Better Heat Management for Better Seared Patties

There is no end to the number of delicious hamburgers you can make, however here are 12 that will make your mouth water.

By J. Kenji Lpez-AltJ. Kenji Lpez-Alt writes a column for The New York Times on food and science, and he establishes recipes 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 are part of, our series on kitchen area basics.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually invested the last 2 years of my career rigorously looking into and testing dishes, techniques and commonly accepted kitchen area knowledge to find out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated numerous hamburger joints and even composed a regular monthly column for Serious Eats called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a hamburger.

Here are the most essential tips I have actually discovered for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Essential Summer Grilling Tips

In bread, this can be a great thing, however with burgers, overhandling can develop an unwanted dense texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional seasoning, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to strain the meat and distract from the beef flavor, so skip 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 connect more quickly. This is a good idea in sausages, which should have a company texture, but with burgers, you want looseness. A burger should be tender, with lots 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 hamburger on a frying pan, browning is taste, and high heat is crucial. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and cook them till they're well browned on both sides.

This optimizes taste while keeping 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. Do not let your patties relax on the cutting board (or worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their finest fresh from the fire, before any juices have had an opportunity to drip out.

Smash BurgersCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Diner 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.

Optimal Heat Control for Better Grilled Burgers

Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a burger fan. Growing up, I 'd gladly chomp them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru coming home from gymnastics practice. I 'd crush 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 best day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's most likely we don't have the very same idea of what makes the best hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some brand-new ones and continued to end the ones I know people like but I just. do not. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Perhaps we have different taste. Maybe I have not tried your preferred hamburger yet. Possibly I'm out to get you (just joking).

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

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some sparkling from the beef and maybe a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always opt for a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be seared to help lock in the juices, but not too crusty.