Chef-Level Cooking Techniques for Juicier Homemade Burgers

There is no end to the number of delicious 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 Times on food and science, and he develops dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube. This video and post are part of, our series on cooking area principles.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last 2 decades of my career carefully looking into and testing recipes, methods and widely accepted cooking area knowledge to find out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated several burger joints and even composed a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Burger Lab, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a burger.

Here are the most important ideas I have actually found for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the backyard or the cooking area. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Advanced Cooking Techniques for Superior Hand-Pressed Burgers

In bread, this can be a good idea, but with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable thick texture. (Integrating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional spices, like onions and herbs, also forces you to overwork the meat and sidetrack from the beef taste, so avoid it.) Salting the outside of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and assists them to connect more easily. This is a great thing in sausages, which ought to have a firm texture, but with burgers, you desire looseness. A burger ought to be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

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

This takes full advantage of taste while keeping juiciness. Don't let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have actually had a possibility to drip 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 Backyard BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Follow,,, and.

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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a burger enthusiast. Growing up, I 'd gladly chomp 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 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 may confess that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Really, I might state that on the majority of days. And you might state the same. Even if you do, it's likely we don't have the same concept of what makes the best hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some brand-new ones and continued to end the ones I understand people like but I just. don't. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Possibly we have different taste. Maybe I haven't attempted your favorite burger yet. Perhaps I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

Let me share with you what makes the ideal burger for me. Let's start with the patty.

When I bite in, I need to see a little sparkle, some sparkling from the beef and perhaps a little grease diminishing the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly choose a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty needs to be burnt to assist lock in the juices, however not too crusty.