Optimal Heat Control for Savory Seared Patties

There is no end to the number of scrumptious burgers you can make, however 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 likewise the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last twenty years of my career carefully researching and checking dishes, strategies and widely accepted cooking area wisdom to find out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've run several burger joints and even wrote a month-to-month column for Serious Eats called the Burger Laboratory, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can impact the taste and texture of a burger.

Here are the most important pointers I have actually found for enhancing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen area. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Expert Summer Grilling Tips for 2026

In bread, this can be a good idea, however with burgers, overhandling can develop an unwanted dense texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional spices, like onions and herbs, also requires 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.

This is an excellent thing in sausages, which must have a company texture, but with hamburgers, you desire looseness. A hamburger 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 flavor. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a huge burger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a frying pan, browning is flavor, and high heat is crucial. For thicker grilled or griddled hamburgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and prepare them till they're well browned on both sides.

This takes full advantage of flavor while keeping juiciness. Do not 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 had a chance to drip out.

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

Better Temperature Management for Savory Seared Patties

Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a burger fan. 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 right day and I may admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's most likely we do not have the very same idea of what makes the best hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some brand-new ones and continued to end the ones I know people like but I just. don't. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Perhaps we have different taste. Perhaps I haven't tried your favorite burger. Maybe I'm out to get you (simply 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 worn out of smashburgers? The finest ones miraculously stay juicy with just a tip of flaky char around the edges, but sadly, a lot of places go too difficult on the smash.

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some glistening from the beef and maybe a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly go with a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty must be seared to help lock in the juices, but not too crusty.