How to Make Hamburger Patties in 7 Steps

Lean ground beef does not make a good burger. You want at least 20 percent fat in the mix and 25 percent is even better. Look specifically for ground chuck at the meat counter. Chuck has the right balance of flavor and fat to keep the patty juicy on a hot grill. Lay the tray on the counter and divide the meat into four equal piles by eye. A pound makes four quarter-pound patties.

This is where most people overdo it. Cup the meat in your palms and shape it into a loose ball, then flatten it into a disc about three quarters of an inch thick. Don't pack the meat. Don't slap it between your hands. The more you compress ground beef, the tighter the fibers get, and tight fibers cook into a dense puck that loses its juice. Loose and gentle is the goal.

Lay the patty flat on parchment paper and press your thumb straight down into the middle until you make a noticeable indent. That divot is the whole game. As the burger cooks, the patty contracts and tries to ball up like a golf ball. The divot gives the meat somewhere to go, so it stays flat and cooks evenly edge to edge. Without it, you end up with a tall round burger that no bun will close around.

Slide the patties onto a parchment-lined tray and put the whole tray in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes before the grill is hot. The chill firms the fat back up after the warmth of your hands softened it, so the patties hold their shape when they hit the grates. They also brown better on the outside without overcooking the inside, because the cold edge gives the meat a head start before the center catches up.

Most home cooks under-season their burgers. Don't be shy with the salt. Pinch kosher salt from a few inches above the patty so it scatters evenly across the surface, and only do this in the last minute before the patty goes on the grill. Salt pulls moisture out of raw meat, so seasoning ten minutes ahead leaves you with a dry burger. Salt seconds before the grill keeps every drop of juice inside.

Twist a pepper mill back and forth above the salted patty and lay down more pepper than feels reasonable. A fair amount falls off when the meat hits the grates, so what looks like too much in the kitchen is the right amount on the plate. Fresh-ground pepper has a sharper bite than the pre-ground stuff in a shaker, and a good burger can carry the heat. If you only ever season with salt and pepper, you are not missing anything.

The finished patty has a clean divot in the center, an even crust of salt and pepper on top, and enough loose texture that you can see the meat fibers. From here it goes straight onto a hot grill, seasoned side down, and you do not touch it again until it is time to flip once. Head over to our how to grill burgers guide for the rest of the cook, the doneness touch test, and the rest-before-the-bun trick.