Spicy Hot Meat Loaf using a Grill

I’m a big lover of cooking outside on a grill. Gas or charcoal, I like to mix it up. Grilling outside is a great substitute for cooking inside on or in an oven, plus you just can’t beat the experience and the added flavor. I made this spicy hot meat loaf using a grill and it came out fantastic. As a bonus, it picked up a light smokiness, which went great along with the spicy meat mixture that was packed with flavors, some traditionally found in a meatloaf and some not.

Spicy Hot Meat Loaf using a Grill

I cooked my spicy hot meat loaf using a grill in a large cast iron skillet. I could’ve used a large aluminum disposable pan. But, the skillet gets hotter and adds a nice crunchy layer around the edges and bottom of the meat loaf. That added texture made a noticeable, welcome difference. It kinda reminded me of the old Pizza Hut deep pan pizzas. You know the ones. They cooked them in iron skillets with a little oil. That oil helped get the bottoms and sides of the crust a little bit crunchy. That was the best part of the pizza!

You can of course cook this in a large disposable pan instead.

Spicy Hot Meat Loaf using a Grill
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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Hot Meat Loaf using a Grill

Delicious grilled meatloaf with a nice kick.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword grilled, meatloaf
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 272kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill for indirect cooking at 350 F.
  • Place all but the chili sauce into a large bowl. Using your hands, combine well but try to not over-work the mixture.
  • Transfer the mixture to a disposable pan or large cast-iron skillet and shape as desired. Make sure you keep the same thickness throughout the loaf.
  • Using the handle end of a wooden spoon (or your finger), make indentations in several locations over the top of the loaf.
  • Pour chili sauce over top of the loaf, covering it evenly and filling the indentations.
  • Transfer to the grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 F as checked in several locations.
  • Remove and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 637mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 647IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Garlic Cheeseburgers

If you’re going to make garlic cheeseburgers, don’t do it halfway. Don’t just sprinkle a bit of garlic salt on a patty and call it done. No. Get some garlic in everywhere. In the patties. On the patties. On the buns. And then add some more. Your goal is to make sure no vampires would dare come within 500 feet of you. Get ready for it. Here comes the garlic!

Garlic Cheeseburgers

You’re not going to find a much easier burger to make than these garlic cheeseburgers. We’re not making some fru-fru $22 brew pub burger here. And we’re not making some burger that you’re going to make for that first date, either. These are gonna hang with you for a while, so to speak, so share them with close friends and loved ones. The ones that won’t mind the garlic.

Still craving more garlic flavor? Sprinkle some Holy Garlic! seasoning on top of your burgers just before serving.

Garlic Cheeseburgers
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5 from 1 vote

Garlic Cheeseburgers

Plenty of garlic flavor in every bite!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers, garlic
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 566kcal

Ingredients

For the burger seasoning

For the garlic butter

  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 teaspoons garlic minced

For the burgers

  • 8 hamburger buns
  • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
  • garlic salt to taste
  • 8 slices American cheese

Instructions

For the burger seasoning

  • Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

For the garlic butter

  • Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a small skillet. Add the garlic and stir. Keep warm until ready to use, stirring often.

For the burgers

  • Fire up your grill for direct cooking.
  • Brush some of the garlic butter mixture onto the sliced sides of the buns and toast on the grill.
  • Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the seasoning. Using your hands combine the seasoning and meat. Form into 8 small equally-sized balls.
  • Add meat to the grill. Push down with a spatula to flatten into patties.
  • Season the tops of the burgers with a small pinch of garlic salt. Cook 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once, or until the desired doneness is achieved.
  • Brush burger patties with any additional garlic butter and top with cheese. Let melt slightly.
  • Serve patties on toasted buns and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1623mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 298IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 421mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Easy Grilled Turkey Breast

You don’t have to have a bunch of fancy equipment (an injector is a must!) or ingredients to make a really, really great dish for Thanksgiving. My easy grilled turkey breast takes less than two hours to make. It comes out delicious, moist, and tender, with the best crunchy skin ever. And other than a little time basting, it’s about as fuss-free as you can get. And pretty much pretty hard to goof up, too!

This recipe for an easy grilled turkey breast starts with a frozen breast that has already been brined. Most frozen turkey comes this way. The brining process means you don’t have to brine it yourself. It also means things are going to be easy.

