How to Master the Ultimate Griddle Burger

There is no end to the number of delicious burgers 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 dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I've invested the last twenty years of my career rigorously researching and evaluating recipes, techniques and extensively accepted kitchen knowledge to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated numerous burger joints and even wrote a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Burger Laboratory, in which I isolated and checked every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a hamburger.

Here are the most essential pointers I have actually discovered for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the backyard or the kitchen. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be an advantage, however with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable thick texture. (Integrating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra seasoning, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to exhaust the meat and distract from the beef flavor, so avoid 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 more easily. This is a great thing in sausages, which should have a company texture, however with burgers, you desire looseness. A hamburger must hurt, with lots 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 griddle, browning is flavor, and high heat is essential. For thicker grilled or griddled hamburgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and cook them up until they're well browned on both sides.

This maximizes flavor while preserving juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to consuming a lot quicker. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Do not let your patties relax on the cutting board (or worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have actually had a possibility 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 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've constantly been a hamburger enthusiast. Growing up, I 'd gladly chew them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru coming home 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).

Catch me on the ideal day and I might confess that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Even if you do, it's likely we do not have the exact same concept of what makes the best hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some brand-new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand individuals like however I just. Possibly I have not tried your favorite hamburger. Maybe I'm out to get you (just kidding).

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

When I bite in, I need to see a little sparkle, some sparkling from the beef and maybe 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 needs to be burnt to assist lock in the juices, but not too crusty.