There’s nothing better than a classic cheeseburger cooked over hot charcoal in the backyard. You don’t need anything fancy to make a great burger. Start with good meat, get a good crust on it, melt plenty of cheese over the top, and load it up with all the classic toppings.

For this recipe, I’m using fresh half-pound burger patties and seasoning them with our Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning. We’re cooking them hot and fast over Royal Oak Charcoal on a Weber Kettle, then topping each burger with two slices of cheddar cheese.

Once they’re off the grill, we’re keeping the build classic with toasted buns, mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion. It’s simple backyard cooking, but when you start with good meat and get that flame-kissed charcoal flavor, it’s hard to beat.

Classic Backyard Cheeseburger | Heath Riles BBQ

I love a good steak, but I really love a good burger. For me, a classic backyard cheeseburger should have a good sear on the outside, plenty of melted cheese, a toasted bun, and all your favorite toppings.

The burgers I used for this cook came from Primos Butcher Shop in Hernando, Mississippi. They were fresh-ground half-pound patties made with a blend of chuck, ribeye, and filet. That’s some excellent meat to start with, so I didn’t want to overcomplicate anything.

The big flavor boost comes from Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning. It brings salt, pepper, garlic, onion, roasted red pepper, beef notes, Worcestershire flavor, and more to the burger. Pair that with a hot charcoal fire, and you’ve got everything you need for a better backyard burger.

Why This Recipe Works

A classic cheeseburger doesn’t need a long list of ingredients or complicated cooking techniques. What matters is getting the basics right.

First, we’re starting with thick, half-pound burger patties. Then we’re seasoning them with Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning to build plenty of savory flavor without taking away from the beef.

Cooking over hot Royal Oak Charcoal gives the burgers that flame-kissed flavor you can only get from charcoal. We’re running the grill around 550°F, which gives us enough heat to put a good solid crust on the outside.

From there, we keep everything else classic. Two slices of cheddar cheese give you plenty of that melted, gooey cheese in every bite, while lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mustard, and mayonnaise bring the whole burger together.

The Ingredients

• Fresh Ground Burger Patties. I used half-pound patties made with a blend of chuck, ribeye, and filet from Primos Butcher Shop in Hernando, Mississippi. Use a good-quality burger patty that has enough fat to stay juicy over high heat.
• Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning. This seasoning was made for cooks just like this. It brings plenty of savory flavor to the beef and gives you more than just your basic salt and pepper.
• Cheddar Cheese. I’m using two slices per burger. If you’re going to make a cheeseburger, you might as well make it cheesy.
• Burger Buns. Toasting the buns is important. You want a little texture on them before you start adding the condiments, toppings, and juicy burger patty.
• Mustard and Mayonnaise. Mustard goes on the bottom bun and mayonnaise goes on the top. Of course, use whatever condiments you like on your burgers.
• Lettuce. The lettuce adds some crunch, but it also creates a little protection between the juicy burger and the bottom bun to help keep it from getting soggy.
• Tomato. A classic burger needs a good slice of tomato. I also like to give the tomato a little extra Burger Seasoning for another pop of flavor.
• Pickles and Onion. Finish the burger with pickles and sliced onion for plenty of crunch and that classic backyard cheeseburger flavor.

Grill Setup

For this recipe, I fired up my Weber Kettle Grill with Royal Oak Charcoal. A charcoal chimney makes it easy to get the charcoal going before adding it to the grill.

We’re cooking hot and fast for this one. My grill was running around 550°F, which is exactly what I wanted. That high heat helps us create a good crust and sear on the burgers while giving them that classic charcoal-grilled flavor.

The Process

Season the Burger Patties

Start by seasoning one side of each burger patty with Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning.

You don’t need to mix anything into the meat or do a bunch of prep work. We’re keeping this simple and seasoning the outside of the patties so we can build a flavorful crust as they cook.

Get the Burgers on the Grill

Once your Weber Kettle Grill is running around 550°F, place the burgers onto the hot grill with the seasoned side down.

Before you close the lid, season the exposed side of each patty with more Burger Seasoning. Now we’ve got plenty of flavor on both sides.

You’re cooking over a hot charcoal fire, so don’t be surprised if you see some flames coming up around those burgers. That’s part of what gives us that great backyard-grilled flavor.

Flip and Build a Crust

Watch the burgers as they cook. When you start seeing juices pull up around the top and edges of the patties and hear that good sizzle, it’s time to flip.

Use a spatula to turn each burger over. You should see a good, solid crust on the cooked side. That’s exactly what we’re looking for. We want a good sear on these burgers instead of constantly moving or flipping them around.

