Advanced Cooking Techniques for Juicier Homemade Burgers

There is no end to the variety of scrumptious 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 develops dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube. This video and article become part of, our series on kitchen basics.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I've spent the last twenty years of my profession rigorously investigating and testing recipes, techniques and extensively accepted cooking area knowledge to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated multiple burger joints and even composed a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I separated and checked every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a burger.

Here are the most crucial ideas I've discovered for enhancing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a good idea, but with burgers, overhandling can produce an unwanted thick texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional spices, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to strain the meat and sidetrack from the beef flavor, so avoid 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 connect more quickly. This is an advantage in sausages, which must have a company texture, but with burgers, you desire looseness. A burger ought to hurt, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Whether you're making a huge burger 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 hamburgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and prepare them until they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of flavor while keeping juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to eating so much quicker. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Don't let your patties relax on the cutting board (or worse, a steam table). Hamburgers are at their finest fresh from the fire, before any juices have had a possibility to drip out.

Smash BurgersCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Diner BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Thick Yard BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Follow,,, and.

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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a burger lover. Growing up, I 'd gladly chomp them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru getting back from gymnastics practice. I 'd squish the soft bun and let ketchup 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 may admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's most likely we do not 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 know people like but I just. Possibly I haven't tried your preferred hamburger. Perhaps I'm out to get you (just kidding).

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

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some glistening 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 burnt to assist secure the juices, however not too crusty.