Savory Outdoor Dinner Ideas for 2026

There is no end to the number of tasty burgers 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 Times on food and science, and he develops 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 belong to, our series on kitchen area principles.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last two years of my profession carefully researching and checking dishes, strategies and extensively accepted kitchen wisdom to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually run numerous hamburger joints and even wrote a month-to-month column for Serious Eats called the Hamburger Lab, in which I separated and tested every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

Here are the most essential suggestions I've found for enhancing your hamburger experience, whether in the backyard or the kitchen area. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Advanced Culinary Techniques for Juicier Hand-Pressed Patties

In bread, this can be a good idea, but with hamburgers, overhandling can create an undesirable dense texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra seasoning, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to exhaust the meat and sidetrack from the beef taste, so avoid it.) Salting the outside of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

This is a great thing in sausages, which need to have a company texture, however with hamburgers, you want looseness. A hamburger needs to be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

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 hamburgers, wait till your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them till they're well browned on both sides.

This takes full advantage of taste while maintaining juiciness. Don't 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 actually had an opportunity to leak out.

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

Advanced Culinary Techniques for Juicier Hand-Pressed Burgers

Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a burger enthusiast. Maturing, I 'd gladly chomp them down at sit-down dining establishments and from the drive-thru getting back from gymnastics practice. I 'd squish 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 best day and I may confess that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Really, 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 same idea of what makes the ideal hamburger.

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 however I just. Perhaps I have not tried your favorite burger. Maybe I'm out to get you (just kidding).

There's one perfect burg out there for everyone. Let me share with you what makes the best hamburger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I say I'm growing a little exhausted of smashburgers? The very best ones astonishingly stay juicy with just a tip of flaky char around the edges, but sadly, the majority of locations go too difficult on the smash.

When I bite in, I require to see a little shimmer, some sparkling from the beef and possibly a little grease diminishing the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always go with a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be burnt to assist secure the juices, but not too crusty.