Grill grates create a different burger from a griddle. You gain smoke, open-fire flavor and a firm exterior, but you have less surface contact and more risk of flare-ups.
Build a two-zone grill
Keep one hotter zone for browning and one cooler zone for finishing or managing flare-ups. On charcoal, bank coals to one side. On gas, run one burner hotter and leave another lower. This makes the cook controllable instead of forcing every patty to live directly over the strongest heat.
Shape for the grill
Use a patty thick enough to bridge the grates and hold together when flipped. Make it slightly wider than the bun and press a shallow dimple in the center. Chill formed patties while the grill preheats, but do not freeze them.
Flip with evidence
Place patties on clean, oiled grates and leave them until they release without tearing. Flip with a spatula instead of stabbing them. Move a patty temporarily to the cooler side if dripping fat causes sustained flames.
Use a thermometer
Time charts are only estimates because grill heat, patty thickness, weather and starting temperature vary. Insert an instant-read thermometer from the side toward the center. Ground beef should reach 160°F (71°C); ground poultry should reach 165°F (74°C).
Toast buns last
Buns can go from toasted to burned quickly over open flame. Toast cut-side down for a brief period after the patties are nearly done. A light coating of butter or mayonnaise promotes even browning, but it is optional.