Burger (Patty)

A lot of cooks take pains to obtain top-notch hamburger meat, toppings, condiments, and buns only to relegate the crucial step of making the patties to an afterthought. There's an art to preparing a hamburger patty. Fortunately, it's one that can be reduced to a few straightforward guidelines.

A pat of cold butter enclosed in the center of the patty bastes and flavours the meat while it cooks. Be sure to seal the butter pat in completely.

Don't pack the meat too much: overworking it can cause the burger to become mealy and overly dense. Gather the meat into a loose ball and set it on a work surface. Curl the palms of your hands around the sides of the patty and work it back and forth in a rotating motion so that the sides of the patty flatten slightly. Then gently press down on the top of the patty with the flat of your hand.

A note on size: thick is good, but there's a limit; any burger patty weighing more than eight ounces when raw will overwhelm your average bun.

We found that an ice cream scoop gave us a loosely packed portion perfectly sized for being squashed into a thin, old-school skillet burger.

Thick burger patties tend to puff up in the middle while they cook. Making a depression in the top of the patty using the back of a measuring spoon, or just your thumb, helps a burger hold its shape.

Seasonings:

• Anchovies: Pound an oil-cured filet and mix it well into the beef for briny flavour.
• Dijon Mustard: A tsp. brightens the flavour of cooked beef with mellow spiciness.
• Dried Mushrooms: A few dried porcinis that have been ground in a spice grinder give patties a deeper meatiness.
• Egg: An egg enriches the flavour of beef and helps to keep the burger moist as it cooks.
• Herbed Breadcrumbs: A Tbsp. of herbed bread crumbs helps bind the ground meat and adds a toasty flavour.
• Onion: Half of a small, coarsely grated onion gives sweet notes and juiciness to burgers.
• Onion Soup Mix: A few pinches of this powdered mixture of beef bouillon and dried onion enhance a burger's meaty depth.
• Red Wine: A few Tbsp. of a dry, tannic red wine infuse burgers with peppery notes.
• Sesame Oil: A drizzle of this East Asian staple adds a nutty essence.
• Sriracha: A tsp. or so of this Asian-style garlic chile sauce imparts a subtle heat and sweetness.
• Steak Sauce: A Tbsp. of sweet and tangy A1, a condiment made with tomatoes, vinegar, and dried fruit, intensifies a burger's beefiness.
• Worcestershire Sauce: A few dashes of this sweet-tart sauce lend tang and depth.
• Capers: A tsp. of finely chopped capers gives burgers a pleasing, concentrated saltiness.

Cheese:

• Blue: Its bold, salty tartness is balanced by a creamy texture. Our choice is Rogue Creamery's Crater Lake Blue, from Oregon.
• Brie: Ripe French brie, with the bloomy rind left intact, takes on a silky texture and a rich aroma when melted atop a burger.
• Cheddar: When melted over a burger, sharp aged cheeses like Cabot's Clothbound cheddar, from Vermont, can add a pleasant hint of caramel.
• Emmentaler: Swiss cheese - aka emmentaler - stays firm around the edges after it melts over a burger. We're fans of Edelweiss emmentaler from Wisconsin.
• Fresh Goat Cheese: Goat cheese adds tangy notes to burgers. One of our favourites is a ricotta-like goats' milk and cows' milk blend from California called Delice de la Vallee.
• Parmigiano-Reggiano: This salty, nutty-tasting cheese can be grated and baked on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for about ten minutes to produce crisp frico wafers, which can be a fabulous burger topping.
• Pepper Jack: Monterey jack cheese flecked with jalape¿o peppers gives burgers a spicy edge. Maple Leaf in Monroe, Wisconsin, makes an excellent version with red and green jalapenos.
• Limburger: This strong washed-rind cheese tastes great on a beefy, juicy burger. Only one company makes limburger in this country today: the Chalet Cheese Cooperative of Monroe, Wisconsin.

Toppings:

• Zucchini Pickles: These turmeric-spiked pickles lend spicy sweetness to the burger at Zuni Cafe in San Francisco.
• Tomato: A meaty, sweet presence between beef and bun.
• Sautéed Mushrooms: bolster a burger's savoury qualities.
• Cornichons: sliced into strips add sour notes and snap.
• Alfalfa Sprouts: Alfalfa sprouts, with their fresh, almost grassy taste, pair well with beef.
• Bibb Lettuce: A velvety alternative to crunchy iceberg.
• Caramelized Onions: Few toppings are more delicious than sweet sautéed onions.
• Coleslaw: Coleslaw adds a cool crunch to burgers.
• Fried Egg: The soft yolk mingles beautifully with the beef.
• Olive Tapenade: Store-bought or homemade, it lends a briny, Mediterranean accent.
• Peperoncini: These brined peppers give mild heat.
• Pickled Beets: An earthy alternative to sweet pickles.
• Pickled Jalapeno: Pickled jalapeno slices convey an aromatic, tingly heat.
• Red Onions: Red onions are a classic topping; briefly soak slices in ice water to temper their intensity.
• Roasted Red Peppers: Roasted red peppers give burgers a smoky, sweet accent.
• Sautéed Garlic: A bold substitute for onions.
• Avocado: A few slices can stand in for mayo and impart a buttery richness.