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There is no end to the variety of tasty hamburgers you can make, however here are 12 that will make your mouth water.

By J. Kenji Lpez-AltJ. Kenji Lpez-Alt composes a column for The New York Times on food and science, and he develops recipes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube. This video and post become part of, our series on kitchen basics.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I have actually invested the last 2 years of my profession rigorously investigating and testing dishes, methods and extensively accepted cooking area wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've operated numerous hamburger joints and even wrote a regular monthly column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Lab, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

Here are the most essential pointers I've found for enhancing your burger experience, whether in the yard or the cooking area. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a good idea, but with hamburgers, overhandling can create an unwanted dense texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra flavoring, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to overwork the meat and distract from the beef taste, so skip it.) Salting the exterior of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and assists them to connect up more quickly. This is a good idea in sausages, which need to have a firm texture, but with burgers, you desire looseness. A burger ought to be tender, with a lot of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply makes the most of flavor. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a huge hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a griddle, browning is taste, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled hamburgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them until they're well browned on both sides.

This optimizes taste while preserving juiciness. Don't let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their finest fresh from the fire, before any juices have actually had an opportunity to drip out.

Smash BurgersCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York 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 always been a hamburger enthusiast. Maturing, I 'd gladly munch them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru getting home from gymnastics practice. I 'd squish 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 best day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Really, I may say that on most days. And you might say the exact same. But even if you do, it's most likely we do not have the same concept of what makes the ideal burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some brand-new ones and continued to leave off the ones I know people like but I just. Possibly I have not tried your favorite burger. Maybe I'm out to get you (simply joking).

There's one ideal burg out there for everyone. Let me show you what makes the perfect hamburger for me. Let's start with the patty. Can I say I'm growing a little sick of smashburgers? The best ones miraculously stay juicy with simply a hint of flaky char around the edges, however sadly, the majority of places go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I require to see a little shimmer, some shining 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 needs to be burnt to assist secure the juices, but not too crusty.