Goat Cheese Burgers
Goat Cheese Burgers consist of half-pound patties that are grilled to perfection. Stuffed with goat cheese and topped with Monterey Jack, these will surely knock your socks off. Burger Night done right!
Try our Pimento Cheese Burgers next!
Big Green Egg Burgers
Grilling Season and our Big Green Egg go hand-in-hand. We rotate between juicy burgers, tender chicken, cedar plank salmon, and the occasional steak. The smokiness from our Big Green Egg adds incredible flavor to everything we grill.
While we love our red meat, we also enjoy lean ground turkey and our Green Chile Turkey Burgers too.
Interested in a low-carb version? Try our Deconstructed Burgers next!
Why This Recipe Works:
- SIMPLE – We love easy dinners and burgers are a go-to on weekends when we’re ready to indulge a bit.
- GREAT FLAVOR – A tender burger filled with goat cheese and topped with as much as we can pile on top.
- PARTY FOOD – Burgers make the best party food for friend and family gatherings. There is nothing better!
Ingredients needed to make Goat Cheese Burgers:
The ingredient list is basic, but the process is key.
- Beef – Use any variety of ground beef you prefer. My preference is to use between 80-85% lean. For these burgers, I used 85% ground chuck from a local meat market.
- Cheese – We are huge goat cheese lovers, so instead of the typical cheddar cheese, we used goat cheese. It was SO delicious! We also topped the burgers with a slice of Monterey Jack.
- Seasonings – My son did the grilling, and he prefers a mixture of seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. You could try other seasonings of your choice as well.
- Onions – Topping your burger with caramelized onions is the only way to go!
- To Serve – We added some juicy garden tomatoes, some dill pickle ovals, and a dollop of special sauce! We also love Ketchup, mustard, guacamole, or simple garlic aioli.
How to make the best Goat Cheese Burgers:
Step 1
Choose your beef. When shopping for your beef, make sure you buy a cut that’s no greater than 85% lean. We normally go with 80-85%. Buy enough to allocate 1/2 pound for EACH burger. I know, it’s a lot. But necessary!
Step 2
Use a scale to weigh the beef. Weigh sections of beef in four-ounce equal portions. Use a heavy object (like a small cast iron pan) to smash each round into flat patties. You will use two of these flattened patties to make each burger.
Step 3
Form patties. After each four-ounce patty has been flattened, add a mound of tangy goat cheese to half of them. Press the other patties on top, and pinch the sides together so that the cheese is fully surrounded by beef. These will be thick patties.
Step 4
Light your grill. Light an outdoor grill to medium-high heat (or approximately 400 degrees). Let it get hot before adding the patties. I also recommend adding some wood chips for additional flavor.
Step 5
Add seasonings. Add seasonings (seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper) to both sides of the patties.
Step 6
Grill goat cheese burgers. Place patties on the grill and close the lid. Try not to mess with the burgers until ready to flip and cook the second side. Grill to your desired doneness. We like ours fairly pink. You can add an additional slice of cheese to the top of the burgers if desired.
Step 7
Grill burger buns. Add a thin layer of butter to the buns and place on the grill until toasty.
Step 8
Prep toppings. Use whatever toppings you prefer on your burgers. We added the following:
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- Carmelized Onions
- Tomato Slices
- Smashed Avocado
- Dill Pickle stackers
- Special Sauce – We used a combo of mayonnaise, ketchup, a splash of pickle juice, and a pinch of garlic powder.
Step 9
Serve. Serve goat cheese burgers with slices of tomato, pickles, grilled onions, avocado, and a dollop of special sauce. Other topping ideas include mustard, lettuce, and garlic aioli.
What to serve with Goat Cheese Burgers:
There are lots of side dish choices on the blog. Here are a few of our favorites!
Choices for ground beef for burgers:
- Ground Beef – {70% lean/30% fat} – Cut from the trimmings of inexpensive cuts like brisket and shank, this usually contains the highest fat content. It has a lot of flavor but will shrink the most when cooked.
- Ground Chuck – {80% lean/20% fat} – Comes from the front area of the cow around the shoulder. A great all-purpose beef with less fat but good flavor. Also labeled as lean ground beef.
- Ground Round – {85% lean/15% fat} – Ground from the lower end of the cow near the tail. This beef should be combined with sauce and/or veggies for the best flavor, as it is pretty lean.
- Ground Sirloin – {90% lean/10% fat} – Comes from the midsection of the cow, and is the leanest ground beef. This is the healthiest choice and most expensive but will be a drier cut when cooked.
Tips for making the perfect burger:
- Use a higher fat ground beef. I recommend no leaner than 85%.
- Don’t overwork the meat. This will ensure the meat isn’t tough.
- If making regular patties, press your thumb into the center of the raw patty to form an indentation. We don’t want the center to plump up.
- Season liberally. Season the patties right before you cook them. Salt applied too far in advance will toughen the meat.
- Use high heat. Grill the burgers at 400 degrees or higher.
- Try to avoid flipping the patties too often. Let them cook on one side for several minutes before flipping to the other side.
- Don’t overcook. My family prefers a bit of pink but proceed at your own risk.
Burger Doneness Temps:
- Rare: 120 – 125
- Medium Rare: 130 – 135
- Medium Well: 150 – 155
- Well Done: 160 – 165
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Goat Cheese Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chuck – 80-85% lean
- 6 oz. goat cheese
- seasoned salt, garlic powder, black pepper – to taste
- 4 slices monterey jack cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
- caramelized onions, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, guacamole, etc. – to serve
Instructions
- Choose beef. Choose ground beef that's at least 15% fat (or 85% lean). You'll need 1/2 pound of meat for each patty.
- Use a digital scale to separate beef into four-ounce equal portions. Use a heavy object (like a small cast iron pan) to smash each round into flat patties. You will use two of these flattened patties to make each burger.
- Form patties. Add a mound of tangy goat cheese to half of the four-ounce patties. Press the other patties on top, and pinch the sides together so that the cheese is fully surrounded by beef. These will be thick patties.
- Light an outdoor grill to medium-high heat (or approximately 400 degrees). Let it get hot before adding the patties. I also recommend adding some wood chips for additional flavor.
- Add seasonings (seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper) to both sides of the patties.
- Grill patties. Place patties on the grill and close the lid. Try not to mess with the burgers until ready to flip and cook the second side. Grill to your desired doneness.
- Grill burger buns. Add a thin layer of butter to both sides of the bun and place on the grill until toasty.
- Prep toppings. Use whatever toppings you prefer on your burgers. We added the following: Monterey jack cheese, caramelized onions, tomato slices, smashed avocado, dill pickle stackers, and special sauce.
- Serve burgers on grilled buns with toppings of your choice.
Notes
- Use a higher fat ground beef. I recommend no leaner than 85%.
- Don’t overwork the meat. This will ensure the meat isn’t tough.
- If making regular patties (not Juicy Lucys), press your thumb into the center of the raw patty to form an indentation. We don’t want the center to plump up.
- Season the patties right before you cook them. Salt applied too far in advance will toughen the meat.
- Use high heat. Grill the burgers at 400 degrees or higher.
- Try to avoid flipping the patties too often. Let it cook on one side for several minutes before flipping it to the other side.
I have a super picky eater for a husband and he loved this recipe. After my third time making this recipe, I decided it was so good I needed to leave a review! It’s so easy I can make it with an 8 month old baby in tow. The goat cheese is what truly makes this burger great. Thanks Sue!
Hi Brooke! Thank you so much for leaving a review. We love our goat cheese burgers too!
The goat cheese is an excellent choice and thanks for the pro tip. I like good buns. 😎
I know you do! 🙂