Tired Of Boring Burgers? If So, Then These Hamburger Hacks Will Make Them More Exciting!

National Hamburger Day is a holiday that’s close to our cholesterol-clogged hearts. It’s a day that celebrates a type of food that’s often associated with American culture but is enjoyed the world over. Why is this slab of meat stacked between two buns so loved?

Well, first of all, it’s delicious. And second of all, it’s cheap and adaptable. With the right cooking methods, condiments, and toppings, the hamburger can reflect just about any worldwide cuisine style. By adding chickpeas, lamb, and a few spices such as za’atar, sumac, or saffron, the perfect Middle Eastern burgers can be created.

If you want a more Asian burger, you can simply add hoisin sauce, ketchup, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce in the right proportions. Our point is that with the hamburger, anything is possible. Unfortunately, far too many people keep eating the same old boring burgers.

They slap the patty between two white sesame buns, throw on some ketchup and mustard, and call it a day. If you eat burgers like that regularly, then you’ll quickly burn out on burgers. That’s why we’ve decided to help people out of their burger rut and help them make something that will not only wow their taste buds but will also amaze their friends and family.

Our burger hacks will help change the way people think about burgers and turn those boring patties into something sensational.

Let’s Begin With A Better Foundation

Before we start talking about the things that we can do to our burgers to make them better, let’s take a closer look at the burger itself. After all, it doesn’t matter what you do to your hamburger if at the center of it is a dry, tasteless patty. So here are some tips that will help you serve better burgers.

  • Make sure burgers are at least 1 inch thick. This lets the inside of the burger stay moist and juicy while the outside forms a nice crust.
  • Make sure that you salt and pepper your burgers.
  • Only add the salt right before it’s grilled. If you add it too soon, it will dry out the burger.
  • Never press down on your burgers. This will only squeeze out the juices.
  • Don’t poke your burgers with a fork. This will allow juices to flow out. You want to keep the juices in the burger.

Some Burger Hacks For Better Burgers

Okay, now that we have a good foundation for our burger, let’s check out some burger hacks that will elevate them to the next level.

Try Out Other Types Of Meat

Most people use ground chuck or some other cut of beef for their burgers, but a hamburger doesn’t have to be made with beef. There are probably a dozen other ingredients that people can use instead of beef, and each ingredient is going to change the burger in significant ways. Below are some of the meats and proteins that can be used to make hamburgers.

  • Ground lamb
  • Ground salmon
  • Ground turkey
  • Veggie patties
  • Soy crumbles
  • Ground grass-fed bison
  • Alligator
  • Wild boar
  • Elk

Of course, each of the above meats and proteins is going to have to be treated differently than ground chuck. So, it’s important to make sure that you learn how to properly use each of them in a burger before creating your burger masterpiece. It also should be mentioned that meats such as turkey are low in fat, so some fat is going to have to be added to them to keep your burger from being too dry.

Think About Different Toppings

Another way to change a predictable burger into something exciting and unexpected is by taking a look at the toppings you place on your burger. Now, let’s be honest here. Most people put the same toppings on their burgers, albeit in different combinations and concentrations.

Some of the sauces commonly used are ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles (sometimes pickle relish), and onions. Don’t get us wrong, those ingredients are fine, but they will only take the burger so far.

There are a whole range of other ingredients that can be used on burgers. This includes the usual staples of bacon or mushrooms, but it also includes avocado, chilies, fried egg, guacamole, cheese sauce, sautéed green peppers, grilled pineapple, mango, pickled red onion, and bean sprouts.

Think About Different Condiments

And, of course, there are different condiments that you can use. This includes ketchup chutney, beer or honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, Korean chili oil, pesto, pizza or spaghetti sauce, Buffalo sauce, aioli, chipotle mayo, remoulade, ranch dressing, French dressing, and bacon jam.

Some people might look at some of the condiments that we listed and say, “Hey! That doesn’t belong on a burger!” And that’s the point. Think about the condiments that aren’t usually found on hamburgers and see if they can be used to take your burger up a notch.

Think About Different Cheeses

A lot of people think about American cheese when they think of cheeseburgers, and there’s a good reason why that’s the case. American cheese melts easily into this gooey, warm cheese sauce that complements a burger very well. It’s delicious, although some people around the world deride American cheese as something inferior to “real cheese.”

We don’t think that’s the case at all. American cheese is real cheese and it’s amazing on a burger. Of course, there are times when different types of cheeses should be used on a burger. Some of our favorite cheeses include provolone, brie, gouda, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Stilton, and provolone. All those cheeses make great burgers. Trust us.

Think About Different Spices

And lastly, there’s always the discussion of what spices to use on a burger. People are always wondering what the best spices to use for a burger are, and to that, we say that the spices you use on your burger are less important than the spice combinations you use. You want to make sure to use a combination of complementary spices. Below are some examples:

  • Classic Burger Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper.
  • Moroccan Burger Spices: Cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, salt, and black pepper.
  • Italian Burger Spices: Oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper.
  • Greek Burger Spices: Dried oregano, dried mint, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
  • Curry Burger Spices: Cumin, coriander, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
  • Asian Burger Spices: Sesame oil, ground ginger, garlic powder, soy sauce, 5 spice powder, and black pepper.
  • Mexican Burger Spices: Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  • Korean Burger Spices: Gochujang (Korean chili paste), sesame oil, garlic powder, soy sauce, and black pepper.