Optimal Heat Control for Better Seared Burgers

There is no end to the variety of tasty burgers 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 creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube. This video and post become part of, our series on kitchen area fundamentals.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I've spent the last 20 years of my profession rigorously researching and evaluating recipes, methods and commonly accepted kitchen area wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've operated several hamburger joints and even composed a month-to-month column for Serious Eats called the Burger Lab, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can affect the flavor and texture of a burger.

However that doesn't imply you can't intend for something much better. Here are the most crucial ideas I have actually discovered for enhancing your hamburger experience, whether in the backyard or the kitchen area. Working hamburger excessive can cause it to become dense. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Better Temperature Management for Better Grilled Burgers

In bread, this can be an excellent thing, however with burgers, overhandling can create an unwanted thick texture. (Integrating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra seasoning, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to strain the meat and distract from the beef taste, so skip it.) Salting the exterior of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and helps them to link up more easily. This is a good idea in sausages, which should have a company texture, but with burgers, you desire looseness. A burger must be tender, with lots of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Whether you're making a big hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash hamburger on a griddle, browning is flavor, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them up until they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of taste while maintaining juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to eating a lot faster. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Don't let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have actually had a possibility to leak out.

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

How to Master the Ideal Flat-Top Burger

Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a hamburger 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 best 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 same idea of what makes the perfect hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand people like but I simply. Perhaps I haven't tried your preferred burger. Possibly I'm out to get you (simply joking).

Let me share with you what makes the best burger for me. Let's begin with the patty.

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some shining from the beef and possibly a little grease diminishing 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 lock in the juices, however not too crusty.