Juicy Grilled Burgers with BBQ Sauce
These juicy grilled burgers are homemade with hand-formed ground chuck beef, topped with spicy pepper jack cheese and tangy barbecue sauce. Better than any steakhouse! Here is the recipe.
This is a recipe for barbecue sauce lovers. AND burger lovers. Here is the scenario – Patty has another girls night out. I know what you’re thinking. How many girls nights does Patty have?
Mike is home alone. Normally I take these opportunities and cook up something SUPER SPICY, like crazy Ghost Pepper Chicken Wings or these 5-Alarm Superhot Chicken Wings, but not this time.
This time I was seriously craving a burger. The vast majority of the time, I cook turkey burgers, though I greatly enjoy pork burgers and blends, but I wanted a beef burger.
NEEDED a beef burger. Juicy Grilled Burgers!
And I was itching for some of the barbecue sauce we’d made just recently – Homemade Peach Bourbon Barbecue Sauce. We still had some left and it was crying out to me from the fridge. “Mike! Make something with me! Please!” Foods have voices sometimes. Weird.
I cruised over to our local butcher and stood in line, waiting. Seems everyone had the same idea! Everybody was grilling!
Lucky they’ve got a crew working back there and the owner knows me. I exited with a half pound of ground chuck and hauled back home to the backyard with a beer clutched in my fist and a burger ready to grill. You don’t need to do much with these.
There is so much flavor in the beef, you can practically grill it up with just a bit of salt and pepper seasoning, but we’re going for that rich barbecue sauce flavor. I spooned a couple tablespoons of barbecue sauce into the mix along with a bit of chili powder, salt and pepper.
Nothing fancy.
Choose a tomato-based sauce if you’re not making your own like I did, perhaps something with a touch of sweet and an extra touch of heat.
I also used a different grilling method this time around – Reverse searing.
Usually restaurants will sear a burger first over high heat then move it to cooler temperatures to finish cooking. They do this to form a quick crust to seal in the juices, but that doesn’t always work.
We’re simply reversing the order.
Let’s talk about we make the best grilled burgers ever, shall we? If you want juicy burgers, this is how you make them.
Grilled Burger Ingredients Needed
- 1 pound ground chuck
- Barbecue Sauce – I used the Homemade Peach Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
- 1 teaspoon spicy chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 thick slices pepper jack cheese
- 2 toasted buns
- Whatever toppings you prefer
How to Make These Juicy Grilled Burgers – The Recipe Method
First, heat your gas grill by turning on only one side of the burners. Keep one side off, which will keep that side a bit cooler. Shoot for 250 degrees temp. If using a charcoal grill, get the coals going very hot, then move them to one side so you can have a hot side with medium-high heat and a cooler side. Gas grills are easier, but you get extra flavor with charcoal grills.
Make the Burger Patties. To a mixing bowl, add ground chuck, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
Hand mix, but do not overmix or the burgers can become mealy. Form the meat mixture into 2 8-ounce patties, ¾ inch thick each.
Lightly oil the grill grates.
Set the burger onto the cooler side and cover, then grill. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip and cook another 5. The burger will cook slowly, til it is nearly to your desired doneness. Measure the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Refer to the following:
- Rare: 120 to 125 degrees F (49-52 C)
- Medium Rare: 130 to 135 degrees F (54-57 C) – More pink in the center
- Medium Well: 150 to 155 degrees F (66-69 C)
- Well Done: 160 to 165 degrees F (71-74 C)
When it is just about how you want it, move it to the HOT side and finish it up with a quick sear.
Top it with a bit of pepper jack cheese and some extra barbecue sauce, because BARBECUE SAUCE ROCKS!
Serve onto toasted hamburger buns with extra barbecue sauce. Top with your favorite toppings!
Boom! That’s it! These burgers were SUPER tender and juicy, and full of barbecue sauce flavor. It’s the perfect burger, hands down.
Honestly, you don’t need much else. Maybe some tomato or onion. I added a few beer battered jalapeno peppers (jalapeno bottle caps recipe), because my #JalapenoObsession is well known. Jalapenos!
Life is complete.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Recommended Burger Temperatures. The USDA recommends beef burgers reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F/71 C to destroy harmful bacteria.
- Get Saucy! Try this with my awesome Ranchero Sauce or this delicious Fry Sauce recipe. Sauce it up!
- Other Seasonings. Feel free to use some of your favorite seasoning additions. Seasoned salt it popular with burgers, but you really don’t need much other than what the recipe calls for. It’s such a great recipe, and such flavorful burgers!
Patty was quite upset with me when she saw the pic of the burger. Sorry, gorgeous! You were out with the girls! Don’t worry, I will make her one of these quite soon. Enjoy!
Patty’s Perspective
RUDE!
Try Some of My Other Popular Burger Recipes
- Turkey-Chorizo Burgers with Creamy Guacamole
- Jerk Turkey Burgers with Jalapeno-Mango Guacamole
- Smashburgers with Charred Serrano-Blue Cheese Butter
- TNT Pork Burgers with Ghost Pepper-Mustard Aoili
- Blue Cheese Buffalo Chicken Burgers
- Juicy Lucy – Gooey Stuffed Cheeseburgers
- Check Out All of My Burger Recipes
If you make this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! — Mike H.
These juicy grilled burgers are homemade with hand-formed ground chuck beef, topped with spicy pepper jack cheese and tangy barbecue sauce. Better than any steakhouse! Here is the recipe.
- 1 pound ground chuck
- Barbecue Sauce - I used the Homemade Peach Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
- 1 teaspoon spicy chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 thick slices pepper jack cheese
- 2 toasted buns
- Whatever toppings you prefer
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Heat your grill to 250 degrees.
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To a mixing bowl, add ground chuck, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
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Hand mix, but do not overmix or the burger can become mealy. Form it into 2 8-ounce patties, ¾ inch thick each.
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Set the burgers onto the cooler part of the grill and shut the lid. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip and cook another 5.
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Bring the burgers over to the hot side and sear each side a couple minutes each.
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Top with cheese and shut the lid, until the cheese melts.
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Serve onto toasted buns with extra barbecue sauce. Top with your favorite toppings! I added some beer battered jalapeno peppers. That’s it!
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Enjoy!
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