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There is no end to the number of tasty hamburgers you can make, however 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 recipes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube. This video and article become part of, our series on kitchen fundamentals.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually invested the last two years of my profession rigorously researching and checking dishes, techniques and commonly accepted cooking area wisdom to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've operated several burger joints and even wrote a month-to-month column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Lab, in which I separated and tested every possible variable that can affect the flavor and texture of a burger.

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

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In bread, this can be a good idea, but with burgers, overhandling can create an unwanted thick texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional flavoring, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to overwork the meat and sidetrack from the beef flavor, so avoid it.) Salting the outside of your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and helps them to link up more easily. This is an advantage in sausages, which must have a firm texture, however with burgers, you desire looseness. A hamburger must be tender, with lots of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply maximizes taste. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a huge burger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a frying pan, browning is flavor, and high heat is essential. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before adding the patties, and prepare them until they're well browned on both sides.

This makes the most of flavor while preserving juiciness. Do not let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Hamburgers are at their finest 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.

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Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a hamburger lover. Growing up, I 'd happily chomp them down at sit-down restaurants 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).

Capture me on the best day and I may confess that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's likely we don't have the 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 end the ones I know people like but I simply. don't. get. Yes, I know your favorite isn't there. Maybe we have various taste. Possibly I have not tried your favorite hamburger yet. Perhaps I'm out to get you (simply joking).

There's one best burg out there for everybody. Let me show you what makes the ideal hamburger for me. Let's start with the patty. Can I say I'm growing a little exhausted of smashburgers? The best ones astonishingly remain juicy with simply a hint of flaky char around the edges, but sadly, a lot of locations go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I require to see a little shimmer, some shining from the beef and perhaps a little grease diminishing the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly choose a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty must be burnt to help lock in the juices, but not too crusty.