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There is no end to the variety of scrumptious 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 city Times on food and science, and he establishes dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is also the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube. This video and article belong to, our series on kitchen principles.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food writer and cookbook author, I've spent the last twenty years of my career rigorously looking into and checking dishes, techniques and extensively accepted kitchen wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've run several hamburger joints and even composed a regular monthly column for Serious Eats called the Burger Lab, in which I isolated and checked every possible variable that can affect the flavor and texture of a burger.

Here are the most crucial pointers I've discovered for optimizing your burger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen area. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Selecting the Best Meats for Tasty Burgers

In bread, this can be a good idea, but with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable thick texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra seasoning, like onions and herbs, also forces you to exhaust the meat and distract from the beef taste, so skip it.) Salting the beyond your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

This is a great thing in sausages, which need to have a firm texture, however with burgers, you want looseness. A burger should be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply takes full advantage of flavor. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a big hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash hamburger on a frying pan, browning is taste, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled hamburgers, wait till your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and prepare them till they're well browned on both sides.

This maximizes flavor while keeping juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to consuming so much quicker. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. 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 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 City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Follow,,, and.

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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually constantly been a hamburger fan. Growing up, I 'd happily munch them down at sit-down dining establishments and from the drive-thru getting 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 right day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. In fact, I may say that on the majority of days. And you may state the very same. Even if you do, it's likely we don't have the exact same concept of what makes the perfect 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. Maybe we have different taste. Possibly I have not tried your preferred burger. Perhaps I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

There's one best burg out there for everyone. Let me share with you what makes the perfect burger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little fed up with smashburgers? The finest ones miraculously stay juicy with just a hint of flaky char around the edges, but unfortunately, a lot of places go too difficult on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some sparkling from the beef and maybe a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly opt for a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty needs to be seared to assist lock in the juices, however not too crusty.