You can get by without an injector if you don’t have one, though I highly recommend the investment. If you don’t have one, simply (and carefully) separate the skin from the turkey on the front part of the breast. Just go slow, gently sliding your fingers in between the skin and meat and it will come apart. Then, dip your fingers into the butter mixture (after letting it cool slightly!) and rub it on the meat beneath the skin where you separated the two. That’s it. Get plenty up in there (about half of the mix) and you’ll have great results!

Easy Grilled Turkey Breast

You’ll need (and want) a quality injector when you prepare your turkey breast for grilling. This is not the time to skimp and get a flimsy injector. You want strong needles with the right-sized holes for making sure your injection liquid gets in to every nook and cranny of the turkey breast. I use one similar to the injector below and love it!

Easy Grilled Turkey Breast
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Grilled Turkey Breast

You'll need (and want) a quality injector when you prepare your turkey breast for grilling. This is not the time to skimp and get a flimsy injector.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword breast, grilled, turkey
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Servings 6
Calories 265kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 turkey breast frozen bone-in turkey breast, 5-6 pounds, thawed completely. Do not use a fresh breast
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 whole stick
  • 2 tablespoons your favorite BBQ seasoning more or less, to taste. I used Sweet Red from Albukirky Seasonings. See the note below.

Instructions

  • Rinse the breast and pat dry. Trim off any excess fat.
  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the seasoning
  • Fill an injector with half of the butter mixture (working in batches if necessary) and inject throughout the turkey. Get the needle deep into the meat of the thighs and breast.
  • Blot the turkey breast dry.
  • Place the turkey breast on a rimmed baking sheet and let sit out at room temperature for 1 hour.
  • Place the breast over the aluminum pan. Close the lid and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting with the remaining butter mixture every 20 minutes.
  • After 1 1/2 hours, and once the breast has started to turn golden brown, keep cooking and basting until the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Make sure to measure the temperature in several locations, and do not let the thermometer touch the bone when testing.
  • Remove turkey and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. and serving.

Notes

Use a BBQ seasoning that will dissolve easily in the butter. You don’t want big chunks of ‘stuff’ that might clog the injection needle. If you have to, strain the butter mixture before injecting.

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 319mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 492IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Blistered Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta

I find myself watching re-runs of Steven Raichlen’s grilling shows on PBS over and over. It seems that no matter how many times I’ve seen an episode I run across something that I have to add to my to-cook list. His wood-grilled blistered tomato and ricotta bruschetta hit me as something I needed to make and soon. So I did. This recipe proves that it really doesn’t take many ingredients or much time to make a delicious side dish. Some good bread, ricotta and cherry tomatoes and you’re just about done. I almost always have a grill going, and there’s always enough room left for a few tomatoes. This is fantastic summer-time dish, but you can make it year-round too!

Grilled Blistered Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta

There’s a wonderful contrast between the crunchy bread, the pop of the tomatoes, and the creaminess of the cheese in this grilled blistered tomato and ricotta bruschetta. Roasting the tomatoes adds such a wonderful flavor. I could’ve added fresh herbs like the original recipe called for, but decided to leave them out. I’m glad that I did.

I recommend that you use a grill basket when making the tomatoes for this dish. It makes cooking easier and you don’t have to worry about anything falling through the grates. And cleanup is easier too!

Grilled Blistered Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta
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4 from 2 votes

Grilled Blistered Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta

Roasting the tomatoes adds such a wonderful flavor.
Course Side or Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword bruschetta, tomato
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 283kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill for medium-high direct heat grilling.
  • Spray a grilling basket with non-stick spray. You can also use a cast iron skillet or disposable pan.
  • Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer the tomatoes to the basket and place over direct heat.
  • Grill until the tomatoes start to char and the skins pop. Shake or toss the tomatoes and grill the same on the other sides.
  • Remove from grill and let cool slightly.
  • Place the bread slices on the grill and toast slightly on both sides.
  • Divide the cheese between the slices of bread, spreading it out evenly. Don't be shy with it. You might have extra cheese. You might not.
  • Add the tomatoes to the cheese. You can slice them in half first if you want, specially the larger ones.
  • Garnish liberally with parsley or fresh herbs and serve.

Notes

This bread is also excellent when drizzled with some slightly-reduced balsamic vinegar!

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 396mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 934IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Chophouse Smash Burgers

These chophouse smash burgers hit the spot and then some. I’m a big smash burger fan, and although I usually make them more traditional with lettuce, tomato and onion, the sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese and steak sauce on these burgers was fantastic. Good and messy, these burgers are destined to show up on our menu often.

