Rodeo Burger at Home
18 Comments
Posted: 01/31/23
Updated: 03/25/25
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Make a Rodeo Burger at home! That’s right, skip the take out and make a juicy hamburger topped with cheese, BBQ sauce and an onion ring. It’s a delicious, easy dinner recipe when you are craving a burger!
Juicy, tangy, and seasoned to perfection – my Rodeo Burgers are destined to be a hit at your next barbeque. They’re served with sweet BBQ sauce and piled high with crispy onion rings atop a delicious pretzel bun. Even better, you’ll have dinner on the table in 30 minutes just like you do with these baked hamburgers in the oven.
If you love this burger from Burger King you’ll love the homemade version. Copycat Burger King Rodeo Burgers are even better than the restaurant version! A delicious seasoned burger topped with cheddar cheese, barbecue sauce and onion rings all made at home.
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Why You’ll Love Rodeo Burgers!
- Although we’ll be using common ingredients, the overall flavor and presentation deviate from the monotony of most weeknight dinners. It’s a simple recipe, but rivals the excitement of eating out.
- They’re fast. You can have dinner on the table in just 20 minutes!
- Because they’re prepared on a grill, it’s easy to scale up portions as needed. Whether you’re serving your family or a larger gathering, the flavor from melty cheddar cheese and tangy barbecue sauce is certain to be a talking point of the party.
Ingredients for Rodeo Burgers
- Ground Beef – For this recipe, I used lean ground beef and seasoned the meat before I made the patties. If you opt to start with pre-formed hamburger patties, season the outside of them instead.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper are all that are needed to flavor these mouth-watering burgers. However, if you have a favorite beef hamburger seasoning, you can use that too. This is our favorite beef seasoning!
- Cheese – I prefer American cheese on my burgers, but Asiago would also be delicious. Feel free to omit it altogether or swap it for your favorite kind of cheese.
- Prepared Onion Rings – This recipe uses frozen onion rings for convenience. Toast, bake, or air fry them before starting your burgers, so they’re cooked, crispy, and waiting to assemble.
- BBQ Sauce – Don’t forget the BBQ sauce. It’ll highlight this recipe flawlessly if it’s sweet, tangy, and smoky.
- Pretzel Buns – Pretzel buns make these Rodeo Burgers feel special and worthy of the occasion, but regular buns will work too.
How to Make Rodeo Burgers
Season the Meat – Mix your beef hamburger seasonings into the raw ground beef in a large bowl. Using your hands for this step is easiest, so you know everything is well incorporated.
Form the Patties – Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal portions, and shape these into rounds between your palms. Then, gently press them into thick, flattened disc shapes.
Grill the Burgers – Either use a grill or a grill pan to cook the patties over high for 5-6 minutes. Then, flip them and cook an additional few minutes until they reach your desired doneness.
Assemble Ingredients – Between your pretzel buns, stack the cooked burger, a slice or two of cheddar cheese, and a few onion rings. Drizzle the whole thing with barbecue sauce. Then, take a big bite and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks!
- When it comes time to cook the burgers, you can grill them or cook them in a skillet on the stovetop. Just be sure to let the pan get hot before adding the burgers so they get a nice sear on the outside.
- The secret to a perfect burger is to cook the patties on high heat, lock in the juices, and get a crispy, caramelized outside.
- Use high-quality beef for the tastiest burgers. If you can find it, organic grass-fed and finished meat makes an excellent choice.
- Rodeo Burgers are delicious, but if you want to take them up a notch, try topping them with Asiago cheese, avocado, and jalapeño.
Serving Suggestions
Burgers with fries are a no-brainer. This is no exception. My Air Fryer French Fries take the same amount of time as it takes to cook these burgers. Dinner can’t get any simpler than that!
If you plan on grilling these Rodeo Burgers up at your next barbeque, pair them with my favorite Dill Potato Salad. You can make a large serving to feed all your guests and make it ahead of time to eliminate stress on the day of the event. It’ll only get better as it chills in the fridge and the flavors meld.
What is the best way to cook burgers at home?
Add your uncooked burger patties to a hot ungreased skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Leave some space between each patty in the pan. Only flip them once to get the best sear that locks in the juices and keeps your burger tender.
Do I have to use pretzel buns for this recipe?
