Burgers Are Juicier And 10x More Flavorful When You Add A Tad Of This Canned Pantry Staple

Burgers are a deceptively simple dish. On the surface, it seems to be only a disc of ground beef sandwiched between two buns. Simple as that. But any burger chef worth their salt knows that what goes into a burger patty is so much more than meat. Each cook has their own secret. My grandma, for example, added onions to her patties and steamed them up. But we may have just the coup to help you spruce up your very own burger recipe. The secret? A little bit of tomato paste.

This concentrated, low-moisture paste (made from tomatoes, obviously) brings a rich, umami, and tomato-packed flavor to your burgers. It can also bring a bit of moisture to your patties and help to bring out that ever so delicious Maillard reaction when grilling your burgers. The best part? You only need a very small amount to reap the benefits. About 1 or 2 tablespoons per pound of ground beef is enough to bring a hint of flavor and moisture to your burgers. Simply spoon into your meat and combine until completely blended, then portion out your patties and cook them up! The results just might make you a believer.

To take this tomato paste add-in even further, try caramelizing your tomato paste prior to mixing into your burger patty. Caramelizing your tomato paste will give it a deeper, richer, more potent flavor. Simply cook your paste in a bit of fat (butter will do as it doesn't take long) over medium heat until it has turned from bright red into a darker, brownish brick red, stirring and scraping off the pan as you cook. You can scoop it directly into your burger patty mix and keep the leftovers in the fridge, perhaps to be used for pasta sauce or maybe even a good pot roast.

Want to compound this rich, umami flavor? Add in a dash of Worcestershire sauce for a beef-friendly umami punch. You can further build the flavor of your patty by adding onions (either raw, or caramelized to really double down on the Maillard-driven flavor). If you want a bit of brightness as contrast, add a teaspoon or two of mustard powder. Or, you can add some garlic (again, raw or roasted will do depending on your preference). See how we've managed to get those wheels of flavor spinning? There are plenty of directions to bring this combo in, you just have to be okay with thinking outside of the bun.