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There is no end to the variety of tasty hamburgers you can make, but 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 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 short article become part of, our series on kitchen area fundamentals.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last 20 years of my profession rigorously researching and evaluating dishes, strategies and extensively accepted kitchen area knowledge to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've run numerous burger joints and even wrote a month-to-month column for Serious Eats called the Burger Laboratory, in which I separated and checked every possible variable that can affect the flavor and texture of a hamburger.

Here are the most important ideas I have actually found for optimizing your burger experience, whether in the backyard or the cooking area. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a good idea, however with hamburgers, overhandling can create an unwanted thick texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional flavoring, like onions and herbs, also forces you to overwork the meat and distract from the beef flavor, so avoid it.) Salting the outside 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 hamburgers, you desire looseness. A burger needs to be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply takes full advantage of taste. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a big hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a frying pan, browning is flavor, 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 until they're well browned on both sides.

This optimizes taste while preserving juiciness. Do not let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have actually had a chance to leak out.

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

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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a hamburger fan. Growing up, I 'd gladly chomp 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).

Catch me on the right day and I may confess that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Actually, I might say that on many days. And you may state the same. However even if you do, it's most likely we do not have the exact same concept of what makes the perfect burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand people like but I just. Possibly I have not attempted your preferred hamburger. Perhaps I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

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

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some glowing 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 must be scorched to assist secure the juices, but not too crusty.