Chophouse Smash Burgers

Making Chophouse smash burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a burger press. Any griddle will do, whether it’s on a grill (I use and love my Weber grills!), cooktop, stove or even a standalone outdoor flattop. Just get those patties nice and thin and top them with a little cheese and sautéed mushrooms and onions . And steak sauce.

Also try my Cowboy Big Mac Smash burgers and my Swamp sauce Smash burgers.

Chophouse Smash Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Chophouse Smash Burgers

Good and messy, these burgers are destined to show up on your menu often.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burger, steakhouse
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 479kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
  • Add the onion slices and cook until just turning soft, about 5 minutes or so.
  • Add the mushrooms. Stir and cook until the mushrooms and onions are caramelized and get some brown color. This can take up to 10 minutes. If too much liquid accumulates in the pan it will boil the vegetables not brown them, so drain some off if needed.
  • Season with salt and pepper. Stir and remove from heat.
  • Fire up your grill for direct medium-high heat cooking. You can also use an outdoor or indoor griddle or a large skillet on a stove.
  • Form the beef into 4-equally sized balls or patties. Season well with salt and pepper.
  • Place the patties on grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with cheese and grill until they've reached your desired doneness and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Make the burgers by placing the patties on the bun bottoms.
  • Add the mushroom and onion mix followed by a good drizzle of the steak sauce.
  • Add the bun top and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 565mg | Potassium: 647mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 186IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Slaw

I’ve made a whole bunch of Buffalo-flavored poultry burgers. Most were kinda on the complicated side. They had all sorts of ingredients packed into the patties in an attempt to keep them from drying out. These Buffalo turkey burgers with blue cheese slaw are much easier. There aren’t 40 ingredients. Yet, they come out delicious, moist, and tender. And of course, packed with traditional Buffalo wing flavors.

Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Slaw

Don’t over look the slaw on these Buffalo turkey burgers with blue cheese slaw. It’s fantastic. Packed with blue cheese flavors. Save the slaw recipe for any time you want a different kind of slaw. It’d be great on grilled brats too. And sure, if you’re in to carrots and that whole Buffalo theme thing, add a few diced carrots into the slaw too. They’ll add some crunchiness and color too.

I like to use a burger press when I make burgers. It, in combination with some patty papers, enables me to crank out a whole bunch of equally-sized burger patties in no time at all with little cleanup.

Turkey can be a bit sticky. When I make the patties I use patty paper below and on top of the patties before I press them.

Also try my apple maple turkey burger.

Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Slaw
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5 from 1 vote

Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Slaw

These burgers are packed with traditional Buffalo wing flavors.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers, turkey
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 537kcal

Ingredients

For the Blue Cheese Slaw

For the Burgers

Instructions

For the Blue Cheese Slaw

  • Place all ingredients except for the celery and celery leaves into a bowl. Whisk until combined.
  • Add the celery. Stir. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Burgers

  • Place turkey, bread crumbs, milk, and salt into a medium bowl. Using your hands combine the mixture. Do not over-mix.
  • Divide the mixture into 4 equally-sized patties. They'll be just over 5 ounces each.
  • Fire up your grill for medium-high heat.
  • Toast the buns if desired.
  • Transfer patties to the grill and grill for 5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F.
  • Assemble burgers by first brushing the insides of the bun tops and bottoms with the Buffalo sauce. Now is not the time to be shy with it.
  • Top the bun bottom with a turkey patty. Spoon the blue cheese slaw on top.
  • Add the bun top and serve… with lots of napkins!

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1196mg | Potassium: 706mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Meatloaf Smash Burgers

Smash burgers are by far my favorite things to grill. They always come out juicy and packed with flavor. And they get that great crusty edge, reminding me of the diner burgers of my childhood. These meatloaf smash burgers put all of the flavors of a delicious meatloaf in a convenient hand-held package that hits the spot. Add traditional glaze and simple toppings (just onion and lettuce!) and you’ve got a real winner of a burger!

Meatloaf Smash Burgers

I can’t say enough how great these meatloaf smash burgers were. And they checked one of my required boxes for burgers: messy. The messier, the better. If it isn’t messy it doesn’t have enough ‘stuff’ on it. These burgers have stuff and then some. And the glaze? Oh so good!

