Ready to step up your burger game? Simple to make and only requiring a handful of inexpensive ingredients, these burgers will be a hit at any backyard cookout. Expect a juicy, savory with a touch of smoke burger which goes great with a sharper cheddar or swiss or without cheese.

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients.

This recipe is based on a per pound formula. Multiply the recipe by the number of pounds of meat you have.

You will need:

1lb - 80/20 ground chuck
1 tsp - Weber Steak Seasoning
1/4 dried pasilla negro dried pepper
great buns
Hickory logs or chips

Optional:

Cheese (a sharper cheddar or swiss is good)
Lettuce
Tomato
Pickles

Step 2: Preheat Your Grill and Make Your Patties

Start your coals

I use Weber's chimney to start my coals but you can start it any way you like. While your coals are starting, go make your patties.

Make your patties

First, remove the seeds from your peppers. Then, finely dice your pepper. You want this to be fairly small, 1/8 square pieces or so. Place this into your mixing bowl when finished. Then, add your teaspoon of steak seasoning.

Next, put your meat in the bowl. Mix the spices thoroughly by squeezing the meat through your fingers. Once your meat is seasoned it's time to make your patties!

To make a great patty, divide your meat into 1/4 or 1/3 lb balls. I tend to do 1/3 lb because that's what fits in my hands. Roll the meat in your hands until it forms a good solid ball. Then, flatten the meat into a patty using your hands. You want your meat to be 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick (any thinner and they will fall apart when you put a depression in the middle, any thicker and they turn into hockey pucks). Using the heel of your hand, place a big depression in the middle of your patty. This will allow the patty to maintain its cylindrical shape throughout the cooking process instead of turning into a ball.

Step 3: Finish Preparing Your Grill

Dump your coals in the center of your grill. Then, cover them with your Hickory logs, chunks, or chips. I prefer logs because they do a better job of protecting your burgers from direct heat than chips and chunks. Other wood types that are commonly used for smoking are also great (I've had great success with apple).

Put your grill over the coals and let the grill come to temperature.I leave my vent about 1/3 open for a 26" grill. On a 22" grill, I leave it open about half way.

Note:

I've used two different Weber grills extensively, the small (22") and the next size up (26"). Without a doubt, the 26" is an easier grill to work with. It allows for cooler temperatures to be held for long periods of time much better than the smaller version. That said, do not trust the thermometer in the lid. My current grill is nearly 75 degrees over while my friend's is 40 degrees over! I eventually invested in their iGrill which is something I never said I would do but it has been a great investment. It works through bluetooth so you can read the temperature as long as you are in range. It allows for accurate temperatures and has an alarm to warn you if your grill is too hot or too cold. This is great for days when you are prepping other foods while away from your grill because it will alert you if the grill starts to go out. It's also crucial if you want to get into smoking meats. I have the iGrill 2 and have used the iGrill mini as well. I prefer the iGrill 2 for the multiple thermometers.

Step 4: Cook Your Burgers

Put your burgers over the center of your grill. The wood below should help keep your burgers from being over direct heat as well as providing a light smoke flavor. The indirect cooking allows you to evenly cook your burgers so you only have to turn them once. This results in a great juicy burger!

Cooking times vary wildly depending on the temperature of your grill. For me, at around 350-400 F degrees, a burger takes around 4 minutes per side. If you don't know how to tell if your meat is done, use your iGrill thermometer for an accurate reading. Your burger should be 160 F degrees and not too much higher.

Put some cheese on top if you prefer your burgers that way and serve!