Better Heat Control for Better Grilled Patties

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

J. Kenji Lpez-Alt writes a column for The New York Times on food and science, and he develops recipes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is also the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I've invested the last twenty years of my profession rigorously investigating and evaluating dishes, strategies and extensively accepted kitchen area knowledge to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've run several burger joints and even composed a month-to-month column for Serious Consumes called the Burger Lab, in which I isolated and checked every possible variable that can impact the taste and texture of a burger.

But that does not suggest you can't aim for something better. Here are the most essential pointers I have actually found for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the cooking area. Working ground beef too much can trigger it to end up being thick. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be an advantage, however with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable thick texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra flavoring, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to strain the meat and sidetrack from the beef flavor, so avoid it.) Salting the outside of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

This is a good thing in sausages, which need to have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you desire looseness. A hamburger must be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply makes the most of 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 hamburger on a frying pan, 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 prepare them till they're well browned on both sides.

This maximizes flavor while maintaining juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to eating a lot 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 actually had a chance to drip out.

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

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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually constantly been a burger fan. Growing up, I 'd gladly chew them down at sit-down dining establishments and from the drive-thru getting back from gymnastics practice. I 'd crush the soft bun and let ketchup 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 right day and I may admit that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. In fact, I may say that on most days. And you may state the same. Even if you do, it's likely we do not have the very same concept of what makes the perfect hamburger.

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I kept some old favorites, included some brand-new ones and continued to leave off the ones I know people like but I simply. Perhaps I haven't attempted your favorite hamburger. Perhaps I'm out to get you (just kidding).

Let me share with you what makes the best hamburger for me. Let's begin with the patty.

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some shining from the beef and perhaps a little grease diminishing the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always go with a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be scorched to help secure the juices, however not too crusty.