Easy BBQ Glaze Recipe for Grilled BBQ Burgers

Easy BBQ Glaze Recipe for Grilled BBQ Burgers

Juicy grilled BBQ burger patties glazed and resting on a tray before serving
Photo via Unsplash

Need an easy BBQ glaze recipe that doesn't require a grocery list of ingredients? This one uses two jars and a whisk. Grilled BBQ burgers get a glossy, sweet-and-savory finish that beats plain ketchup any night of the week, and it takes about five minutes to pull together.

The Easiest BBQ Glaze Recipe Starts With Pepper Jelly

Pepper jelly is already thick, sweet, and packed with flavor, which makes it the shortcut ingredient for an easy BBQ glaze recipe. Instead of simmering a sauce from scratch, you're simply warming and thinning jelly until it's brushable. For beef burgers, garlic-forward pepper jelly plays especially well against the char from the grill.

What You'll Need

One pound of ground beef, formed into patties, salt and pepper, a splash of Worcestershire, and your glaze: a few tablespoons of Garlic Pepper Spread whisked with a spoonful of Red Hot Spread for a kick, thinned with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.

How to Make and Use This Easy BBQ Glaze Recipe

  1. Form the patties. Shape burgers slightly wider than your buns and press a dimple into the center so they cook flat.
  2. Season simply. Salt and pepper generously right before grilling.
  3. Mix the glaze. Warm the Garlic Pepper Spread and Red Hot Spread together in a small pan with the vinegar until smooth and pourable.
  4. Sear the burgers. Grill over direct high heat, about 3-4 minutes per side for medium.
  5. Glaze in the last minute. Brush the glaze onto each side during the final 60 seconds of cooking so it caramelizes without burning.
  6. Rest briefly. Let burgers rest 2 minutes off the grill, then brush on one more light coat.
  7. Build and serve. Stack on toasted buns with your favorite toppings and a little extra glaze on the side for dipping.

Why This Easy BBQ Glaze Recipe Works for Weeknight Dinner

Because it's built on jarred pepper jelly, this easy BBQ glaze recipe skips the reduction time a traditional BBQ sauce needs, which makes it genuinely realistic for a weeknight dinner. It also reheats well, so double the batch and keep extra glaze in the fridge for the next round of burgers.

Grab the jars this recipe calls for and more at Smoky Mountain Spread, and turn tonight's burgers into something worth grilling again.

Back to blog