Smoked Brisket Burger
On June 22, 2022 (Updated October 24, 2023)
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A smoked brisket burger offers all the flavor of a traditional Texas-style brisket sandwich in burger form. It has a rich and ultra-beefy flavor that makes you feel like you’re eating from an upscale restaurant.
What is a Brisket Burger?
A brisket burger is a burger made of ground brisket meat. You’ll still get that traditional beef burger flavor, but these patties are made exclusively from the brisket cut (rather than chuck, round, or sirloin cuts).
Brisket meat is ground up and formed into patties. The patties are seasoned with salt, pepper, and other seasonings and then cooked on a BBQ.
You haven’t lived until you’ve tried a brisket burger. It’s full of good, beefy flavor, and it’s a great way to get more use out of your brisket!
Ground Brisket vs. Ground Beef
So what exactly is the difference between ground brisket and ground beef? Let’s talk about each one a little bit more.
- Ground brisket. This meat is only from the brisket portion of the cow. The brisket is from the lower chest of the animal. It’s one of the least tender cuts of meat, but when slow cooked or smoked it gains an incredible beefy flavor. It can be pricier if you buy this type of ground meat from the store, but if you use your own trimmings from beef brisket, you can actually get more bang for your buck!
- Ground beef. Ground beef doesn’t always have to specify where the meat is taken from the animal. It can include any cut of beef, but chuck, round, and sirloin tend to be the most popular. Ground beef is an affordable meat option and is used in hamburgers, meatloaf, meatballs, and more.
Brisket Burger
Making burgers from brisket trimmings means more meals for your money and a crazy flavorful dinner. Brisket trimmings make for excellent burgers because the meat-to-fat ratio is perfect and the beefy flavor is really rich.
Pair the smoky brisket patties with pickled jalapeños, sliced onions, and my Texas BBQ Sauce for a burger your whole family will be talking about for a good, long while.
Ingredients for Brisket Burgers
Here’s what you’ll need to make these burgers.
- 2 pounds brisket trimmings
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub (or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder)
- 6 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 burger buns
I highly recommend the following toppings, but you can always load up this burger with your favorites. Other great toppings include lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise.
- 1 sliced onion
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos
- 1/2 cup Hey Grill Hey Texas BBQ Sauce
My Texas Style BBQ Sauce can be made from scratch using this Texas BBQ Sauce Recipe, or you can purchase a bottle delivered straight to your door from the Hey Grill Hey Store. If you choose to make your own BBQ sauce, I recommend making it ahead of time so it’s ready to go right after the burgers come off the smoker.
How to Make a Brisket Burger
Once you have your brisket trimmings ready to go, here’s how to make a brisket burger.
- Preheat. Turn on your favorite smoker and preheat to 225 degrees F. I like using a mix of oak and cherry with brisket meat, but feel free to use your favorite hardwood
- Grind the brisket trimmings. Run the brisket trimmings through a meat grinder on the coarser setting and then back through again a second time on the smaller setting/grinder.
- Make the patties. Form the meat into 6 equal-sized patties. These will be around 1/3 pounds each.
- Season. Season the beef patties on both sides with Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub. If you don’t have any of this on hand, you can also use equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Smoke. With your smoker running steady at 225 degrees F, place the seasoned brisket patties on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke for around 1 hour or until the meat reaches 135 degrees F.
- Add cheese and finish smoking. Top each patty with a slice of cheddar cheese. Close the lid, and continue smoking until the patties reach your desired internal temperature (the FDA recommends cooking ground beef to 160 degrees F). Use a meat thermometer to gauge the doneness of your burgers.
- Assemble. Remove the patties from the smoker and assemble your brisket burger. Enjoy!
More Smoked Brisket Recipes
After you have your brisket trimmings ready to make into these awesome burgers, check out these other smoked brisket recipes to help you cook up that whole packer brisket!
Brisket Burger Recipe
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Smoked Brisket Burger
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brisket trimmings
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- 6 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 burger buns
- 1 yellow or red onion sliced
- ¼ cup pickled jalapenos
- ½ cup Hey Grill Hey Texas BBQ Sauce recipe link in notes
- burger toppings I like lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo on these burgers
Instructions
- Grind the brisket trimmings. Grind the brisket trimmings in a meat grinder. Run them through the larger grind first, and then a second time through the smaller grinder. Form your burgers into 6 equal-sized patties (about ⅓ pound each). If you don't have a meat grinder, you can ask your local butcher to grind the meat for you.
- Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F using your favorite hardwood for brisket. I prefer a mix of oak and cherry.
- Season. Season the beef patties on both sides with Hey Grill Hey’s Beef Rub or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Smoke. Place the seasoned brisket patties on the grill grates of your preheated smoker. Close the lid and smoke for approximately 1 hour or until the burger's internal temperature reads 135 degrees F.
- Add cheese. Top each ground brisket patty with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese, close the lid, and continue smoking until the meat reaches your desired internal doneness and your cheese is melted.
- Assemble your burgers. Toast the buns, if desired, and place the brisket burger on the bottom bun. Top with sliced onions, pickled jalapenos, Hey Grill Hey’s Texas BBQ Sauce, any other toppings you like, and the top toasted bun. Enjoy!
Notes
- Purchase it from the store HERE: Texas Style BBQ Sauce
- Make it from scratch using this RECIPE: Texas BBQ Sauce Recipe
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Came out great, except the fine grind on the brisket made it a little too mushy. Next time will only use the course grind. I’m love to share pictures, but can’t in this comment section.
I’m not sure what “brisket trimmings” are. When I prepare a brisket for smoking by trimming the fat, there is very little meat with the trimmings. Love your recipes.
Very good!! Thank you!
Do you use the brisket fat or just the meat in the grinding? If using the brisket fat, how much do you use?