How to Season Hamburgers

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: July 23, 2024 Approved

Bland burgers? Spice 'em up. By learning to use simple ingredients correctly, you can take regular old hamburgers from boring to delicious. Spicing burgers is all about technique, so you can learn the basics of seasoning you burgers and then graduate to creating your own spice mixes and experimenting with flavors. See Step 1 to learn more about spicing hamburgers.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Seasoning Basics

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1
Salt the patties after forming the burgers, just before grilling. Depending on your taste and on the kind of burgers you want to make, the variety of add-ins, spices, and combinations you use to season them is almost endless. You can add different spices at different points in the making of the burgers, but one thing is always necessary: salt. Just before you put your burgers on the grill or on the stove, season both sides with a generous portion of kosher salt.
- Salt dissolves muscle proteins, drawing out water. Adding salt into the raw hamburger before you form the patties will result in tough and dry burgers, losing much of the flavor and texture associated with a good one. However you end up cooking your burgers, wait to salt them, and salt them on the outside.^{[1]
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2
Always use dry seasoning on the outside, not the inside. If you're in search of more delicious seasoning options because your burgers tend toward the dry and flavorless, it may be because you're over-handling the meat. It's not important to integrate seasoning into the burgers themselves. Seasoning added to the outside of the meat will make more flavorful burgers.
- Burgers should be formed quickly, into portions of about 4 oz with a small indent in the middle, with as little fuss as possible, then seasoned before cooking.
- Don't "rub" it. If you want to use the same "dry rub" you use on ribs, go for it, but there's no reason to massage it into the meat. Handle the burgers as little as possible.
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3
Use seasoning liberally. Sprinkle a generous pinch of any dry seasoning you use on your burger patties from several inches above, evenly and liberally. One of the biggest differences between those great burgers at the restaurant and the ones you make at home is the amount of seasoning used on the meat. It takes a lot, more than you're probably using.
- Ground beef isn't the most flavorful meat on the planet. Even good quality beef patties can have a tendency to be somewhat bland if not seasoned properly. Go big, or you might as well eat a salad instead. Sprinkle on a generous portion of salt, fresh-cracked black pepper and smoked paprika, enough that you'll get plenty in each bite.
4
Err on the side of simplicity. Sometimes, the best things are the most simple. Burgers seasoned simply with salt and pepper and topped with American cheese provide a delicious and in many ways ideal burger, amenable to all sorts of toppings and additions after it's cooked. Why mess with perfection?
- To make a good burger, get fancy after you've got it off the grill, adding all the toppings and condiments you want. Like raw onion and ranch dressing? Go for it. Don't let anyone tell you what's good.
There's no right way to season a burger if it tastes good to you. Mix up your own spice mixtures with spices available to you and organize a taste test, trying different combinations on a few different burgers, to see what you and your family likes the best. Just handle the raw burger as little as possible, sprinkle it on right before it hits the heat, and you'll be in great shape.

Part 2

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Trying Different Combinations

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1
Make your own seasoned-salt. If you like spice mixtures by McCormick or Lawry's, why not try your own? It's likely you've got everything you need already in your cabinet and in your kitchen. If not, use whatever you like to create your own.^{[2]
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Research source} To make a simple season-salt appropriate for hamburgers and other meats, start by finely mincing an entire bulb of garlic. To prepare the mix quickly, throw the peeled cloves with the ends trimmed off in the food processor to get the party started. Pulse the processor on and off until they're thoroughly minced and to the garlic add:
- A cup of salt
- 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon of white pepper
- 1 tablespoon of celery seed
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon of dried mustard
- 1 teaspoon of dill
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. This can be used to season hamburger and any other kind of meat. It's a basic and versatile fresh seasoning mix.
2
Try a curry spice mix. If you want to try burgers with warm and fragrant Indian spices, it can be a nice and surprising change-up from the regular salt-and-pepper.^{[3]
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Research source} To create a delicious curry spice perfect for burgers, vegetables, or chicken, toast the following spices by keeping them moving around in a dry skillet over medium-high for a few minutes until they become fragrant and slightly browned:
- 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- Remove the spices from the skillet and crush them in a mortar-and-pestle, or crush them with the flat side of a kitchen knife on the cutting board and mix together. This goes excellent on a burger with fresh coriander and a spicy chutney.
As long as you do it gently, adding some chopped up onion, basil, or other green herbs into the meat can be an excellent way of adding interesting flavors and aromas during the cooking process. Some burger-lovers like raw garlic in the beef, while others swear by the addition of oregano. Use what you like. Depending on the kind of toppings and flavors you want to use on the burgers after cooking them, adding some fresh ingredients to the meat can be a nice addition.
4
Brush marinade or wet rub on the outside of the burgers before cooking. Mixtures of Worcestershire, brown sugar, horseradish, ketchup, soy sauce, and even hoisin can be delicious when added to ground beef.^{[4]
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Research source} If you want to mix up a wet rub or a sauce to brush onto the burgers just before they hit the heat, it can be an excellent way of caramelizing and creating a delicious crust.
- Working in wet mixtures is less recommended, but still possible. It can be a good way of over-handling the beef and breaking down the proteins, but gently massaging some Worcestershire in shouldn't be too much of a problem.

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How can I make my hamburger juicy?

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For starters, buy ground beef high in fat (at least 20 grams). Watch some videos on cooking burgers so you can learn how not to overcook them.

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Can I add grill seasoning to a burger?

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You can add whatever you want to a burger. I suggest garlic and black pepper as burger seasoning.

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Is it okay to grill a frozen hamburger?

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Yes, although if you have time, it's better to thaw the patties in the refrigerator prior to grilling them.

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Tips

Use kosher or coarsely ground sea salt instead of regular salt to season ground meat. The unique shape and greater surface area of these salt crystals heightens the impact on the flavor receptors of your tongue.

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Use freshly ground black or white pepper for bolder taste when seasoning hamburgers.

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You can add some extra seasoning to the top of your hamburger patties once you finish cooking them on one side.

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