Pretzel buns won’t make or break this recipe, but they do take it to the next level. You can still enjoy a great Rodeo Burger on a regular hamburger bun.
Should I squish the burgers when cooking them?
You might be tempted to smash your burgers into the pan to get a better sear, but resist the urge! You don’t want to squeeze all the juices from your patties and end up with dry, bland burgers.
More Burger Recipes!
- If you don’t have a grill or it’s to cold to pull it out make these amazing Air Fryer Burgers!
- Bursting with flavor, melted Mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce these Italian Burgers and a delicious change from a typical burger.
- Ranch Ground Chicken Burger is a juicy, delicious chicken burger recipe made of ground chicken and flavored with ranch!
- Make your favorite burger on the stove top! That’s right these Stovetop Burgers are ready quickly making them a go-to dinner for the family.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Rodeo Burger
Make a Rodeo Burger at home! A juicy hamburger topped with cheese, BBQ sauce and an onion ring.
Video
servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground hamburger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 6 slices American cheese
- 12 large onion rings prepared
- 6 pretzel buns
- BBQ Sauce for topping
Instructions
- Heat grill or grill pan to medium heat.
- In a large mixing bowl combine ground hamburger, garlic powder, salt, pepper and onion powder. until just combined. Divide mixture into 6 patties.
- Place burgers on a greased grill or in grill pan and cook 5-6 minutes. Turn over and cook an additional 3-4 minutes or until desired doneness. For medium burgers the internal temperature should be 145-150 degrees and medium well is 150-165).
- Place a slice of cheese on top of burgers and let melt. Remove burgers to buns and top with BBQ sauce and two onion rings per burger.
Tips
- When it comes time to cook the burgers, you can grill them or cook them in a skillet on the stovetop. Just be sure to let the pan get hot before adding the burgers so they get a nice sear on the outside.
- The secret to a perfect burger is to cook the patties on high heat, lock in the juices, and get a crispy, caramelized outside.
- Use high-quality beef for the tastiest burgers. If you can find it, organic grass-fed and finished meat makes an excellent choice.
- Rodeo Burgers are delicious, but if you want to take them up a notch, try topping them with Asiago cheese, avocado, and jalapeño.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1, Calories: 288kcal (14%), Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 36g (72%), Fat: 14g (22%), Saturated Fat: 7g (44%), Cholesterol: 114mg (38%), Sodium: 567mg (25%), Potassium: 550mg (16%), Vitamin A: 200IU (4%), Calcium: 233mg (23%), Iron: 3.9mg (22%)
Camden says
Oh yum, I can’t wait to get stuff for this rodeo burger at the store! I love onion rings, I can’t believe I haven’t thought to mix them with my burgers yet.
Courtney says
The best!
Sharon says
I am so excited to make this rodeo burger. I’m thinking I might spice it up with a bit of pepper jack cheese and a few hot pepper slices.
Courtney says
Yum! Enjoy!
Debbie says
This rodeo burger recipe is a huge hit in my house. What a fantastic blend of flavors and textures!
Courtney says
Thank you! So glad it was a household hit!
Kristen says
Yum! Your Rodeo Burger recipe reminds me that I need to figure out a gluten free pretzel bun recipe–your burger might be what finally motivates me to get on that, haha! This looks AMAZING!
Courtney says
Enjoy!
One Crazy House says
Do you think that your Rodeo Burger recipe would work just as well with Impossible Burger (vegan “meat”)? This looks amazing!
Courtney says
I would think so.
Cyndi says
Like everyone, we’re aiming to dine out less frequently these days. Making your rodeo burger recipe was a wonderful way to bring restaurant quality food into our home. Delicious!
Courtney says
Thank you!
Cynthia says
My husband devoured this rodeo burger! We often get stuck in a rut of eating the same toppings on our burgers so this was a good way to mix things up a bit.
Courtney says
So great to hear it was a hit!
Brittany says
This rodeo burger looks delicious with the onion rings, pretzel bun, BBQ sauce. Ok, now my mouth is watering, lol. I hope these are as great as they look!
Courtney says
Enjoy!
Alyssa says
This rodeo burger looks delicious. What an easy twist on a classic cheeseburger!
Courtney says
Great way to switch up burger night!