When do you season hamburgers

Salt removes water from and dissolves some of the meat proteins, causing them to bind the insoluble proteins together—something good for the springy bite to sausages, not for a tender burger.

So wait to salt your burgers until just before they hit the pan or grill. When to Salt Burgers When you add salt to your burger, you're doing more than just seasoning the meat, and timing is everything. Recommended Reading. Salt draws moisture out of meat as it sits. Whatever method you choose, make sure you form the patties immediately and then grill them soon after.

Keep them cold in the fridge while the grill heats up. Looking to go beyond salt and pepper? Try unconventional additions like shredded cheese, chopped fresh herbs, dried herbs like rosemary or oregano, or citrus zest. Senior Editor Summer Miller loves lemon zest in her burgers! If the mix is too dry, add a dollop of mayonnaise or plain yogurt to add moisture; if the mix is too wet, toss in some breadcrumbs to soak up excess moisture and add texture to a hamburger patty.

Seasoned salt is also another easy way to change up the flavor. The options for seasoning burgers are endless, but at the same time, an excellent hamburger requires little more than good quality ground beef, salt, pepper, and the flavor that comes from searing on a hot grill. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. It's not a meatloaf, people! That said, don't skimp on the salt and pepper.

Season one side of the patty with salt and pepper right before you place it on the grill, seasoned side down. Before you flip the burger, season the other side. Think gentle when forming your burgers ; now is definitely not the time to be heavy-handed. Really packing them in will make for a dense, heavy, hockey puck of a burger. Consider the fact that the patty will be eaten on a relatively delicate bun more on that later , not on a plate with a fork and a knife.

And come hell or high water, your burger will expand as you grill it, so make a divot in the center of the burger. That way, when the patty gets bigger, it'll stay perfectly fat and flat, not dome-shaped. Nobody wants a dome-shaped burger. Yeah, it's about the meat—but the bread's also undeniably important. First up is the size of your buns : There's nothing worse than taking your first bite and realizing it's all bread, no meat.

To remedy that, make sure your burger is 6 to 8 ounces, and that it's wide enough to reach the outer edges of the bun.