The patties on these burgers are larger than I usually use for smash burgers. They were close to 6 ounces a pieces. That’s not a bad thing. You can adjust the recipe if you’d prefer smaller, 4 ounce patties, instead and end up with 6 servings instead of 4.

Making these burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a grill press. Any griddle will do, whether it’s on a grill, cooktop, stove or even a standalone outdoor flattop. Just get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings. And a great sauce.

Also try my Swamp Sauce smash burgers and my Chophouse smash burgers.

Meatloaf Smash Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Meatloaf Smash Burgers

Flavor-packed juicy smash burgers!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burger
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 2193kcal

Equipment

  • 2 grill press You might need 2 to fully cover the burgers while they cook

Ingredients

For the Glaze

For the Burgers

Instructions

For the Glaze

  • Whisk the ketchup, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl.

For the Burgers

  • Fire up your grill for direct medium-high heat cooking. You can also use an outdoor or indoor griddle or a large skillet on a stove.
  • Place the meatloaf into large bowl. Using your hands, break it into large pieces.
  • Add the egg, Worcestershire sauce. thyme and pepper. Combine the ingredients into the meatloaf mix.
  • Divide the meat into 4 equally-sized portions and shape into balls. Don't pack the meat, just loosely form into balls.
  • Place the meat balls onto the grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press to form thin patties. Season well with salt.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side. Keep the burger press on top of the burgers as they cook.
  • Slather one side of the patties with the glaze. Flip and grill anther minute.
  • Slather top side of the patties with more glaze. Flip and grill another minute or until they reach your desired doneness.
  • Transfer cooked patties to bun bottoms. If you have more glaze, divide it between the patties.
  • Top with onion and iceberg and bun tops and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 2193kcal | Carbohydrates: 152g | Protein: 175g | Fat: 114g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 662mg | Sodium: 3817mg | Potassium: 896mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 66g | Vitamin A: 1174IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 355mg | Iron: 22mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Swamp Sauce Smash Burgers

Oh man did these Swamp Sauce smash burgers ever hit the spot. Juicy patties. Crisp fresh toppings. All with a wonderful creamy sauce that is a combination of just about every good burger sauce you can think of. It’s got a little heat. It’s got a little sweet. A little tang. This will solve your problem if you find yourself opening the fridge, looking at the condiment bottles, and trying to decide what to use. These burgers are proof that even the simplest sauce can make a ‘plain’ burger something special. Sure, there are a few ingredients, but nothing fancy and nothing complicated.

Swamp Sauce Smash Burgers

Making Swamp Sauce smash burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a burger press. Any griddle will do, whether it’s on a grill, cooktop, stove or even a standalone outdoor flattop. Just get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings. And a great sauce.

Also try my Thousand Island BBQ smash burgers and my meatloaf smash burgers (yum!).

Swamp Sauce Smash Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Swamp Sauce Smash Burgers

Get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burger
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 572kcal

Ingredients

For the sauce

For the burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef formed into four 4-ounce patties
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 burger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese or American cheese
  • 4 slices onion
  • 1 pieces iceberg lettuce torn or chopped
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 6 slices dill pickle

Instructions

For the sauce

  • In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the burgers

  • Fire up your grill for direct medium-high heat cooking. You can also use an outdoor or indoor griddle or a large skillet on a stove.
  • Season the burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Don’t be shy with the seasoning.
  • Place the patties on grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with cheese and grill until they’ve reached your desired doneness and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Make the burgers by first spreading some of the sauce on the bun bottoms.
  • Add a burger patty.
  • Add onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle slices.
  • Slather the top bun with more of the sauce and serve.

Notes

Patties 4-5 ounces in weight work best.

Nutrition

Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 2450mg | Potassium: 761mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 920IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Thousand Island BBQ Smash Burgers

Oh man did these Thousand Island BBQ smash burgers ever hit the spot. Juicy patties. Crisp fresh toppings. All with a wonderful creamy sauce that makes you think of you-know-who’s Special Sauce but with a definite twist. Chili sauce adds a bit of heat and a tad bit of sweetness. Worcestershire makes you think steak sauce. And of course, there’s the BBQ sauce. I used a nice smoky hickory BBQ sauce because I wanted to make sure I got that wonderful BBQ flavor in my burgers. And I did. These burgers are proof that even the simplest sauce can make a ‘plain’ burger something special.

