How to Make the Juiciest Burgers (2024)

What lean-to-fat ratio in ground beef will result in the juiciest, best-tasting burgers? Our Test Kitchen experts share their tips and recipes for moist, juicy burgers. Plus, learn how to make a copycat restaurant-style smashed burger.

Updated on August 3, 2022

How to Make the Juiciest Burgers (2)

To make the juiciest, most flavorful burgers, choose ground beef that is 70 percent lean and 30 percent fat. To make more healthful burgers—but ones that are still pretty juicy and tasty—choose ground beef that is 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat. Ground beef that contains less than 15 percent fat makes dry and somewhat tasteless burgers. To see what the lean-to-fat ratio is on ground beef packages, look on the label. The ratio will usually appear in slashed numbers, with the lean content before the slash and the fat content after the slash—such as 70/30, 80/20, and so on.

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How to Make the Juiciest Burgers (3)

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How to Make the Juiciest Burgers (2024)

FAQs

How to Make the Juiciest Burgers? ›

A little extra moisture helps even well-done burgers stay juicy and tender, even if they're made from 90% lean ground beef. Mix in 1/4-1/2 cup water per pound of ground beef before forming your patties to reap the tenderizing benefit of H20. Some chefs tuck an ice cube into the middle of the patty for the same effect.

What is the secret to juicy hamburgers? ›

A little extra moisture helps even well-done burgers stay juicy and tender, even if they're made from 90% lean ground beef. Mix in 1/4-1/2 cup water per pound of ground beef before forming your patties to reap the tenderizing benefit of H20. Some chefs tuck an ice cube into the middle of the patty for the same effect.

How do you make juicy burgers that don't fall apart? ›

Add 1 egg yolk per pound of hamburger. It won't add appreciably to the fat content and will bind the meat beautifully. The other thing you can do is add canned, drained, crushed black beans or chickpeas to the hamburger. The starch from the beans will bind the meat together and add an interesting taste.

Why is my burger not juicy? ›

Avoid overworking the meat when forming the patties. Overworking can lead to a dense and tough burger. Gently form the meat into the desired shape and size, and then allow the patties to rest in the refrigerator or freezer before cooking. This will help the meat hold its shape and retain its juiciness.

What can I add to hamburger meat to keep it moist? ›

Baking soda acts as a tenderizer for ground beef, keeps it moist during cooking, and encourages deep browning by raising the acidity level of the surface of the meat. Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 pound of ground beef for more tender meat with better browning.

How can I make my burgers more flavorful? ›

In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper, ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper, and ½ tsp salt. Stir the spices together and then they're ready to use! Get ready for the juiciest, most flavorful burger ever!

How do you keep burgers moist? ›

"Adding a panade (a paste of bread and milk paste) to the ground beef creates burgers that are juicy and tender even when well-done. For a burger that cooks up flat, press the center of each patty down with your fingertips before grilling. Serve the burgers on your favorite buns or rolls.

Do you put eggs in homemade burgers? ›

Bind the patty together

If you're going for a leaner meat or adding bulky ingredients (eg spring onions, onions, chillies), add an egg and a handful of breadcrumbs to bind the burgers.

What does adding milk to hamburger meat do? ›

Adding bread and milk to the beef creates burgers that are juicy and tender even when well-done. (In fact, we recommend this method only for burgers that will be cooked to medium-well or well-done.)

How do you make frozen burgers more juicy? ›

You'll want to preheat your grill to high heat and then place your frozen patties on the grill. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes on the other side.

Do you mix seasoning into burgers? ›

Yes, you can mix seasoning directly into the burger patty, especially if you're forming your own.

Should you salt burgers before cooking? ›

For Tender Burgers, Season Just Before Cooking

Because when raw meat is salted, a muscle protein within it called myosin becomes more soluble. It dissolves out of the muscle and into the surrounding moisture within the meat, forming a sticky gel that binds the meat together.

How do you make a burger to perfection? ›

Grill hamburger patties (indent-side-up) covered for 3-5 min each side on the grill. Flip burgers when juices are accumulating on top of the burger and you have a good sear. Apply cheese in the last 1-2 minutes of grilling then cover with the lid and cook until the internal temperature of beef reaches 160˚F.

What does adding egg to hamburger do? ›

Egg yolk acts as a binder and adds flavor

After forming it into a patty, he explains that the egg actually helps bind the meat together, and adds an incredibly rich flavor to the burger patty. As a good rule of thumb, it's best to add one yolk per pound of ground beef.

What makes ground beef juicy? ›

Salt dissolves proteins in meat. Normally, this makes the meat juicy since those dissolved proteins hold onto moisture better. It's why we salt meat ahead of time.

Is Worcestershire sauce good in hamburgers? ›

Milk: Milk helps to keep the burgers nice and juicy and tender when cooked. Worcestershire sauce: This savoury condiment is full of umami flavours and adds some extra tastiness to each bite. Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper are used to flavour up the ground beef.

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