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

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

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food author and cookbook author, I have actually spent the last 2 decades of my profession rigorously looking into and testing dishes, strategies and widely accepted kitchen area knowledge to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've run multiple hamburger joints and even composed a regular monthly column for Serious Eats called the Hamburger Laboratory, in which I isolated and evaluated every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a hamburger.

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

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In bread, this can be an advantage, however with burgers, overhandling can produce an unwanted thick texture. (Incorporating extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional spices, like onions and herbs, likewise requires you to exhaust the meat and distract from the beef taste, 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 connect more quickly. This is a good idea in sausages, which should have a company texture, but with burgers, you desire looseness. A hamburger needs to be tender, with plenty of pockets for juices and rendered fat to collect.

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Browning your patties deeply makes the most of taste. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Whether you're making a big hamburger 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 burgers, wait up until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them until they're well browned on both sides.

This takes full advantage of flavor while keeping juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to eating a lot quicker. Credit ... Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Do not let your patties relax 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 chance to leak out.

Smash BurgersCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Diner BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Thick Backyard BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Follow,,, and.

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Updated May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a hamburger fan. Growing up, I 'd happily chew them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru coming home 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 right day and I may confess that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Really, I may state that on a lot of days. And you might state the very same. But even if you do, it's 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 individuals like however I just. don't. get. Yes, I understand your favorite isn't there. Maybe we have different taste. Possibly I have not attempted your preferred burger. Possibly I'm out to get you (simply kidding).

Let me share with you what makes the perfect hamburger for me. Let's start with the patty.

When I bite in, I need to see a little shimmer, some glistening from the beef and maybe a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I constantly go with a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty must be seared to help lock in the juices, but not too crusty.