Advanced Culinary Techniques for Juicier Homemade Patties

There is no end to the number 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 developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I've spent the last 2 decades of my profession carefully looking into and evaluating dishes, methods and extensively accepted kitchen wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated numerous hamburger joints and even wrote a monthly column for Serious Consumes called the Burger Lab, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

But that does not imply you can't intend for something much better. Here are the most essential pointers I've found for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the backyard or the kitchen. Working ground beef too much can cause it to become dense. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a good idea, however with burgers, overhandling can produce an undesirable thick texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional flavoring, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to exhaust the meat and distract from the beef flavor, so skip it.) Salting the outside of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

This is a great thing in sausages, which ought to have a firm texture, however with burgers, you want looseness. A burger must be tender, with plenty 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 griddle, browning is flavor, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled hamburgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and cook them up until they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of taste while maintaining juiciness. Do not 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 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 City 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 fan. Maturing, I 'd gladly chew them down at sit-down dining establishments and from the drive-thru coming home 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 confess that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's most likely we don't have the same concept of what makes the ideal hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some brand-new ones and continued to leave off the ones I know people like however I simply. Perhaps I haven't attempted your preferred burger. Possibly I'm out to get you (just joking).

There's one ideal burg out there for everyone. Let me show you what makes the ideal hamburger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I say I'm growing a little sick of smashburgers? The very best ones unbelievely stay juicy with simply a hint of flaky char around the edges, but sadly, most places go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some glowing from the beef and maybe a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always choose a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be seared to assist secure the juices, however not too crusty.