This Simple Burger Hack Will Give You The Perfect Patties Every Time

Burgers are such a classic American staple that it can sometimes seem like they require little effort to pull off. The truth is, making a perfect patty demands attention to easy-to-overlook details. By learning a few tricks for forming ground beef into the most tender burgers, you can make sure you have the burger of your dreams every time.

One hack is to place a thumbprint in the middle of your patties before you put them on the heat. This prevents your patties from inflating into misshapen disks, and ultimately helps you avoid a dried-out finished product. There's simple science behind this strategy: As your meat cooks, it shrinks and contracts. When the edges do so, the center of your patty puffs upin response. The thumbprint hack prevents this phenomenon, helping your burger cook evenly. As it cooks, the indentation gradually disappears, leaving you a with a patty that's picture-perfect and cooked to the same level throughout.

If you prefer not to use your thumb, you can also use the back of a spoon or an ice cream scoop to create the divot. About a quarter-inch deep does the trick. It's especially critical when grilling since a skillet-cooked patty is less likely to puff. There are a lot of mistakes everyone makes when cooking burgers, but with this simple hack, you can avoid a major one.

But, how exactly does this hack ensure that you have a perfectly juicy burger in the end? Well, a common impulse for cooks is to use a spatula to smoosh down any puffy centers in their patties. While this may make for a more aesthetically pleasing burger, it also squeezes out all the moisture that keeps your meat tender and tasty. Aside from helping the patty cook evenly, a thumbprint also helps avoid this squishing temptation. Whether you're making an ultra-cheesy Juicy Lucy or going for a classic stacked with lettuce and tomato, using the thumbprint trick helps your burger be a thing of beauty.