Choosing the Best Meats for Tasty Burgers

There is no end to the variety of tasty burgers 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 dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually invested the last twenty years of my profession carefully looking into and checking dishes, techniques and commonly accepted kitchen knowledge to find out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've operated numerous burger joints and even composed a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Burger Laboratory, in which I separated and checked every possible variable that can affect the flavor and texture of a hamburger.

However that doesn't imply you can't go for something better. Here are the most important suggestions I have actually discovered for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Working ground beef excessive can cause it to become 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 burgers, overhandling can create an undesirable dense texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional seasoning, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to overwork the meat and sidetrack from the beef flavor, so avoid it.) Salting the beyond your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and helps them to link up more quickly. This is a good idea in sausages, which ought to have a company texture, however with hamburgers, you desire looseness. A hamburger should hurt, with plenty 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 burger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a griddle, browning is flavor, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and cook them until they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of flavor 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). Hamburgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have actually had an opportunity 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 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 hamburger 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 squish 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 ideal day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. In fact, I may say that on the majority of days. And you may say the same. However even if you do, it's most likely we don't have the very same concept of what makes the best burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand individuals like however I just. Maybe I haven't attempted your preferred burger. Maybe I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

There's one ideal burg out there for everyone. Let me share with you what makes the perfect hamburger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little sick of smashburgers? The very best ones amazingly stay juicy with just a hint of flaky char around the edges, however sadly, the majority of places go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I require to see a little shimmer, some shining from the beef and perhaps a little grease diminishing the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly opt for a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty must be burnt to assist secure the juices, but not too crusty.