Smoked Pub Style Burger

Key Ingredients needed for a Smoked Pub Style Burger.

• Beef Patty: I went with a nice thick black angus beef patty.

• Cheese: I like using American cheese on my burgers, but a great alternative would be a slice of cheddar or colby jack cheese.

• Onion: sautéed sliced onion to add sweetness to the burger.

• Seasoning: a lot of course black pepper and salt to add flavor and bring all the ingredients together.

• Bacon (optional): adds fattiness to the onions.

What is a Pub Style Burger?

The main difference of a pub style burger to other hamburgers is the thickness of the patty. Traditionally, thicker than a classic burger or smash burger, pub style burgers also do not use ketchup or cheese and are loaded with sautéed onions or mushrooms.

Now, that doesn’t mean you have to follow these criteria exactly. Make it your own. Add toppings, sauces and condiments that you like best. Just remember the thicker juicy beef patty.

Season the Beef Patty

When shopping for pub style beef burger, select patties that are about 1 inch in thick. You can use any kind of ground beef mixture. A 80/20 chuck roast is an economical option with a good balance of lean to fat. Or you can use ground black angus which is a more premium option and richer in flavor.

I used 2 black angus pub style beef patties from my local Mariano’s meat counter. These are already pre-measured and formed. I like convenience.

I kept the seasoning simple to bring out the delicious beefy flavors of the meat. Season both sides with kosher salt and heavily season all sides including the rim with course black pepper.

For the sautéed onions the only prep work required is slicing a yellow onion adding it to a cast iron. Slice or cube up a few strips of bacon and place them over the onions. Season everything with Dad’s Sweet BBQ rub.

Smoking a Pub Style Burger Patty

For this Smoked Pub Style Burger recipe, I used my Weber Searwood.

Preheat the grill to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the seasoned beef patties on the top rack and the onion and bacon filled cast iron skillet on the lower rack just below the beef.

As the beef cooks and the fat slowly renders, the drippings will add more flavor to the onions.

Once the onions are sautéed and the beef patties hit an internal temperature of 140 degrees, add 2 slices of cheese to each patty and cook until the melted.

I used American cheese because it melts perfectly over a burger patty. Other great options include cheddar or colby jack cheeses. For some heat, I recommend using a nice pepper jack slice.

The final temperature on the beef should be 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

Assemble the Smoked Burger.

Before you assemble the smoked pub style burger, you need to make the hamburger sauce.

In a mixing bowl add equal parts mayo, ketchup and relish. Mix the ingredients together.

For the buns, I like using soft sesame buns. On the bottom of the bun add a layer of the burger sauce, add the cheesy smoked pub style beef patty, top it with the sautéed onions, add more sauce to the inside of the top bun and close.

When you bite into this perfect burger, you should experience different textures from the crumbly patty, soft crunch of the onions and creaminess of the sauce. You will also experience a burst of flavors from the smokiness of the beef patty, sweetness of the onion and tanginess of the sauce. It’s the perfect burger combo.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Other Juicy Burger Recipes to Consider:

Beef

Copycat In-N-Out Burger

Chicken & Turkey

Thai Inspired Chicken Burgers

Beef

Chorizo Burger

Beef

The Long Mac