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

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs a professional chef, food author and cookbook author, I've spent the last twenty years of my profession rigorously investigating and testing recipes, techniques and commonly accepted kitchen area knowledge to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've run numerous hamburger joints and even composed a month-to-month column for Serious Consumes called the Hamburger Lab, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can affect the taste and texture of a burger.

Here are the most important pointers I have actually found for enhancing your hamburger 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 hamburgers, overhandling can create an unwanted thick texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra seasoning, like onions and herbs, also requires you to strain the meat and distract from the beef flavor, so avoid it.) Salting the beyond your patties keeps their texture loose and tender.

This is an excellent thing in sausages, which should have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you want looseness. A hamburger must be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Browning your patties deeply optimizes taste. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City 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 taste, and high heat is essential. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them till they're well browned on both sides.

This takes full advantage of flavor while preserving juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to consuming a lot faster. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Don't let your patties relax 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 possibility to drip 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 Yard 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 hamburger enthusiast. Growing up, I 'd happily chomp them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru coming home 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 admit that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Even if you do, it's most likely we do not have the exact same idea of what makes the best burger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I kept some old favorites, added some new ones and continued to leave off the ones I understand people like however I just. don't. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Maybe we have various taste. Perhaps I haven't attempted your favorite hamburger yet. Possibly I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

There's one ideal burg out there for everyone. Let me share with you what makes the ideal burger for me. Let's start with the patty. Can I say I'm growing a little sick of smashburgers? The best ones unbelievely remain juicy with just a tip of flaky char around the edges, but sadly, most places go too difficult on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some shining from the beef and possibly 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 must be seared to help lock in the juices, however not too crusty.