From Rare to Well Done: How Long to Cook Burgers on the Grill

Grilled burgers and summer parties go together like Champagne and New Year's Eve—but acing the temperature and doneness of the burgers you're plating is much trickier than pouring a glass of bubbly. Every guest at your party will have their own idea of the "right" level of doneness, from "still-pink-in-the-middle" rare to "almost-too-dry" well done.

Cooking (and flipping) your burgers correctly is a matter of minutes, and your patties can go from medium to overdone if you look away for just a moment too long. Follow our time and temperature guide to make this summer's cookout truly effortless.

Degrees of Doneness for Burgers

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets the safe internal temperature of ground beef at 160 degrees Fahrenheit (or well done); lower than this, and you're risking foodborne illnesses like E. coli. "The problem is, most people prefer the taste and texture of burgers less done," says Ronna Welsh of Purple Kale Kitchenworks. "[But] chefs treat 'doneness' in meat as a personal preference, which is why you can order your burger as rare as you like. There is a sweet spot for taste, where the flavor and texture of the ground meat is just to your liking."

• Rare: Rare burgers are cooked to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. They will look "very pink throughout" and be "a bit gushy in the center," says Welsh.
• Medium-rare: Medium-rare burgers are cooked to a temperature between 130 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. They are "rosy pink throughout, but the meat is not soft or sticky," says Welsh.
• Medium: Burgers cooked medium are at a temperature between 140 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit. These burgers are "pale pink throughout and the burger is pretty firm, with a bit of spring," says Welsh.
• Medium-well: A medium-well burger is at a temperature between 150 and 155 degrees Fahrenheit. They have "possibly a little blush in the center," but are "firm to the touch," says Welsh.
• Well done: Well-done burgers are at the USDA recommended temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. They are "gray in the center and firm throughout," says Welsh.
  

How Long to Cook Burgers by Degree of Doneness

A variety of factors can affect exactly how long your burger takes to cook: The temperature of your grill, the thickness of your burger, how closely the burgers are placed while cooking, whether the burgers are at room temperature or cooked straight out of the refrigerator, and how much fat is in the meat. "A thin burger will cook in five minutes, whereas a thick one can take up to 10 minutes," says Thomas Schneller, a chef and associate professor of culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America. "Simply put, a burger should be cooked on a medium-high grill until grill marks show, and then flipped."

Welsh prefers cooking burgers on high heat for optimal browning on the exterior. "If your meat is very fatty and the flames flare up when cooking, move the patty away from the flames and turn the heat down," she says.

For grilling a 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick burger on high heat, Welsh recommends the following cook times:

• Rare: About two minutes per side
• Medium-rare: About three minutes per side
• Medium: Three to four minutes per side
• Medium-well: About four minutes per side
• Well done: Four to five minutes per side
  

Should You Let Burgers Rest Before Serving?

While some cuts of meat benefit from a rest period before they're sliced and served, hamburgers can go right onto the plates. "You can let a burger rest for a couple minutes after taking off the grill, but they get cold fast," says Schneller.

When you remove the burgers from the heat, they will continue to cook for a few more minutes, says Welsh—so if you're picky about your doneness level, serve them immediately or pull them off just before the desired temperature. "If you have guests waiting with full plates and open buns, let the burgers rest for a few minutes on the top rack of the grill, with the grill turned off and left open," says Welsh. "You only need to let it rest for the few minutes it will take you to add your toppings and condiments, grab some sides, pour a cold beverage, and find a seat."