Smoked Burger Dogs
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Why make folks choose between a hotdog or a hamburger! Give them the smoked burger dog, and they'll all be happy. It's a half-pound burger with two of your favorite hotdogs cooked into it. Add a little cheese in the center, and you have a crowd-pleaser that won't stop!
I make these on the smoker with plenty of smoke, but you could also grill them, griddle them or even fry them if you were so inspired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1.5 to 2 hours
- Smoker Temp: 225°F (107°C)
- Meat Finish Temp: 160°F (71°C)
- Recommended Wood: Oak
- 2 lbs ground chuck (80/20)
- 1 package of premium hotdogs
- Grated cheese (I used cheddar)
- Jeff's original rub
- Jeff's barbecue sauce
- Buns, tomato, lettuce, onion, and condiments
Be sure to use 80/20 or even 75/25 ground chuck or ground round. I do not recommend using hamburger or ground beef if you are after maximum flavor and juiciness.
Separate the ground chuck into pieces that are about ¼ lb each, and without overworking the meat, make a ball out of one of those ¼ lb pieces.
Lay the ball on a piece of wax paper and carefully form it into a patty that is about 4-5 inches in diameter.
Lay 2 hotdogs on top of the burger patty with a little space between them.
Cheese on top..
Add a nice healthy portion of my original rub for amazing flavor
Top it with another patty made exactly like the first one.
Pinch the edges together to seal in all the goodness.
I used the Texas style rub on the top.
Place the burgers directly on the grate, or you can use a pan with a rack, Weber grill pan, or a cooling rack, and you are ready to smoke 'em up!
When I made these, no one was home at the time but my daughter and I, so I only made 4.
If you want more smoked burger dogs, double, triple or even quadruple the recipe.
These work well in any smoker or even on the grill. Set up your smoker for cooking at about 225°F (107°C) using indirect heat. If your smoker uses a water pan fill it up.
Smoke the Burger Dogs
Once the smoker is ready, place the burger dogs in the smoker and close the door.
Let the burger dog combos cook until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) .
A great tool for making sure these are done perfectly is the ThermoPop digital pocket thermometer which reads in 3-4 seconds (that's fast!).
I used oak wood for smoke, but you can use almost any smoking wood you have available. Some of my favorites are pecan, mesquite, cherry and apple.
Eat and enjoy!
- You can also use brats, polish sausage, etc.
- To make them more moist, form each of the burger patties around a pat of butter.
- For best results, do not over mix the ground meat.
- Lean ground beef does not make great burgers, unfortunately. Use at least 80/20 for best results.
Smoked Burger Dogs & Smoking Meat Help
Ingredients
- 2 lbs 80/20 ground chuck
- 1 package of premium hotdogs
- Grated cheese
- Jeff's original rub
- Jeff's barbecue sauce
- Buns (tomato, lettuce, onion, and condiments)
Instructions
- Separate the ground chuck into pieces that are about ¼ lb each and, without overworking the meat, make a ball out of one of those ¼ lb pieces.
- Lay the ball on a piece of wax paper and carefully form it into a patty that is about 4-5 inches in diameter.
- Lay 2 hotdogs on top of the burger patty with a little space between them.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the hot dogs.
- Add a nice healthy portion of Jeff's original rub for amazing flavor.
- Top it with another patty made exactly like the first one.
- Pinch the edges together to seal in all the goodness.
- Season the top of the burgers with Jeff's Texas style rub
- Place the burgers onto a pan with a rack, and you are ready to smoke 'em!
- If you want more smoked burger dogs, double, triple or even quadruple the recipe.
- Set up your smoker for cooking at about 225°F (107°C) using indirect heat. If your smoker uses a water pan, fill it up.
- Once the smoker is ready, place the burger dogs directly on the grate or, if you used a pan with a rack, place the rack on the smoker grate.
- Let the burgers cook until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- Put the burger dogs on a toasted bun heaped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, bacon and your favorite condiments.
- Eat and enjoy!
Jeff – I did something similar with a split hot link in the middle and those are magical. The crisp bite through of the sausage with a little heat (and mess) make them perfect!
Add some bacon to those babies and you’ll have something I remember from an old Cosby Show….BaconBurgerDogs! Whew-boy!
What I admire most about you Smokers and Pitmasters is your “zany ingenuity.” When BBQing, I ALWAYS have a dog or two with a burger. Both go perfectly with baked beans, chips , fries, potato or macaroni salad, ad infimum.
Doesn’t this fall apart at first bite? Maybe one hot dog sliced in half length-wise might be a good adjustment if you’re not feeding “Larry the Cable Guy”
Some things that I cook are more about presentation than practicality but yes, you are absolutely correct. A half-dog laid side by side would work perfectly fine.
Question for you….I have stopped eating sugar for numerous reasons. What can I use as a substitute in your rub and sauce recipes? I generally use my smoker all summer long, but I have not done so yet this year because I didn’t know what to do about the sugar. Your help with this would be greatly appreciated:)