Thousand Island BBQ Smash Burgers

Making Thousand Island BBQ smash burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a burger press. Any griddle will do, whether it’s on a grill, cooktop, stove or even a standalone outdoor flattop. Just get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings. And a great sauce.

Also try my Cowboy Big Mac Smash burgers and my Swamp sauce Smash burgers. And you’ll love my go-to burger sauce.

Thousand Island BBQ Smash Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Thousand Island BBQ Smash Burgers

Get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burgers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 633kcal

Ingredients

For the sauce

For the burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef formed into four 4-ounce patties
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese or American cheese
  • 4 pieces iceberg lettuce torn or chopped
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 4 slices onion
  • 6 slices dill pickle

Instructions

For the sauce

  • Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the burgers

  • Fire up your grill for direct medium-high heat cooking. You can also use an outdoor or indoor griddle or a large skillet on a stove.
  • Season the burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Don’t be shy with the seasoning.
  • Place the patties on grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with cheese and grill until they’ve reached your desired doneness and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Make the burgers by first spreading some of the sauce on the bun bottoms.
  • Add a burger patty.
  • Add onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle slices.
  • Slather the top bun with more of the sauce and serve.

Notes

Patties 4-5 ounces in weight work best.

Nutrition

Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 2491mg | Potassium: 829mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1169IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 348mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Over The Top Smoked Chili

There are as many variations of Over The Top smoked chili as there are variations of ‘regular’ chili. Often referred to as OTT chili, the basic idea is that you smoke a ground beef mixture over a pot of chili mixings, such as tomatoes, beans (oh no! I used beans!), etc. As the beef cooks some of the fat drips into the chili pot, adding flavor. And of course the smoked beef picks up on some smoke flavor, too.

This is how I make it. I won’t ever make it any other way. I don’t need to. This is amazingly good chili.

Over The Top Smoked Chili

One of my biggest concerns with the idea of Over the Top smoked chili was that the beef drips into the chili as it smokes. I knew I wanted some of that fat (fat is flavor!) in the chili but I didn’t want a lot of it floating on top of my chili. Some recipes call for using low-fat (90/10 or even 95/5) beef. Well, that’s expensive. So my solution? Use cheaper ground beef and par-smoke it first. Let much of the fat drip down into a pan, not into the chili. Then add the chili and let the remaining fat drip into it. Problem solved.

Over The Top Smoked Chili Cooking

I went very light on the smoke when I made this. I used just a small chunk or two of fruit wood. Ground beef loves to soak up smoke and I didn’t want that flavor to bury the taste of what is a fantastic chili base.

I used my 5-quart camp Dutch oven, but any other Dutch oven or large pot will do.

Also try my prime rib chili.

Over The Top Smoked Chili
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5 from 1 vote

Over The Top Smoked Chili

This is amazingly good chili.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chili, smoked
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 381kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the beef mixture (The Top)

For the tomato mixture (The Bottom)

Instructions

For the beef mixture (The Top)

  • Fire up your smoker for cooking 250-300 F. Use a lighter wood such as fruit wood for smoke.
  • Note: You can get the beef mixture prepared and onto the smoker while preparing the tomato mixture. Since the beef smokes a bit first, you don't have to have the tomato base ready at the beginning.
  • Place all ingredients into a large bowl. Using your hands, combine the ingredients and form into a loaf.
  • Transfer the loaf to the top rack of your smoker.
  • Optional: Place a disposable pan underneath to catch any drippings. I do this only to make cleanup easier. If the drippings will directly onto hot coals or a hot surface, you may want to catch them in a pan so they don't burn.
  • Smoke the loaf for 1 hour – 1 1/2 hours to cook out some of the fat. It's up to you how much fat you want to remove, just remember that you want some of that fatty flavor in the final chili so don't completely cook the loaf.
  • Remove the disposable pan (if using) and replace it with the pot of the tomato mixture.
  • Continue smoking another 3 minutes – 1 hour or until the beef loaf has reached 155 F.
  • Remove the loaf and chop into small bite-sized crumbles. Transfer to the tomato mixture and stir.
  • Smoke another 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the chili is your desired consistency.
  • Serve!

For the tomato mixture (The Bottom)

  • Heat the oiil in a large (6-quart) Dutch oven over medium high heat.
  • Add the onion and bell pepper and saute 5 minutes or until the onion is just starting to soften.
  • Add the garlic, stir and saute another 1 minute.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredient. Set aside until ready to transfer to the smoker.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 657mg | Potassium: 960mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 644IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.