The Genius Way To Keep Your Burger Patty Juicy With Just One Ice Cube

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For as easy and casual as they might seem — "just grabbing a burger" being common parlance — the number of ways to improve and perfect the humble hamburger sure does always seem to grow. First you've got to calculate the best beef ratio for the juiciest burgers, carefully form your patties for peak tenderness, and decide when to season for optimal flavor. And that's all before the burgers even meet the heat. Once they get cooking, there's a whole new list of tips for achieving the perfect doneness while maintaining maximum moisture. An ordinary ice cube can help you do just that.

Right before your burgers are ready to hit the grill, flattop, or cast iron, make about a thumbprint sized dent on the surface of each one, and arrange your ice cubes. Once they're removed to the fire, the cube will not only supply the burgers with a little boost of melted water as they render some of their natural liquid, replacing what just reads as juiciness on the plate.

Just like a watched pot never boils, neither does a burger ice cube melt until it's melted. To keep it intact and gain the full frozen benefit, you'll need to skip the constant flipping that seems to send some folks into a carnivorous rage and let the patty sit, instead. Only after a few minutes, once the ice cube has nearly disappeared, will you flip to finish.

The de facto temperature control an ice cube brings can also help keep your burgers from overcooking, provided you don't just totally char them on the other side. A food thermometer like ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 can keep you from cooking too for long. When you're ready to advance to the next level, a pat of frozen butter can perform similarly to the ice cubes while keeping your burgers moist with actual fat. And a compound variety mixed with things like garlic or blue cheese can advance your burger grilling skills to master tier.