For Ultra-Juicy Burgers, Add A Tablespoon Of This Staple To Your Ground Beef Mixture

There are a ton of burger hacks out there, all promising the most tender, flavorful burger you can imagine. Those of us in the foodie world have heard most of them, but there's a vintage tip you might not have considered that calls for adding an unexpected ingredient to your burger mix: heavy cream (that's not a typo, promise). It doesn't take much: 1 tablespoon per pound of beef is a great place to start, and you can add or subtract a teaspoon or two depending on how you like the results.

The idea actually became popular because of James Beard, the culinary groundbreaker (and famed club sandwich hater) whose legacy lives on today through the James Beard Foundation. Beard attributed his favorite burger recipe — which includes heavy cream — to Jeanne Owen, whom Beard called a "magnificent cook" (via the James Beard Foundation). We see why Beard sang Owen's praises — adding cream to ground beef lends a bit of richness that you won't get from ground beef alone. 

Much like adding a dollop of sour cream to ground beef to create super juicy burgers, cream lends moisture and flavor to your meat. An important note: According to Beard, adding cream to ground beef will result in a less-pink burger than you'd normally get, so don't be alarmed if you typically cook your burgers to medium and get a well-done-looking result instead. There are also plenty of steps you can take to elevate your burgers after you've enriched them with heavy cream.

Once you've added heavy cream to your burgers, you might want to try another James Beard favorite: the juice of a grated onion, which contrasts nicely with the dairy's sweet richness. After you've combined the ingredients (gently, to prevent rubbery meat), it's time to decide how you'll cook your burgers. While you can certainly use the stovetop and get a tasty result, cream-infused burgers are great on the grill. Grilling lets excess fat drip off into the flames below, preserving all the flavor in your beef while keeping the sandwich from getting super greasy.

When you pull your patties off the grill, resist the urge to dig in right away — failing to let the meat rest is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when cooking burgers. While you wait for them to cool a bit, you might want to whip up a creamy cheese sauce to top off your burgers. Try stirring some seasonings (garlic powder and even condiments like Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce are a great fit) into your heavy cream over some heat, let it reduce a bit, whisk in some shredded cheddar, then ladle some of the good stuff on top of each burger. You can also hit them with a bit of Boursin cheese to take your burgers from delicious to downright luxurious. Whip these up for a barbecue and let your guests have a great time trying to figure out the secret ingredient — they'll never guess that it's the same stuff they put in their morning coffee.