Grilled Wagyu Burgers

Putting a burger together for an amazing backyard burger experience.

Tender, truly melt-in-your-mouth, buttery hamburgers will turn your backyard barbecue into an impressive gourmet experience. Save up and get ready to impress your family.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Chilling Time 30

Total Time 43

Servings

Calories 350kcal

Author Imma

Equipment

1 Grill

Ingredients

The Burgers

1-1½ pounds (450-700g) ground Wagyu beef
salt and pepper to taste (¾-1 teaspoon of salt per pound)
1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
¼ cup (25g) minced onions (optional)
1-2 tablespoons (8-15g) burger seasoning (optional)

Optional Burger Fixings

6 burger buns or brioche buns
mayo
mustard
ketchup
grilled onions
blue cheese (or other melty cheese)
pickles (or pickled jalapenos)

Instructions

Grilling

Clean the grill grates. You can oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking, but there's enough fat in Wagyu that it's not usually necessary.
In a charcoal grill, create a two-zone fire by placing charcoal on one side while leaving the other empty so you can move the hamburgers to the cooler side if they cook too quickly.
Preheat a gas grill on medium-high until it reaches 375-400°F (190-205℃). If using charcoal, make sure the coals are evenly lit and glowing before adding the patties.
Gently but thoroughly mix the ground beef, salt, pepper, and the optional Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic and onions, and burger seasoning in a large bowl. Avoid overmixing.
Divide the hamburger into 4-6 equal parts, then form the patties. Use your thumb to make a slight depression in the middle of each patty to prevent them from puffing up on the grill. Chill them in the fridge for around 30 minutes to firm up the fat before placing them on the grill.
Place the patties on the hot side of the grill and grill them for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed. Gently flip them, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads your preferred doneness.
If the burger is cooking too fast, move the patties to the cooler side, away from direct heat. Grilling Wagyu burgers can cause flare-ups thanks to their high fat content. You can also lower the heat at this stage so they cook evenly.
Cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the patties and the desired doneness. The FDA recommendation for ground beef food safety is an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C).

Assembly

Optionally toast the buns during the last 2 minutes of grilling.
Take the burgers off the grill and let them rest for a few minutes, then build your burger your way. Enjoy!

Notes

Keeping the patties chilled until ready to grill ensures the fat remains solid longer for a juicier, more flavorful burger.
A two-zone cooking area allows moving the patties away from the direct heat in the case of flare-ups.
A drip pan under the grates will catch dripping fat and reduce the possibility of flare-ups for safer grilling.
Having a water spray bottle on hand will let you douse flare-ups.
Avoid pressing the burger patties as it squeezes out the fat, leading to flare-ups and dry burgers.
Allowing the cooked burgers to rest for 1-5 minutes after grilling helps redistribute the juices for a juicier burger.
The nutritional data is only for the burger, is a guesstimate, and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition