You might be thinking that the best BBQ burger recipe would incorporate bbq sauce — but not this one! Instead, it has a secret ingredient that turns ground chuck into a masterpiece on the grill.
This recipe calls for a mixture of French dressing and Coca-Cola both in the ground beef mixture, and brushed on top, to create one of the most flavorful burgers you’ll ever try. Throw these on a charcoal grill or a gas grill, and you’ll have the perfect burger for your next cookout.
The reason the combination makes for a great burger is that it lends a gentle sweetness to the burger patty and helps to make it moist. Then, after the mixture is spread onto each side of the juicy burgers, it caramelizes, creating even more flavor and texture.
In addition to the dressing and soda mixture, we use Saltine crackers in this recipe for a different take on traditional bread crumbs.
The next time you’re looking for the best homemade burger recipe, turn to this one. These are quite likely going to be the best bbq burgers you’ve tried!
Common Questions about The Best BBQ Burger Recipe
Do you BBQ burgers on low or high heat?
When grilling burgers, they’re best cooked over medium-high to high heat. The temperature range is 375 degrees Fahrenheit to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Should you cook burgers covered on uncovered?
Burgers benefit from leaving the grill lid open, since they cook so quickly.
How long to cook a burger on the BBQ?
The time to cook can range from 4 to 9 minutes total based on how done you want your burger. 4 minutes is rare, 5 minutes is medium rare, 7 minutes is medium, and 9 minutes is well done.
Storage
If you’re making these ahead of time, store them on a cookie sheet in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Refrigerator: Store leftover burgers in an airtight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap, for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Freeze leftover burgers for up to 3 months.
Tips
- Experiment with using an ice cube in the center of each patty to make a moist burger. Form the meat around the ice cube so that it melts while cooking.
- Pay close attention to your burgers while on the grill to avoid overcooking. Keep a meat thermometer handy to check them.
- Avoid using diet soda — it will not result in the same type of caramelization.
Ingredients For BBQ Coca-Cola Burgers
These unique and tasty burgers only require a handful of convenient ingredients.
- Ground beef chuck
- Eggs
- Coca-Cola soda
- Saltine crackers
- French salad dressing
- Parmesan cheese (grated)
- Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)
Kitchen Supplies You’ll Need
You don’t need to dirty a bunch of dishes to make this simple recipe.
- Large bowl
- Baking sheet
- Spatula
- Basting brush
How To Make The Best Homemade Burgers
Get ready to make the best hamburger recipe — your family and friends will definitely be asking for you to share this one with them!
- Add the beef, eggs, soda, crackers, a portion of the dressing, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.
- Mix ground beef together with the other ingredients until completely combined.
- Create 12 equal portions of the meat mixture. Roll into a ball, before flattening.
- Allow the burgers to rest.
- Combine the remaining salad dressing and the rest of the soda together in a small bowl.
- Transfer burgers to the preheated grill to cook for the recommended time. Flip the burgers halfway through cooking.
- Check the burgers’ doneness using an instant-read thermometer to ensure they are at the desired internal temperature.
- Before removing the burger patties from the grill, use a brush to apply the soda and salad dressing mixture to one side. Flip and repeat, then flip once more to caramelize the second side.
- Serve burgers immediately on brioche buns with your favorite toppings like lettuce, tomato, and red onions (or crispy onion strings).
What to Serve With BBQ Burgers
You can serve anything that you would normally serve alongside a burger.
- Potatoes – French fries (like steak fries), tater tots, sweet potato fries, and smashed potatoes all work well, or you can simply serve potato chips.
- Salad – Serve a simple green salad, or deli-style salads like creamy pasta salad, southern potato salad, or coleslaw.
- Vegetables – Throw some veggies on the grill, too, or roast them in the oven. You can also serve raw veggies with a simple dip.
Why You Should Make This Best BBQ Burger Recipe
If you love burgers, you’re going to adore this juicy hamburger recipe.
- Easy – These burgers require minimal prep time and the cleanup is easy, too.
- Customizable – You can change up the flavor profile with your additions or twists.
- Unique – The unique flavor of these burgers will wow your guests or family.
Variations and Add-ins
You can customize this delicious burger in so many ways — these are just a few.
- Cheese – Make this into a juicy Lucy-style burger by forming the burger around the cheese of your choice. Try cheddar, mozzarella, or even pimento cheese.
- Butter – For an extra moist burger, form the burger around a pat of plain butter or a flavored compound butter.
- Heat – Add a spicy kick with the addition of hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, chili powder, or cayenne pepper.
- Worcestershire sauce – This sauce adds an element of umami to the burgers.
- Garlic powder – Impart garlicy flavor with a sprinkle of this.
- Meat – Substitute other meats for the beef. Try making turkey burgers, or lamb burgers.
- Soy sauce – Soy sauce can add salty, umami flavor as well.
- Onion soup mix – Add oniony flavor with this soup mix.
If you love this easy burger recipe, you’re going to love these other recipes to pair with the burgers too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
More Delicious Burgers
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Best BBQ Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ground beef chuck
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Coca-Cola soda- divided
- 10 saltine crackers 1 cup – crushed
- ¾ cup French salad dressing divided
- ¼ Parmesan cheese grated
salt and black pepper – to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the ground chuck, eggs, ½ cup coca cola, crackers, 4 tablespoons dressing, parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Divide the meat mixture into 12 portions and shape into rounds and then flatten slightly to form burgers. Allow the burger patties to rest on a tray while you preheat the grill.
- Mix the remaining soda and salad dressing.
- Preheat the grill to high heat, 450 to 500 degrees.
- Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Just prior to removing from the grill, brush one side of the burger patties with the soda/ salad dressing mixture.
- Flip the burgers and brush the second side with the soda mixture.
- Flip the burger again and cook until the sauce is caramelized.
- Serve the burgers on buns with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and pickles.
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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