Tallow Basted Tavern Burger

Name: Tallow Basted Tavern Burger
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; Cattleman's Grill California Tri-Tip Rub; 1 sweet onion; Obie-Cues Steakmaker Seasoning; 1/4 cup Cornhusker Kitchen Beef Tallow; 3 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled; 6 sprigs thyme; 3 brioche buns; 6 slices American cheese; 3 tbsp Kozlik’s Market Mustard; 3 tbsp mayonnaise; 3 leaves butter lettuce

Mar 12, 2025 • Tom Jackson

There’s nothing quite like a tavern-style burger—simple, beefy, and packed with flavor. But this Tallow-Basted Tavern Burger takes things to the next level. What sets it apart? We’re using rich, beefy tallow to baste the patties, adding extra juiciness and an incredible depth of flavor. Plus, we’re firing up the YS640 Yoder Smoker to infuse a subtle smokiness into the onions, giving this burger that perfect balance of char, smoke, and savory goodness. Whether you're a backyard BBQ enthusiast or a serious burger connoisseur, this recipe delivers that classic tavern burger experience with a smoky, beef-fat twist. Let’s fire it up!

Tallow Basted Tavern Burger

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

3

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Calories

1120

Get ready for the ultimate Tallow-Basted Tavern Burger, packed with bold flavors and smoky goodness. What makes this burger stand out? We’re layering on the flavor with Obie-Cue’s Steakmaker Seasoning, delivering a punch of savory, garlicky goodness, and Cattleman's Grill California Tri-Tip Rub, adding the perfect touch of salt and pepper balance. To take it over the top, we’re basting our patties with rich beef tallow for unbeatable juiciness. And for that extra depth, we’re using the YS640 Yoder Smoker to infuse a subtle smokiness into the onions, creating the perfect combination of char, fat, and fire. Fire up that grill—it’s burger time!

Ingredients

For the Burgers

1 lb ground beef
Cattleman's Grill California Tri-Tip Rub
1 sweet onion
Obie-Cues Steakmaker Seasoning
1/4 cup Cornhusker Kitchen Beef Tallow
3 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled
6 sprigs thyme
3 brioche buns
6 slices American cheese
3 tbsp Kozlik’s Market Mustard
3 tbsp mayonnaise
3 leaves butter lettuce

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Directions

For the Burgers

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 450ºF, set up for direct grilling. Place a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet on the grill to preheat.
Form beef into 1/3 lb patties. Season with Cattleman's Grill California Tri-Tip Rub.
Slice a sweet onion into 1/4” slabs. Season with Obie-Cues Steakmaker. Grill the slabs over direct flame to slightly char each side, then move to the indirect (right side) of the grill to stay warm.
Slide the skillet over direct flame. Add the tallow and melt. Add the garlic and thyme.
Place the burgers in the skillet. Tilt the skillet and using a spoon, baste the burger patties with the tallow as the beef cooks. Flip the burgers and tops each with two slices of American cheese.
Move the skillet to the opposite site of the grill to finish. Cook to an internal temperature of 155ºF.
While the burgers finish, grill your brioche buns, briefly, over direct heat to crisp the cut sides of the buns.
To build the burgers, spread the bottom of each bun with mayonnaise. Place a leaf of lettuce over the mayonnaise and the burger patty on top. Place the grilled onion slab on the patty. Spread the top bun with mustard and place on top of the onion.

Recipe Note

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Tallow Basted Seared Ribeye

Poutine Burger

Recipe Highlights and Insights:

Beef tallow is a rendered form of beef fat, primarily sourced from suet, the hard fat around the kidneys and loins of cattle. It has a high smoke point (around 400°F/204°C), making it ideal for frying, roasting, and sautéing. Rich in healthy saturated fats and fat-soluble vitamins, tallow was traditionally used in cooking, skincare, and even candle-making. Its popularity has resurged due to interest in ancestral diets and natural cooking fats, offering a flavorful alternative to vegetable oils.