Essential Outdoor Grilling Hacks

There is no end to the number of scrumptious 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 city Times on food and science, and he establishes dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube. This video and post belong to, our series on kitchen basics.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food author and cookbook author, I've spent the last twenty years of my career rigorously researching and testing recipes, strategies and commonly accepted cooking area knowledge to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually run several burger joints and even composed a month-to-month column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I separated and checked every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

Here are the most crucial suggestions I have actually discovered for optimizing 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 hamburgers, overhandling can produce an unwanted dense texture. (Integrating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra seasoning, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to strain the meat and sidetrack from the beef flavor, so skip it.) Salting the beyond your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

This is a good thing in sausages, which should have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you want looseness. A burger needs to be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Whether you're making a huge burger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger 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 adding the patties, and prepare them until they're well browned on both sides.

This maximizes taste while preserving juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to consuming so much faster. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Do not let your patties relax on the cutting board (or worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have had an opportunity to drip out.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually always been a hamburger lover. Growing up, I 'd gladly munch them down at sit-down dining establishments 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 may confess that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. In fact, I may state that on the majority of days. And you might say the very same. Even if you do, it's most likely we don't have the same concept of what makes the best hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some brand-new ones and continued to end the ones I know people like however I simply. do not. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Perhaps we have different taste. Possibly I haven't tried your preferred hamburger yet. Perhaps I'm out to get you (just kidding).

There's one perfect burg out there for everybody. Let me show you what makes the best burger for me. Let's start with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little tired of smashburgers? The finest ones astonishingly remain juicy with simply a tip of flaky char around the edges, however sadly, the majority of locations go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I need 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 constantly go with a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty must be seared to help secure the juices, but not too crusty.