Better Temperature Management for Savory Grilled Patties

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

By J. Kenji Lpez-AltJ. Kenji Lpez-Alt composes a column for The New York Times on food and science, and he establishes 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 become part of, our series on kitchen fundamentals.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food writer and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last twenty years of my profession carefully looking into and evaluating dishes, strategies and widely accepted kitchen wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated several hamburger joints and even wrote a month-to-month column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I separated and tested every possible variable that can affect the flavor and texture of a burger.

Here are the most important ideas I have actually found for optimizing your burger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a good idea, however with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable dense texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra flavoring, like onions and herbs, also forces you to strain 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 connect more easily. This is an advantage in sausages, which must have a company texture, however with burgers, you want looseness. A hamburger ought to hurt, with lots of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Whether you're making a huge hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a frying pan, browning is taste, and high heat is essential. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and prepare them till they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of flavor while maintaining juiciness. Don't let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Hamburgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have had a chance to drip out.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a hamburger enthusiast. Maturing, I 'd happily chomp them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru coming home 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 best day and I might confess that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Even if you do, it's likely we don't have the very same idea of what makes the ideal burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

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

There's one perfect burg out there for everyone. Let me show you what makes the perfect hamburger for me. Let's start with the patty. Can I say I'm growing a little exhausted of smashburgers? The best ones astonishingly stay juicy with simply a hint of flaky char around the edges, however unfortunately, a lot of places go too difficult on the smash.

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 opt for a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty needs to be seared to assist lock in the juices, but not too crusty.