Bold Modern Dinner Ideas for Passionate Kitchens

There is no end to the variety of tasty hamburgers 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 establishes recipes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually invested the last 2 decades of my career carefully investigating and checking dishes, strategies and extensively accepted cooking area wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've run several burger joints and even composed a month-to-month column for Serious Eats called the Burger Laboratory, in which I separated and evaluated every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a burger.

But that doesn't suggest you can't intend for something better. Here are the most essential ideas I've found for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Working ground beef too much can trigger it to become thick. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Steps to Perfect the Ideal Griddle Patty

In bread, this can be a good idea, however with burgers, overhandling can produce an unwanted dense texture. (Integrating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra flavoring, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to strain the meat and distract from the beef taste, so avoid it.) Salting the exterior of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

This is a good thing in sausages, which ought to have a firm texture, but with burgers, you desire looseness. A burger should 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 frying pan, browning is flavor, and high heat is essential. For thicker grilled or griddled hamburgers, wait till your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and cook them till they're well browned on both sides.

This takes full advantage of flavor while keeping juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to consuming a lot faster. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Don't let your patties relax 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.

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

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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a burger fan. Growing up, I 'd happily chew them down at sit-down dining establishments and from the drive-thru getting home 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 might admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Really, I might state that on most days. And you might state the same. But 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 new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand individuals like but I simply. Perhaps I haven't attempted your preferred burger. Possibly I'm out to get you (just joking).

There's one best burg out there for everyone. Let me share with you what makes the perfect hamburger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little sick of smashburgers? The very best ones amazingly remain juicy with just a tip of flaky char around the edges, however unfortunately, most locations go too hard on the smash.

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some glistening from the beef and possibly a little grease diminishing the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly opt for a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be scorched to assist secure the juices, however not too crusty.