The Ultimate Guide to Smashed Grilling Perfection

There is no end to the number of tasty burgers you can make, however 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 establishes recipes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is also the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I've invested the last twenty years of my career rigorously researching and evaluating dishes, techniques and extensively accepted kitchen area knowledge to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated several hamburger joints and even composed a regular monthly column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I separated and tested every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

That doesn't suggest you can't intend for something much better. Here are the most crucial pointers I've discovered for enhancing your burger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Working hamburger excessive can trigger it to become thick. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a good idea, however with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an unwanted dense texture. (Integrating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra seasoning, like onions and herbs, also forces you to overwork the meat and distract from the beef flavor, so skip it.) Salting the exterior of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and helps them to connect up more easily. This is a good idea in sausages, which ought to have a firm texture, but 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

Whether you're making a big burger 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 up until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them till they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of taste 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. Do not let your patties relax on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Hamburgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have actually had an opportunity to leak 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 Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Follow,,, and.

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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a hamburger lover. 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 best day and I may admit that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. In fact, I may state that on the majority of days. And you may say the exact same. But even if you do, it's likely we do not have the same concept of what makes the ideal burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

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

Let me share with you what makes the best burger for me. Let's begin with the patty.

When I bite in, I need to see a little sparkle, some glistening 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 needs to be scorched to assist lock in the juices, but not too crusty.