Bold Savory Dinner Ideas for Passionate Kitchens

There is no end to the number of scrumptious 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 develops 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 an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I've spent the last 2 decades of my career carefully looking into and evaluating dishes, strategies and widely accepted kitchen area knowledge to figure out the whys of cooking. Over this time, I have actually run multiple hamburger joints and even composed a monthly column for Serious Eats called the Burger Laboratory, in which I isolated and tested every possible variable that can impact the flavor and texture of a burger.

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

Using Professional Griddle Styles in the Home

In bread, this can be a good idea, however with burgers, overhandling can create an unwanted dense texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or extra spices, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to exhaust the meat and sidetrack from the beef taste, so skip 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, however with burgers, you want looseness. A hamburger ought to be tender, with plenty 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 hamburger on a frying pan, browning is flavor, and high heat is key. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and cook them up until they're well browned on both sides.

This optimizes taste while preserving juiciness. Preparing your buns ahead of time lets you get to eating 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). Burgers are at their best 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.

Delicious Outdoor Dinner Ideas for the Future

Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a burger fan. Growing up, I 'd happily chomp 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 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 might confess that a cheeseburger is my preferred food. Even if you do, it's likely we don't have the same idea of what makes the perfect 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. Maybe I have not tried your preferred hamburger. Possibly I'm out to get you (simply joking).

There's one best burg out there for everyone. Let me show 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 stay juicy with just a hint of flaky char around the edges, but sadly, most places 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 running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always opt for a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty needs to be burnt to help secure the juices, however not too crusty.