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There is no end to the variety of scrumptious hamburgers you can make, but 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 develops dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is also 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 author and cookbook author, I've invested the last 20 years of my profession rigorously investigating and testing dishes, techniques and extensively accepted kitchen area wisdom to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've run several hamburger joints and even composed a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I separated and tested every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a burger.

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

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In bread, this can be a great thing, however with burgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable thick 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.

This is a good thing in sausages, which must have a firm texture, however with burgers, you desire looseness. A burger should be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Whether you're making a big burger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a frying pan, browning is flavor, and high heat is key. 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 flavor while preserving juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to eating a lot quicker. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Don't let your patties relax 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.

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

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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a burger enthusiast. Maturing, I 'd happily 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).

Capture me on the ideal day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's likely we don't have the very same concept of what makes the perfect burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some brand-new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand individuals like however I just. Perhaps I have not tried your preferred burger. Maybe I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

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

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some glistening from the beef and maybe 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 must be scorched to assist secure the juices, but not too crusty.