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

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food writer and cookbook author, I have actually invested the last 2 decades of my profession rigorously researching and testing dishes, strategies and commonly accepted kitchen area knowledge to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually operated multiple burger joints and even wrote a regular monthly column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Lab, in which I isolated and checked every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a burger.

That does not suggest you can't aim for something much better. Here are the most crucial ideas I have actually discovered for optimizing your burger experience, whether in the yard or the kitchen. Working ground beef excessive can cause it to become dense. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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In bread, this can be a great thing, but with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable dense texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional flavoring, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to strain the meat and distract from the beef flavor, 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 up more easily. This is an advantage in sausages, which must have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you want looseness. A burger should be tender, with lots of pockets for juices and rendered fat to gather.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Whether you're making a big hamburger on the grill or a crisp-edged smash burger on a frying pan, browning is flavor, and high heat is crucial. 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 optimizes taste while preserving juiciness. Do not let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or even worse, a steam table). Burgers are at their finest fresh from the fire, before any juices have actually 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 burger enthusiast. Growing up, I 'd gladly chomp them down at sit-down dining establishments and from the drive-thru getting back from gymnastics practice. I 'd crush the soft bun and let ketchup 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 most likely we don't have the exact same idea of what makes the best burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, included some brand-new ones and continued to end the ones I know people like but I just. do not. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Perhaps we have different taste. Perhaps I have not attempted your preferred burger. Maybe I'm out to get you (just joking).

Let me share with you what makes the ideal hamburger for me. Let's begin with the patty.

When I bite in, I require to see a little sparkle, some sparkling from the beef and maybe a little grease diminishing the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always choose a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty should be seared to help secure the juices, however not too crusty.