Best Traeger Burger Recipe – Perfect Every Time!

Once you make Traeger burgers on your pellet grill, you might never go back to other methods. These Traeger hamburgers bring that smoky, juicy flavor every single time. For this easy recipe, we combine ground beef with oat flour, egg, barbeque sauce, seasonings, and cook them on a Traeger grill. Juicy burgers every single time!

Traeger Burgers – Perfect Every Time

Years ago, at a friend’s house, I got to experience Traeger burger patties, and they were legit the best burgers I had ever eaten in my life.

My husband and I were blown away!

Ever since then, it has been our mission to make our own burgers taste just as good. And we’ve done it!

Now you get the chance too, and I can’t wait to teach you how to make them.

The recipe, a handy video showing how I mix and shape my beef patties, plus all my tips and substitutions, are for you below!

What makes these burgers so flavorful?

A burger that is simply shaped from ground beef is missing so much flavor.

We’re building flavor from the ground up so your Traeger burgers never taste flat.

We’re adding dried chives, granulated garlic, sea salt, pepper, barbeque sauce, plus egg and oat flour to keep it all together.

You could skip the burger buns and just enjoy the patty, and you’d be missing nothing!

Why a Traeger is my favorite way to cook burgers

A Traeger grill is different than a regular barbeque – it’s an electric wood pellet grill that also can be used as a smoker. It burns wood chips or pellets.

The way that it cooks meat in a slower way than a barbeque or an oven leaves you with moist meat with great flavor.

It’s electric and easy to use – simply get your Traeger smoking and then set the Traeger temperature to your desired heat and cook your meat!

Burgers don’t dry out (only juicy burgers here!), and the smoky flavor adds a ton to the burgers!

Type of pellets to use when smoking burgers

For this recipe and most of the time I use my Traeger, I use the signature wood pellet mix, which is a combination of maple, hickory, and cherry natural wood pellets. It works well with all meats that I’ve used and is awesome for burgers!

Don’t be stuck on that blend though – apple, cherry, pecan and hickory are all great options for Traeger beef recipes – you really can’t go wrong with any of them.

Traeger burgers vs traditional hamburgers: What’s the difference?

When you cook burgers on a pellet grill (Traeger style), the meat absorbs gentle smoke for a longer cook that keeps juiciness – contrast that with direct-heat grilling (charcoal or gas), which can dry out thinner patties.

The smoke adds a depth of flavor to these Traeger hamburgers that you just don’t get elsewhere.

What you need for Traeger burgers

Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.

• Ground beef – Go for an 85/15 blend for a juicy Traeger burger. That bit of fat keeps the patties tender and flavorful as they smoke and sizzle on the grill. If you prefer leaner meat, mix in a tablespoon of olive oil or a splash of milk for extra moisture.
• Egg – The egg acts as a gentle binder to hold everything together without making the burgers dense. It also adds a little richness that helps the patties stay juicy.
• Oat flour – Instead of breadcrumbs, oat flour keeps these Traeger hamburgers gluten-free and full of wholesome texture. It lightly absorbs moisture from the meat and egg, helping form sturdy patties that won’t fall apart on the grill.
• Barbecue sauce – This is the secret flavor booster. A couple of spoonfuls mixed right into the meat add smoky sweetness and caramelization when grilled. Use your favorite brand or homemade version – hickory, honey, or chipotle all work beautifully.
• Dried chives – These bring a mild oniony flavor without overpowering the beef. You can swap in finely chopped fresh chives, green onions, or minced onion if you have those on hand.
• Granulated garlic – Adds depth and a touch of savory warmth to balance the smoky BBQ flavor. Garlic powder works too, but granulated garlic clings better to the meat mixture.
• Sea salt – Don’t be shy here – salt enhances every layer of flavor and brings out the natural beefy richness. A fine sea salt mixes evenly throughout the patties.
• Black pepper – Freshly ground pepper gives a subtle kick and rounds out all the other seasonings for that classic, crave-worthy burger bite.

How to grill Traeger hamburgers the right way

Step 1: When you’re ready to cook your burgers turn the Traeger on to smoke and leave the lid open for 5 minutes to start the smoke. Close the lid and set the temperature to 450 degrees F (or high heat). It will take about 15 minutes to get up to the temperature. Make sure you have enough wood pellets to keep the high temperatures.

Step 2: In a large bowl combine the ground beef, egg, oat flour, BBQ sauce, chives, garlic, sea salt, and pepper. Mix fully so that all the flavors get combined well. The best way is with your hands!

