Optimal Heat Management for Better Grilled Patties

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 city 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 post become part of, our series on kitchen area fundamentals.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I've invested the last 20 years of my profession rigorously researching and checking recipes, techniques and widely accepted kitchen wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually run several burger joints and even composed a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Burger Lab, in which I isolated and evaluated every possible variable that can affect the flavor and texture of a burger.

However that does not suggest you can't go for something better. Here are the most crucial pointers I've discovered for enhancing your hamburger experience, whether in the backyard or the kitchen area. Working ground beef too much can cause it to become dense. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be an advantage, but with hamburgers, overhandling can produce an unwanted thick texture. (Incorporating 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 beyond your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and assists them to link up more quickly. This is an advantage in sausages, which should have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you want 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 hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash hamburger on a frying pan, browning is flavor, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and prepare them until they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of flavor while keeping juiciness. Do not let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Hamburgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have had a possibility to leak out.

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

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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually constantly been a hamburger fan. Maturing, I 'd gladly munch them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru getting back 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).

Capture me on the best day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's likely we do not have the very same idea of what makes the perfect hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some brand-new ones and continued to leave off the ones I know individuals like but I simply. don't. get. Yes, I know your favorite isn't there. Maybe we have different taste. Maybe I haven't attempted your favorite hamburger yet. Perhaps I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

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

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some glowing from the beef and maybe 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 must be seared to help lock in the juices, but not too crusty.