How To Cook The Perfect Burger Every Time

Prepping Your Burgers

The very first step in cooking a good burger is choosing high quality ground beef. Opt for a ratio of 80% lean meat and 20% fat if you can because the fat is what makes the patty even more flavorful and juicy.

Get your hands wet before you shape the beef into patties to make sure none of the meat sticks to your fingers. You also don't want to overwork it! Using too much force to shape the patties will toughen up the meat before you even put it on the grill. Adding a divot with your thumb or the back of your knife will prevent the burgers from puffing up.

Your patties will shrink while cooking, so shape them so they're a little bit larger than your buns. That way, you don't have bites of just bread. Set your grill or pan is at a medium-high temperature to keep your burger juicy.

Once you have your patties ready to go, wait until right before you add the burger to the grill before adding your seasoning, since salt dissolves muscle proteins and will dry the burger out.

How To Cook A Burger

We know how tempting it is to squish your burger patties with a spatula once they're cooking. You actually don't want to do this because it'll squeeze all of the juices out of the meat, and leave the flavor in the pan instead of on your plate.

To keep your patty from breaking apart, wait until you see a crust forming on the side that's already cooking then flip the burgers once. That way, the meat is cooked enough that it doesn't stick to the pan *and* you don't lose extra tenderness from constant flipping.

If you're unsure whether you want to flip once or multiple times, feel free to experimenting between the two options. It's just an excuse to eat more cheeseburgers ;).

After your burger is cooked all the way through, let it rest for around a minute before you serve it. That way, the juices redistribute throughout the patty and you get a yummy, juicy burger. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!!

Try These Delicious Burger Recipes

Whole30 'Animal-Style' In-N-Out Burger

There's no question whether In-N-Out's "animal style" burger is delicious, and it's actually a lot easier to make for yourself than you might think. This Whole30 recipe will satisfy your cravings and gives you a healthier fast food option. (via Brit + Co)

Breakfast Burger

A cheeseburger is already delicious on its own, but add sausage, egg, tomato, and a hash brown? Absolute insanity — in the best way. (via Brit + Co)

California Black Bean Burger

Not a meat eater? Not a problem. This black bean burger has a ton of healthy ingredients like cauliflower, black beans, and oats. Plus it still tastes amazing with all of your favorite toppings. (via Brit + Co)