Help, burgers are burning!

EggLuver

I've done burgers twice now and each time I've had this same problem.

I get the Egg up to 600-650 first. I have a medium Egg and I put on about 7 or 8 burgers. I close the lid and plan to cook them, based on what I read from a post here, 2 min. on one side then flip for 2 min. on the other side, then flip one more time and cook for about 2 min. with everything shut down. I don't get to do this procedure though because both times the burgers have just about caught on fire! Flames start shooting up all over the place so I close the vents a litte and bring the temp down, but still have the problem, just to a little lesser degree. I end up having to flip them a lot and cook them for around 15 min or more just to get them done on the inside, but they are pretty much burnt on the outside.

Obviously, I am very new to the Egg, but I'm just becoming more and more frustrated. I tried doing wings last week and had basically the same problem as I did with the burgers.

Oh yeah, one other huge problem I forgot to mention. I also had tons of white smoke pouring out. I mean it was so bad that when I was dealing with turning the food over, I couldn't even open my eyes because they were buring so bad.

Please help. What am I doing wrong???

PhilsGrill

Try 350.

vidalia1

I assume you are closing the dome while the burgers are cooking...anyway...

I cook burgers at 450 direct on a raised grid. I usually cook them about 4-5 minutes per side flipping once.

Yes you may have some smoke with any meats with a higher fat content but if you let all the bad smoke go away before putting the burgers on you should not have a lot more smoke.

Keep trying and you will get there...

Nicolas_Kershanko

For me, the fattier the meat (burgers, wings) the higher in the grid I want to go or you may need to place something between the meat and the flames.

Sometimes I uses one of those flat vegetable grids to slow the flow of fat drippings from going directly into the flames. For Wings I have used a BGE Pizza stone with a sheet of foil placed on the top (not wrapped) with salt on it. The salt helps the fat from flaring up.

JB

EggLuver- I cooked em that way my first few times with pretty good results but I was only cooking 3 burgers and I flipped at about 90 sec/ side for the sear and then dwelled for about 4 minutes. I now cook them at a lower temp, usually 400-450 depending on if I am cooking something else at the same time. I even tried them at 300F a while back with a few wood chips. Took about 15-20 minutes but they were moist and had a nice smoky grill flavor. Keep experimenting with different temps and techniques and you'll stumble on one that suits your tastes perfectly. Also, use the search function here. Type in "burger" and you'll find a TON of different techniques, tips, recipes, etc.

Misippi Egger

EL<

If you don't have a way to elevate your grid above the fire ring level, you really need to get something. I rarely cook anything anymore at that level. An elevated grid is so much more versatile. For example with burgers and wings, you get the cooking surface farther away from the lump and if you built a small fire (a la fishlesssman), then you increase the distance even more. That will decrease the chance of burning what ever you are cooking.

I cook wings at 400*, direct, on an elevated grid, turning once and removing when they reach 200* internal temp. I get crisp, fantastic wings that my wife raves about, and that's really all that matters, right ? :woohoo: :woohoo:

Look at: www.ceramicgrillstore.com for the Woo2 for your medium egg.

Grandpas Grub

 
Looks like both you and Nicolas_Kershanko are having somewhat the same problem.

As said in many posts make sure the lump burn is established and your egg is doing a clean burn.

Cooking indirect with some type of drip pan/catcher will eliminate flair up from drippings for the meat.

At times I like to cook direct no some cooks as I like the flavor of the food that comes from drippings the natural fats hitting the burning lump.

Make sure your dome thermometer is calibrated.

Cooking burgers or wings at 650° - 700° direct I would guess would be a bit of a challenge. Hopefully you are actually cooking at about 350° to 400°.

If the burgers have a lot of 'juice' when cooking it doesn't matter what you are cooking on, a BGE, gasser or charcoal briquettes you are going to get some flair up and a lot of smoke. I would expect you will get the least flair up on the egg if you are keeping the dome closed.

Here are some things that work for me. Load the lump to just above the air holes in the firebox. Use raised grid if possible.

Adjust the lower vent as closed as you can for the temperature you want to cook at (about 1/4" open to get 400°). Have the DFMT on the egg but mostly open or don't use the DFMT off completly. You will be controlling the heat by the lower vent and not the DFMT.

Assuming your lump is burning clean, put your flavor wood on the lump (smoke will begin again). Wait a few minutes and put the burgers on the grid and close the dome. At this point you shouldn't see much change.

As the burgers get warm they will begin to drip. Those drippings will cause smoke.

When you open the dome you may well get a flair up, it is just going to happen so have a long handled tongs, or a long handled spatula. Turn the burgers and again more drippings and possible flair up and close the dome quickly. You are wearing a good pair of gloves, right!

If the lump is in a flair up state you won't have much smoke and you may well see flame leaping up out of the dome. Either close the DFMT or put your gloves over the dome opening. You want the flames to go out and yes you will see more smoke once again.

When time is ready, turn your burgers one more time and follow the same procedures to put the flair up out. Finish your cook. The actual flame at food level will be minimal.

Cook your food to done temperature not to time.

GG

Grandpas Grub

 
A note to those reading... there are two ways to get the effect of a raised grid.

Use a raised grid or use less lump. The object is to get distance between the food level and the lump level.

Put less lump in the egg even to below the air holes in the fire box.

GG

2Fategghead

I'm listning everybody! Tim

fishlessman

raise your grid and lower your temps. anywhere from 350 to 450 works for bugers. work quickly when the dome is open helps as well. for your wings cook at lower temp raised grid 300 to 400 seems to be the norm, some are cooking wings between 250 and 300, you will need to experiment for your tastes.