How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

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Things You'll Need

  • Wire grill brush

  • Ground beef

  • Hot dogs

  • Charcoal

  • Grill utensils

  • Barbecue grill

  • Salt and pepper

  • Plates

  • Waxed paper

  • Meat thermometer

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs. Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers are a sure-fire hit with kids of all ages. It's simple to do and doesn't take very long to cook. There's a reason why you'll find burgers and hot dogs on almost anybody grill during a barbecue.

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Step 1

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Purchase high-quality hot dogs, ground beef, buns and condiments. Remember that the leaner the ground beef you buy, the drier your burgers will be, so avoid meat labeled "lean" or "extra lean".

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Step 2

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Season the ground beef with plenty of salt and pepper.

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Step 3

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Form ground beef into patties using hands or a mold: Grab a tennis ball-sized piece of beef and flatten it into a patty. Be sure the patty is the same thickness on the edges as it is in the middle. Each patty should be about 3/4 inch thick. To account for shrinkage during cooking, make the patties at least 1/2-inch larger in diameter than the buns you'll be putting them on.

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Step 4

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Stack the ground beef patties on a plate, separating them with pieces of waxed paper. Refrigerate the patties until it's time to cook.

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Step 5

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for cooking over high heat. (See related eHows for grilling instructions.)

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Step 6

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Place the hamburger patties on the clean, well-oiled grill grate. Grill the burgers over high heat for about 5 minutes per side. Hamburgers are cooked to medium when a thermometer inserted into the middle reads 160 degrees F.

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Step 7

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Turn hot dogs often until slightly blistered on all sides.

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Step 8

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Transfer the grilled hamburgers and hot dogs to a clean plate or platter. Never put cooked meat back on the same plate that held raw meat.

Step 9

How to Grill Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

Brush the hamburger and hot dog buns with melted butter and toast them briefly on the grill, if desired.

Tip

Keep a spray bottle of water near the barbecue in case of flare-ups. The more fat there is in your ground beef, the more the patties will shrink. Hot dogs are usually precooked, so you only need to heat them up on the barbecue; plan cooking times accordingly.

Warning

Be sure hamburgers are cooked all the way through to avoid e. coli poisoning.

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