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There is no end to the number of delicious hamburgers 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 establishes dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is also the creator and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last two decades of my career rigorously looking into and testing dishes, methods and commonly accepted cooking area knowledge to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually run multiple burger joints and even composed a month-to-month 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.

But that doesn't indicate you can't aim for something better. Here are the most crucial tips I've discovered for optimizing your burger experience, whether in the backyard or the kitchen area. Working ground beef too much can cause it to become thick. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a good idea, but with burgers, overhandling can produce an undesirable thick texture. (Integrating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional seasoning, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to exhaust the meat and distract from the beef taste, so avoid 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 link more quickly. This is a good idea in sausages, which must have a company texture, but with hamburgers, you desire looseness. A burger needs to hurt, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Whether you're making a huge hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash hamburger on a griddle, browning is flavor, and high heat is crucial. For thicker grilled or griddled hamburgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them until they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of taste while maintaining juiciness. Don't let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or worse, a steam table). Hamburgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have had a possibility to leak out.

Smash BurgersCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Restaurant BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York 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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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a burger enthusiast. Growing up, I 'd happily chomp them down at sit-down dining establishments and from the drive-thru getting back from gymnastics practice. I 'd squish 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 best day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's most likely we don't have the same idea of what makes the best hamburger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some new ones and continued to end the ones I understand individuals like however I simply. don't. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Maybe we have different taste. Perhaps I have not tried your favorite hamburger. Possibly I'm out to get you (just kidding).

Let me share with you what makes the best hamburger for me. Let's start with the patty.

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some sparkling from the beef and perhaps a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly choose a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty needs to be scorched to help secure the juices, however not too crusty.