Delicious Outdoor Dinner Ideas for the Future

There is no end to the variety of delicious hamburgers you can make, but here are 12 that will make your mouth water.

By J. Kenji Lpez-AltJ. Kenji Lpez-Alt composes a column for The New York Times on food and science, and he develops dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube. This video and post belong to, our series on kitchen fundamentals.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food author and cookbook author, I've invested the last 20 years of my profession rigorously researching and testing dishes, methods and extensively accepted cooking area wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've operated several burger joints and even wrote a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Hamburger Lab, in which I separated and tested every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a hamburger.

That does not suggest you can't intend for something much better. Here are the most crucial ideas I've discovered for enhancing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the cooking area. Working hamburger too much can cause it to end up being dense. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Mastering Professional Flat-Top Methods in the Home

In bread, this can be a good idea, but with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an unwanted thick texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra spices, like onions and herbs, also forces 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.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and assists them to connect more easily. This is a great thing in sausages, which must have a firm texture, however with hamburgers, you want looseness. A burger ought to hurt, with a lot of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply maximizes flavor. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a big hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a frying pan, browning is taste, 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 maximizes taste while preserving juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to eating a lot quicker. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Don't let your patties relax on the cutting board (or worse, a steam table). Hamburgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have had a chance to leak out.

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

Optimal Temperature Control for Better Seared Patties

Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've always been a burger lover. Growing up, I 'd happily chomp them down at sit-down restaurants 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 ideal day and I may admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's likely we don't have the exact same idea of what makes the best hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand people like however I just. Perhaps I haven't tried your preferred hamburger. Possibly I'm out to get you (just joking).

There's one perfect burg out there for everyone. Let me show you what makes the ideal burger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I say I'm growing a little fed up with smashburgers? The best ones unbelievely remain juicy with just a tip of flaky char around the edges, however unfortunately, the majority of places go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little sparkle, some sparkling from the beef and perhaps a little grease diminishing 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 burnt to help lock in the juices, but not too crusty.