Using Chef Griddle Methods in the Home

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

J. Kenji Lpez-Alt writes a column for The New York Times on food and science, and he establishes dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Show on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last twenty years of my profession rigorously researching and evaluating dishes, methods and extensively accepted kitchen knowledge to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've operated several burger joints and even wrote a regular monthly column for Serious Consumes called the Burger Lab, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

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

How to Master the Ideal Griddle Patty

In bread, this can be a good idea, however with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable dense texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional seasoning, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to overwork the meat and distract from the beef flavor, so skip 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 connect more quickly. This is a good idea in sausages, which should have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you want looseness. A hamburger should be tender, with plenty 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 huge burger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a griddle, browning is taste, and high heat is crucial. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and prepare them up until they're well browned on both sides.

This optimizes flavor while maintaining juiciness. Don't let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their best fresh from the fire, before any juices have had a possibility to drip out.

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

Crafting Restaurant-Quality Side Fries in Modern Home

Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI have actually constantly been a burger enthusiast. Maturing, 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 best day and I might admit that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Actually, I might say that on many days. And you may say the very same. However even if you do, it's likely we do not have the very same concept of what makes the ideal 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 simply. Perhaps I have not attempted your preferred burger. Maybe I'm out to get you (just kidding).

There's one best burg out there for everyone. Let me share with you what makes the ideal burger for me. Let's begin with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little sick of smashburgers? The very best ones amazingly stay juicy with just a tip of flaky char around the edges, however regrettably, the majority of locations go too hard on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little sparkle, some glistening from the beef and possibly a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always choose a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be burnt to assist secure the juices, but not too crusty.