Add the Cheddar Cheese

Once the burgers are flipped, add two slices of cheddar cheese to each patty.

Let the burgers continue cooking until the cheese is completely melted and gooey. Once the burgers are cooked to your preferred doneness and that cheese has melted over the top, pull them off the grill and get ready to build.

Toast the Buns

You can’t have a classic backyard cheeseburger without a toasted bun. Give the buns a quick toast so they have a little color and texture before adding the condiments and toppings.

That toasted surface also helps the buns stand up better to everything we’re about to pile onto them.

Build the Classic Backyard Cheeseburger

Start with the bottom toasted bun and add a little mustard. Next, lay down some lettuce. Besides adding freshness and crunch, the lettuce creates a barrier between the burger and bun to help keep all those juices from making the bottom bun soggy.

Place the hot cheeseburger patty over the lettuce, then add a slice of tomato. I like to hit the tomato with another light shake of Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning to give it another little pop of flavor.

Finish it with pickles and onion. Spread mayonnaise on the toasted top bun, set it over everything, and that’s what I call a classic backyard cheeseburger.

The Results

This is exactly what I think of when I think about a classic backyard cheeseburger. You’ve got a thick, juicy burger with a good crust from that hot charcoal fire, plenty of melted cheddar cheese, toasted buns, and all those classic toppings stacked on top.

The two things that really make this burger stand out are starting with good-quality beef and seasoning it with Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning. That seasoning brings a ton of flavor to the meat, while cooking over Royal Oak Charcoal gives you that flame-kissed taste you want from a backyard burger.

It’s nothing complicated, and that’s what makes it so good. Sometimes all you need is good meat, good seasoning, hot charcoal, and plenty of cheese.

Perfect Pairings

A classic backyard cheeseburger calls for some classic sides. Whether you’re cooking for the family or feeding a crowd, any of these recipes will help you turn these burgers into a full backyard meal.

• Crispy Weber Kettle Potato Wedges. Burgers and potatoes are hard to beat. These crispy wedges are an easy side to serve alongside your cheeseburgers.
• Southern-Style BBQ Baked Beans. Sweet, smoky, and hearty, these baked beans are a backyard cookout classic that fits right in with a charcoal-grilled burger.
• Smoked Mac and Cheese. Rich, creamy, and smoky mac and cheese is always a crowd-pleaser and makes these burgers even more filling.
• Easy Classic Coleslaw. Keep things fresh with a cool, crunchy coleslaw. It’s a great contrast to the rich beef and melted cheddar.
• Sweet Smoky Spicy Jalapeño Bacon Jam. Want to take your burger beyond the classic version? Add a spoonful of this bacon jam on top for an extra layer of sweet, smoky, spicy flavor.

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftover burger patties, let them cool and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best results, keep the patties separate from the buns, cheese, and fresh toppings so nothing gets soggy.

When you’re ready to eat, reheat the burger patties until warmed through, then build your burger with a fresh or toasted bun and your favorite toppings.

Tips for the Best Backyard Cheeseburgers

• Start with good meat. There’s nowhere for bad beef to hide in a simple cheeseburger. We used fresh-ground half-pound patties made with a chuck, ribeye, and filet blend, but the important thing is starting with a good-quality burger patty.
• Get the grill hot. We cooked these burgers at around 550°F. That high heat is what helps create that good sear and crust on the outside.
• Season both sides. Start with Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning on one side, put that side down on the grill, and then season the exposed side.
• Watch the burger, not just the clock. When you see the juices starting to pull up around the top and edges of the patty, that’s a good sign it’s getting close to flip time.
• Don’t skip the toasted buns. A toasted bun gives you better texture and holds up better once you start adding the burger, condiments, and toppings.
• Use the lettuce as a barrier. Putting the lettuce on the bottom helps protect the bun from the juices coming off that half-pound burger patty.

Final Thoughts

There’s a reason the classic backyard cheeseburger never gets old. A hot charcoal grill, a juicy beef patty, melted cheddar cheese, toasted buns, and all the traditional toppings are hard to beat.

For this one, Heath Riles BBQ Burger Seasoning gives the beef that extra pop of flavor, while the Weber Kettle Grill and Royal Oak Charcoal give us that classic flame-kissed taste.

Build yours exactly like I did or load it up with whatever toppings you like. That’s the best part about cooking burgers in your own backyard. Make them the way you want them, get around the grill with your family and friends, and enjoy a good cheeseburger.

Equipment & Tools

Weber Kettle Grill, Royal Oak Charcoal, Charcoal Chimney, Spatula