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There is no end to the variety of scrumptious burgers you can make, however 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 develops recipes 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've invested the last 2 decades of my career rigorously investigating and testing recipes, strategies and extensively accepted kitchen knowledge to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually run multiple burger joints and even wrote a monthly column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can affect the flavor and texture of a hamburger.

But that does not indicate you can't intend for something better. Here are the most essential pointers I've found for enhancing your hamburger 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 burgers, overhandling can create an undesirable thick texture. (Integrating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra spices, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to strain the meat and sidetrack from the beef flavor, so avoid it.) Salting the beyond your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Salt breaks down muscle proteins and helps them to link more easily. This is an advantage in sausages, which should have a company texture, but with hamburgers, you desire looseness. A burger should hurt, with lots of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply makes the most of flavor. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a big burger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a griddle, browning is flavor, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled hamburgers, wait 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 flavor while preserving juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to consuming a lot quicker. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Do not 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 an opportunity 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 have actually always been a burger enthusiast. 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 might confess that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Even if you do, it's most 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 know individuals like but I just. Maybe I have not attempted your preferred burger. Possibly I'm out to get you (just joking).

There's one ideal burg out there for everyone. Let me share with you what makes the best burger for me. Let's start with the patty. Can I state I'm growing a little fed up with smashburgers? The best ones miraculously stay juicy with just a hint of flaky char around the edges, but unfortunately, most locations go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little sparkle, some glistening from the beef and perhaps a little grease diminishing the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always go with a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be scorched to assist lock in the juices, but not too crusty.