The One Thing You Should Never Do to Your Hamburgers
Updated: Mar. 20, 2019
Before you put salt IN your hamburger mix, give this a read!
The best hamburgers are flavorful and juicy—whether you grill ’em, broil ’em or sear ’em in a skillet. But adding salt to the hamburger mix, even a small amount, will cause the meat to form a texture similar to sausage. (That’s no bueno for burgers.) Here’s why:
The Odd Relationship Between Salt & Burgers
Salt is especially good at dissolving protein, so when it’s mixed in with the meat and other seasonings, it will break down hamburger before the patty even hits the grill. Test Kitchen expert James Schend painted a picture of what happens when you salt in advance: “What you end up with is a very tightly compacted patty whose texture is similar to sausage. Think about when you bite into a sausage—that firm, almost rubbery texture is perfect for links, but is that the texture you want in your burger?”
Yikes! The most perfectly cooked burgers should be moist and tender, definitely not rubbery. That’s not to say you should skip the salt altogether, though. Form the burgers and add salt right before putting ’em on the heat. (Schend suggests using Kosher salt, because the larger crystals will help you see how much you’ve added and prevent over-salting.)
Don’t miss 8 more mistakes we’re all making with our hamburgers!
Garlic-Herb Salmon SlidersThe fresh flavors of the salmon and herbs are just unbeatable. I serve these as full-size burgers on kaiser rolls, too. —Margee Berry, White Salmon, Washington
Loaded Turkey SlidersWhat these sliders lack in size they make up for in flavor! They're great for little hands and you can customize the toppings to suit kids' tastes. Serve them as an appetizer or as a main dish along with sweet potato fries and fresh fruit. —Kathy DeRousie, Port Angeles, Washington
Barbecued BurgersI can't take all the credit for these winning burgers. My husband's uncle passed down the special barbecue sauce recipe. We love it on everything...it was only natural to try it on, and in, burgers. Add cheese and bacon to take them over the top. —Rhoda Troyer, Glenford, Ohio
Salmon Burgers with Tangy SlawI thought I’d made salmon every way you can make it—until now. The tangy slaw, made with fennel and avocado, adds another layer of flavor that goes surprisingly well with salmon and other seafood. —Amber Massey, Argyle, Texas
Whiskey Cheddar BurgersThis juicy cheeseburger has big flavors to satisfy even the heartiest appetites. It always impresses at our cookouts. —Amber Nicholson, Winooski, Vermont
Black Bean Chip & Dip BurgersI finally invented a healthy quinoa burger that wasn't dry and crumbly or really boring. These fit the bill—even my grandkids prefer them over hamburgers. They taste like chips and dip in a burger! —KT Rehrig, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Sun-Dried Tomato Turkey BurgersThis recipe always brings back memories of my mom’s homemade sun-dried tomatoes in the summer. I’ve prepared the burgers with ground beef and ground turkey. Either way, they're fast and taste great! —Sammy Staab, Pensacola, Florida
Burger AmericanaGo on a burger road trip in your own backyard. Grill the patties and load them sky-high with your favorite toppings. For instance, peanut butter and bacon make them southern style; coleslaw and tomatoes,
a northern version. —Susan Mahaney, New Hartford, New York
Sweet & Spicy Fusion BurgersThese burgers combine some of my favorite flavors and textures, plus you can do most of the work ahead of time. You’ll find naan, an Indian flatbread, in the international or bread section of your grocery store. —Jamie Brown-Miller, Napa, California
Open-Face Chicken Parmesan BurgersWe love chicken Parmesan and thought, "Why not make it a burger?" I like to use fresh mozzarella on these. I've also made the patties with ground turkey. —Charlotte Gehle, Brownstown, Michigan
Philly BurgerThe cream cheese mixture and crunchy french-fried onions make this burger recipe a cookout sensation. Serve them with fresh potato salad and a fruit salad, and dinner is done! —Marjorie Carey, Alamosa, Colorado
What About Other Foods?
You probably throw more than burgers on the grill—so what happens to other foods when they “meat” salt? Schend has some more insight:
- Hot Dogs: Going all-out for your next barbecue with homemade hot dogs? Schend recommends salting the meat before stuffing them into their casings; you’ll need the firm texture salt provides so your dogs hold their shape.
- Whole Cuts of Meat: For steak or roast, you might want to use a brine (three cups of water, a quarter cup of salt and a quarter cup of sugar). Let it rest about one hour for two pounds of meat. Before cooking, pat the meat dry.
