How to Burger Better

Upgrade your summer with the best burgers ever.

- PAIGE GRANDJEAN

THE ULTIMATE SUMMER COOKOUT staple, hamburgers had their big break in America in 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair. Fast-forward 120 years, and what started as a simple patty-on-bun combo has become. a cultural phenomenon, available stuffed, smashed, stacked, and topped with every ingredient under the sun. But behind every great burger, you'll find the same essential ingredients and fundamental techniques.

Vegetarian versions aside, the most important element of any burger is the meat. A high-quality butcher shop burger blend (typically a mix of brisket, chuck, and rib eye) with a ratio of 80% lean to 20% fat delivers the ideal balance of meaty flavor and juiciness. "Always use fresh ground beef," says George Motz, burger historian and chef-owner of Hamburger America in New York City. Freshly ground meat-ideally ground the same day you'll cook it-has a loose texture that, when shaped into patties using a gentle hand, will result in melt-in-your-mouth burgers.

Timely seasoning is also key. Cookbook author J. Kenji López-Alt discovered that mixing salt into the patties denatures the proteins, which results in a dense, bouncy, sausagelike texture. Seasoning only the exterior of the patties just before they hit the heat gives you a tender, juicy patty.