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There is no end to the variety of tasty burgers 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 recipes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube. This video and article become part of, our series on kitchen fundamentals.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food writer and cookbook author, I've invested the last 2 decades of my profession carefully looking into and testing recipes, methods and commonly accepted kitchen wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated multiple hamburger joints and even composed a month-to-month column for Serious Eats called the Burger Lab, in which I separated and tested every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

That does not suggest you can't intend for something much better. Here are the most important suggestions I have actually discovered for enhancing your burger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Working hamburger too much can trigger it to end up being dense. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a great thing, however with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an unwanted dense texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra flavoring, like onions and herbs, also forces you to exhaust the meat and sidetrack from the beef flavor, so skip it.) Salting the outside of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and helps them to link up more quickly. This is a good idea in sausages, which need to have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you want looseness. A hamburger should hurt, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Whether you're making a big burger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a frying pan, browning is taste, and high heat is crucial. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them till they're well browned on both sides.

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

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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a hamburger enthusiast. Growing up, I 'd happily munch 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 admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Really, I may state that on many days. And you might state the exact same. But even if you do, it's likely we do not have the exact same idea of what makes the ideal hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

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

There's one best burg out there for everybody. Let me show you what makes the best burger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little exhausted of smashburgers? The best ones amazingly stay juicy with simply a hint of flaky char around the edges, but regrettably, most places go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some shining from the beef and perhaps a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always choose a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty must be burnt to help lock in the juices, but not too crusty.