the thickness of the patty, the type of grill, and the desired level of doneness.
As a general rule, a hamburger patty that is 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick should be cooked for about 3-4 minutes per side on a preheated grill over medium-high heat.
It’s important to keep in mind that cooking time may vary based on the specific grill you are using, the heat of your grill, and the size and thickness of your patty.
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. Cheddar cheese is best for melting and goes with everything. Choose a cheese that complements the other toppings. Swiss, pepperjack, colby, and muenster are all great.
- Caramelized onions and mushrooms (they’re great with swiss).
- Consider assembling a bar of 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.
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.
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)
Equipment
- Gas or Charcoal Grill
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
