Chef-Level Culinary Techniques for Superior Homemade Patties

There is no end to the variety of scrumptious hamburgers you can make, but 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 develops dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is also the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I've invested the last twenty years of my career rigorously researching and evaluating recipes, methods and widely accepted kitchen area wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually run several burger joints and even wrote a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I separated and checked every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

However that does not imply you can't intend for something better. Here are the most important pointers I've found for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Working ground beef excessive can trigger it to end up being thick. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Steps to Master the Ultimate Griddle Patty

In bread, this can be an excellent thing, but with burgers, overhandling can create an unwanted thick texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional spices, like onions and herbs, also forces you to strain the meat and distract from the beef taste, so avoid it.) Salting the outside of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and assists them to link up more easily. This is an advantage in sausages, which should have a company texture, but with hamburgers, you want looseness. A hamburger must 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 hamburger on a griddle, browning is flavor, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and prepare them till they're well browned on both sides.

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

Smash BurgersCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Diner 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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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a burger lover. Growing up, I 'd gladly chomp 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).

Capture me on the ideal day and I may admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Actually, I might say that on many days. And you may state the exact same. But even if you do, it's most likely we don't have the exact same concept of what makes the best burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand individuals like however I just. do not. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Perhaps we have various taste. Possibly I haven't tried your preferred hamburger yet. Possibly I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

Let me share with you what makes the perfect hamburger for me. Let's start with the patty.

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some shining from the beef and maybe a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly go with a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty must be seared to assist secure the juices, however not too crusty.