Top-Rated Savory Burger Templates for 2026

There is no end to the number of scrumptious burgers you can make, however 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 develops dishes and appears in videos for NYT Cooking. He is likewise the developer and host of Kenji's Cooking Program on YouTube.

Credit ... Adam CentrellaAs an expert chef, food writer and cookbook author, I have actually invested the last 2 decades of my career rigorously researching and testing dishes, techniques and extensively accepted kitchen area wisdom to determine the whys of cooking. Over this time, I've operated numerous burger joints and even wrote a regular monthly 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 hamburger.

However that does not imply you can't go for something much better. Here are the most important tips I've found for optimizing your hamburger experience, whether in the yard or the cooking area. Working hamburger excessive can cause it to end up being dense. Credit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

How to Master the Ideal Flat-Top Patty

In bread, this can be a great thing, but with hamburgers, overhandling can develop an undesirable thick texture. (Including extenders, like eggs or breadcrumbs, or additional spices, like onions and herbs, likewise forces you to overwork the meat and distract from the beef flavor, so skip 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 easily. This is an excellent thing in sausages, which ought to have a firm texture, but with hamburgers, you want looseness. A hamburger 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 key. For thicker grilled or griddled burgers, wait until your pan or grill is hot before including the patties, and prepare them until they're well browned on both sides.

This takes full advantage of flavor while preserving juiciness. Don't let your patties sit around on the cutting board (or worse, a steam table). Burgers 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 City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Thick Yard BurgerCredit ... Ryan Liebe for The New York City Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Follow,,, and.

Innovative High-End French Fry Methods for the Home

Upgraded May 7, 2026, 8:42 a.m. CTI've constantly been a burger lover. Maturing, I 'd happily chew them down at sit-down restaurants and from the drive-thru getting back from gymnastics practice. I 'd crush 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 ideal day and I might confess that a cheeseburger is my favorite food. Really, I may say that on many days. And you might state the same. 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, added some brand-new ones and continued to end the ones I understand individuals like but I just. do not. get. Yes, I know your favorite isn't there. Possibly we have various taste. Perhaps I have not tried your favorite hamburger. Possibly I'm out to get you (simply joking).

There's one ideal burg out there for everybody. Let me share with you what makes the perfect hamburger for me. Let's start with the patty. Can I say I'm growing a little tired of smashburgers? The finest ones unbelievely remain juicy with simply a tip of flaky char around the edges, however regrettably, many locations go too tough on the smash.

When I bite in, I need to see a little sparkle, some glowing from the beef and maybe a little grease running down the sides. When I see a smashburger on the menu, I always go with a double patty. Smashburger or not, the patty needs to be seared to assist lock in the juices, but not too crusty.