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There is no end to the number of tasty burgers you can make, but here are 12 that will make your mouth water.

J. 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 developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last two years of my profession rigorously researching and checking recipes, strategies and commonly accepted kitchen area knowledge to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated multiple hamburger joints and even composed a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Burger Laboratory, in which I separated and tested every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a burger.

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

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In bread, this can be a good idea, however with burgers, overhandling can create an undesirable dense texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra spices, like onions and herbs, also forces you to exhaust the meat and sidetrack from the beef taste, so skip 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 connect up more quickly. This is an advantage in sausages, which should have a firm texture, but with burgers, you want looseness. A hamburger needs to be tender, with lots of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply optimizes flavor. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a big burger 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 burgers, wait till your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and prepare them until they're well browned on both sides.

This maximizes flavor while preserving juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to eating a lot faster. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Do not 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 a chance to drip out.

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

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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually constantly been a burger fan. 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 right day and I may admit that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Actually, I might state that on the majority of days. And you may state the very same. However even if you do, it's likely we don't have the same concept of what makes the best burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

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

There's one perfect burg out there for everybody. Let me show you what makes the perfect hamburger for me. Let's start with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little sick of smashburgers? The finest ones unbelievely stay juicy with just a tip of flaky char around the edges, but sadly, most locations go too hard on the smash.

When I bite in, I require to see a little shimmer, some glistening from the beef and perhaps a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always opt for a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty needs to be burnt to assist secure the juices, but not too crusty.