Chef-Level Cooking Techniques for Juicier Homemade Burgers

There is no end to the number of scrumptious burgers you can make, but here are 12 that will make your mouth water.

By J. Kenji Lpez-AltJ. Kenji Lpez-Alt composes a column for The New york city Times on food and science, and he establishes recipes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is also the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube. This video and short article are part of, our series on kitchen fundamentals.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last 2 years of my career carefully looking into and checking dishes, strategies and commonly accepted kitchen knowledge to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've operated numerous hamburger joints and even composed a monthly column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I isolated and checked every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

But that does not mean you can't aim for something much better. Here are the most important suggestions I have actually found for enhancing your burger experience, whether in the yard or the cooking area. Working hamburger too much can trigger it to become thick. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Steps to Master the Ideal Griddle Patty

In bread, this can be an excellent thing, but with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an unwanted thick texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional spices, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to strain the meat and sidetrack from the beef taste, so avoid it.) Salting the outside 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 great thing in sausages, which need to have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you desire looseness. A hamburger needs to be tender, with lots of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

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

This takes full advantage of flavor while preserving juiciness. Do not let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Hamburgers are at their finest 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.

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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a burger lover. Growing up, I 'd gladly chew them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru getting back from gymnastics practice. I 'd crush 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 confess that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's likely we don't have the same idea of what makes the ideal hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some new ones and continued to leave off the ones I know individuals like but I just. Maybe I haven't tried your preferred burger. Perhaps I'm out to get you (simply joking).

There's one best burg out there for everybody. Let me share with you what makes the best burger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little sick of smashburgers? The best ones amazingly remain juicy with just a hint of flaky char around the edges, but regrettably, a lot of places go too tough on the smash.

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