Better Temperature Control for Better Grilled Burgers

There is no end to the variety of scrumptious hamburgers you can make, however here are 12 that will make your mouth water.

By J. Kenji Lpez-AltJ. Kenji Lpez-Alt writes a column for The New york city Times on food and science, and he establishes dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube. This video and short article are part of, our series on kitchen basics.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I've invested the last 2 years of my career carefully researching and checking dishes, techniques and widely accepted kitchen knowledge to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually run several burger joints and even composed a regular monthly column for Serious Consumes called the Burger Laboratory, in which I isolated and checked every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a hamburger.

Here are the most crucial suggestions I've found for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the cooking area. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Chef-Level Culinary Techniques for Juicier Homemade Burgers

In bread, this can be an advantage, however with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable dense texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional spices, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to overwork the meat and sidetrack from the beef taste, so avoid it.) Salting the exterior of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and assists them to link more easily. This is a good idea in sausages, which need to have a company texture, however with burgers, you want looseness. A hamburger must hurt, with a lot of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply maximizes flavor. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a huge hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a griddle, browning is flavor, and high heat is crucial. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait till your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and cook them until they're well browned on both sides.

This maximizes taste while maintaining juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to consuming so much faster. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Don't let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have had a chance to leak out.

Smash BurgersCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Restaurant BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Thick Yard BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Follow,,, and.

Advanced Culinary Techniques for Superior Hand-Pressed Patties

Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a burger enthusiast. Maturing, I 'd gladly chomp them down at sit-down dining establishments and from the drive-thru coming home from gymnastics practice. I 'd crush the soft bun and let catsup dribble down the sides over my fingers. If there were any little melty American cheese leavings stuck on the wrapper, I 'd drag my french fries through them (I still do this).

Catch me on the best day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Actually, I might say that on many days. And you may say the same. But even if you do, it's likely we don't have the exact same concept of what makes the best burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some brand-new ones and continued to leave off the ones I know individuals like but I just. don't. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Perhaps we have various taste. Maybe I haven't tried your preferred hamburger. Maybe I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

There's one perfect burg out there for everyone. Let me share with you what makes the best burger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little exhausted of smashburgers? The very best ones astonishingly stay juicy with just a hint of flaky char around the edges, but unfortunately, a lot of locations go too hard on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some sparkling from the beef and possibly a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly opt for a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be burnt to assist secure the juices, however not too crusty.