- Other Ground Meats: “Whether it’s ground poultry or pork, the proteins will all start to dissolve and stick to itself [when salted], forming that sausage-like texture,” Schend says. (It will stick to your grill grates, too.)
- Vegetables: You’re good to add salt and seasoning as you please when it comes to grilling veggies. It won’t change their texture!
Serve Burgers with These Grillable Sides
Grilled CabbageThe first time I made this, I couldn’t believe how good it was! We served it with grilled burgers and our dinner was complete. I never thought I’d skip dessert because I was full from too much cabbage! —Elizabeth Wheeler, Thornville, Ohio
Bacon-Wrapped AsparagusMy husband and I grill dinner almost every night, and I love grilling veggies for a side dish. I serve this grilled bacon-wrapped asparagus recipe with meat and sliced fresh tomatoes for a wonderful meal. —Trisha Kitts, Dickinson, Texas
Grilled PattypansJust a few minutes and a handful of ingredients are all you’ll need for this scrumptious side dish. Hoisin sauce and rice wine vinegar give grilled pattypans Asian flair. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cedar-Plank Stuffed PortobellosWhen we were newlyweds, my father-in-law made us stuffed portobello mushrooms. I’ve tweaked the recipe for our tastes. I like to serve it with salad and potato wedges. —Katie Stemp, Tacoma, Washington
Grilled Peppers and ZucchiniThis versatile side dish is so simple and quick that I had to share it. Grilling the colorful veggies in a foil packet means one less dish to wash, but I sometimes stir-friy the mixture on the stovetop. —Karen Anderson, Fair Oaks, California
Grilled Green BeansI cook almost everything outdoors, including grilled green beans. I prepare this snappy side dish while the entree is cooking. The recipe has won over my picky eaters. —Carol Traupman-Carr, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania
Quick Barbecued BeansBarbecued beans are a simple, classic recipe and cooking them on the grill adds great smoky flavor. —Millie Vickery, Lena, Illinois
Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Gorgonzola SpreadMy husband first tried this recipe with plain potatoes. They were so yummy; we experimented with sweet potatoes. Dipped in Gorgonzola spread, they’re irresistible. —Kristen Minello, Macomb, Michigan
Grilled Hash BrownsSince my husband and I love to grill meats, we're always looking for easy side dishes that cook on the grill, too. So I came up with this simple recipe for hash browns. There are never any leftovers. —Kelly Chastain, Bedford, Indiana
Lemon Garlic MushroomsI baste whole mushrooms with a lemony sauce to prepare this simple side dish. Using skewers or a basket makes it easy to turn them as they grill to perfection. —Diane Hixon, Niceville, Florida
Spicy Grilled EggplantThis side dish goes well with any meat you might also be grilling. Thanks to the Cajun seasoning, the zesty eggplant gets more attention than an ordinary veggie. —Greg Fontenot, The Woodlands, Texas
Grilled Herb PotatoesEvery year my father and I plant a garden together. After an especially great growing season, we had plenty of produce to eat! We like to use fresh herbs from our garden but dry is just as tasty in this dish. —Bernadette Bennett, Waco, Texas
Grilled Vegetable PlatterThis recipe is the best of summer in one dish! These pretty veggies are perfect for entertaining. Grilling brings out their natural sweetness, and the easy marinade really perks up the flavor. —Heidi Hall, North St. Paul, Minnesota
Rice on the GrillMy husband loves to barbecue, so when it's hot outside, we do entire meals on the grill. Since our kids love rice, we often include this tangy side dish as part of the menu. —Shirley Hopkins, Olds, Alberta
Grilled Veggies with Mustard VinaigretteI make this healthy and inviting side dish whenever friends come over for a cookout. The honeyed vinaigrette lets the veggies shine. —Shelly Graver, Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Grilled Southwestern Potato SaladThis salad is perfect with a grilled steak for a Tex-Mex meal, and most of it can even be prepared out in the backyard. Poblanos and cayenne make it pop. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
Corn 'n' Squash QuesadillasGrilled vegetables give these quesadillas their distinctive flair, while cumin and jalapeno peppers add a little zip. —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas
Farmers Market Orzo SaladOrzo is a tiny pasta shaped like rice. We use it as a base for veggies, lemony vinaigrette and cheeses such as mozzarella, feta or smoked Gouda. —Heather Dezzutto, Raleigh, North Carolina
Lime and Sesame Grilled EggplantWhen I lived in Greece, I fell in love with eggplant. My recipe's seasonings have an Asian theme, but the dish still makes me think Greek. —Allyson Meyler, Greensboro, North Carolina
Originally Published: June 21, 2018