Step 3: Divide the burger mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape the perfect burger patty by making a round circle, flattening it until it’s about ½ thick patties, and then adding a small indentation in the center of the top of the burger. This will help it to maintain a flatter shape, and not turn into a burger ball.

Step 4: When the Traeger smoker is ready to go, place patties on the grill grate, close the lid, and cook for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, flip the burgers, and cook for another 5 minutes. If you plan to add cheddar cheese to your burger, add the cheese after 5 minutes and close the lid for 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Step 5: The internal temperature should reach 145 degrees for a medium-rare. Cook a couple more minutes for medium burgers.

Step 6: Serve with burger buns, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and/or pickles, plus all your favorite condiments, and enjoy the amazing flavor!

Watch me make this Traeger burger recipe

The full how-to video can be watched below or on my YouTube channel!

Troubleshooting: Why your Traeger hamburgers may turn out dry or uneven

If your Traeger hamburgers aren’t turning out as juicy and evenly cooked as you’d like, don’t worry – a few simple tweaks can make a big difference. Here’s what might be happening and how to fix it.

1. The patties are too lean
Ground beef with less than 15% fat can dry out quickly on a Traeger. The smoke adds incredible flavor but also pulls out some moisture. For the juiciest Traeger burgers, aim for an 85/15 blend of ground beef.

2. The patties are too thick (or uneven)
Thicker burgers take longer to cook through, which can lead to an overcooked exterior and underdone center. Shape the patties about ¾-inch thick and press a small thumbprint into the center before grilling – it helps them cook evenly and prevents puffing up in the middle.

3. The grill temperature is off
Cooking at too high a temperature can cause the outer layer to dry out before the inside hits a safe temperature. Stick with 425–450 degrees F for that perfect balance between smoky flavor and juicy texture.

4. You flipped too early (or too often)
Let those burgers sit for the full 8 minutes on the first side before flipping. Constant flipping or moving them around interrupts the sear and prevents that beautiful crust that locks in juices.

5. Rest time matters
Just like steak, your Traeger burgers need a few minutes to rest before serving. It allows the juices to redistribute instead of running out the moment you cut or bite into in.

With these quick fixes, you’ll go from dry or uneven to perfectly juicy Traeger burgers every single time.

Favorite sides to enjoy with burgers

These burgers are good alone, but always better with delicious sides! Try any of these favorite sides with dinner tonight.

• Lemony Traeger asparagus recipe
• Crispy sweet potato fries with chipotle mayo
• Strawberry kale salad with poppy seed dressing
• Healthier mac and cheese
• Easy-baked kale chips

More helpful tips

It’s important to fully mix the seasonings into the ground beef, but you don’t want to overmix the burger mixture. That would result in tougher patties.

If you prefer to cook your burgers at a lower temperature, you sure can!

Cook at 350 degrees F on the Traeger for a cook time of 10-12 minutes per side.

They are just as delicious that way.

You can premix and shape the patties in advance and freeze them!

This is helpful if you want to really simplify mealtime by simply taking the frozen burgers out and cooking them right away.

Increase the cooking time by 5-7 minutes total when using frozen burgers.

Substitutions

Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this delicious burger recipe. 

If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!

Ground beef – Ground bison and ground lamb are delicious substitutes here! You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken for an even leaner burger patty.

Egg – If you need to keep these burgers egg-free, omit the egg. The egg helps with binding. Reduce the oat flour by half with the extra liquid from the egg being taken away.

Oat flour – Breadcrumbs, panko, and crushed crackers are all good options to replace the oat flour. If you want to keep it gluten-free, like the oat flour is, opt to crush a gluten-free cracker.

Barbecue sauce – Another great option is to use ketchup here in place of the BBQ sauce. Another good substitution is to add heat into the mix with spicy BBQ sauce!

Dried chives – Fresh chives or minced green onions are good choices to replace dried chives.

Granulated garlic – Garlic powder or onion powder are good options to use in place of granulated garlic. You can also use 1-2 cloves of fresh minced garlic!

More favorite recipes you’ll love

• Traeger pulled pork recipe
• Traeger grilled salmon recipe
• Traeger pork loin roast recipe
• Traeger asparagus recipe
• Healthy burger bowl recipe
• Healthy chicken burgers
• Mini beef sliders with sweet potato buns
• Frozen hamburger patty recipe

If you try this Traeger pellet grill burger recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!

XO

Heather

Originally published November 2022. Updated October 2025.