the burger lab

This recipe will work with any aged, semi-hard cheese like Comté, Cheddar, or Tomme.

Seared Burgers With Easy-Melting Comt&#233; Cheese Slices Recipe

Comté cheese (see note)

instant flour (like Wondra)

heavy cream

vegetable oil

salt and black pepper

hamburger buns

Toppings and condiments

Combine cheese, flour, and milk in a small bowl and toss with a spoon to combine. Divide mixture evenly between two small ramekins and set aside. Set a steamer insert into a large saucepot with 1 inch of water. Bring water to a simmer over medium-high heat and cover pot.

Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet over high heat until smoking. Add beef balls to skillet and smash firmly with a stiff spatula into 4- to 4 1/2-inch patties. Season generously with salt and pepper.

While patties cook on first side, transfer cheese cups to steamer and close lid. After the first side is well browned (about 1 1/2 minutes), carefully scrape patties up from bottom us skillet using a stiff spatula and flip. Season top side with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until second side is browned, about 1 minute longer.

Transfer patties to toasted bun bottoms. Carefully pick up a ramekin full of cheese with a pot holder and stir with a spoon until homogenous and completely smooth. Scrape cheese out of ramekin over burger. Repeat with second burger. Serve immediately with condiments and toppings as desired.

Note: Want to learn about the science behind big burgers? Check it out here....

Thick and Juicy Burgers Recipe

beef

burger buns, toasted

Set oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 200°F. Divide meat into four even 1/2-pound portions. Form into four 4-inch-wide patties, leaving slight depression in center of each. Season liberally with kosher salt and black pepper and place patties on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and cook until center of each patty registers 120°F on an instant read thermometer for medium rare (110°F for rare, 135 °F and up for medium well to well), 15 to 30 minutes (time may vary depending on oven temperature cycling). Tent burgers loosely with foil.

Add vegetable oil to 12-inch heavy-bottomed stainless steel or cast iron skillet and heat over high heat until smoking. Add burger patties and cook until browned crust develops on first side, 45 seconds to 1 minute 15 seconds. Flip patties. Add cheese if desired. Cook until second side develops dark brown crust, additional 45 seconds to 1 minute 15 seconds. Transfer to buns, top as desired, and serve immediately.

Learn how to make classic smashed cheeseburgers with a deep brown, beefy crust.

Classic Smashed Burgers Recipe

Cheese

burger buns

Add oil to a 12-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet and wipe around with a paper towel. Set skillet over medium heat and allow to preheat for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, gently form each portion of ground beef into a cylindrical puck about 2 inches tall, pressing together just until meat holds its shape without falling apart. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper.

Increase heat to high until skillet is smoking. Add pucks to skillet and using a firm, stiff metal spatula, press down on each one until they're roughly 4 to 4 1/2-inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick. It helps to use a second spatula to apply downward pressure to the first if you are having trouble smashing them hard enough.

Cook without moving until a golden brown crust develops, about 1 1/2 minutes. Use the edge of the spatula to carefully scrape up and flip the patties one at a time, making sure to get all browned bits removed from the skillet. If using cheese, add now.

Continue to cook until patties are cooked to desired doneness—about 30 seconds longer for medium rare. Top buns or patties as desired, transfer patties to buns, close burgers, and serve.

An Oklahoma classic, it's a slider in style, but with way more onions, which help the thin patties of beef cook up extra juicy and flavorful.

Oklahoma-Style Onion Burgers Recipe

canola oil

beef, divided into two 2 1/2-ounce balls

medium onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup sliced onions)

American cheese

Mustard, pickles, and other condiments,

Spread canola oil in the inside of a large cast iron skillet with a paper towel. Heat over high heat until lightly smoking. Add balls of beef and press down with the back side of a spatula until completely flattened. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Working quickly, spread onions evenly over cooking burgers and press down to embed onions into meat. Let cook with no further pressing until burgers are well browned, about 2 minutes.

Carefully flip burgers with a stiff spatula, making sure to pick up all browned meat from skillet. Let cook until onions start to soften, about 1 minute. Add cheese and top with top bun. Place bottom bun upside-down over top bun to allow it to steam in the onion vapors.

When buns are soft, transfer bottom buns to a plate. Add condiments if desired. Lift up onions, burger, and top bun together and transfer to bottom bun. Repeat with second burgers. Serve immediately.

Get the fast food–style French fries of your dreams at home.

Perfect Thin and Crispy French Fries Recipe

potatoes

(30 milliliters) distilled white vinegar

Kosher salt

peanut oil

Place potatoes and vinegar in a saucepan and add 2 quarts (1.9L) water and 2 tablespoons (24g) salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Potatoes should be fully tender, but not falling apart. Drain and spread on a paper towel–lined rimmed baking sheet. Allow to dry for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or large wok over high heat to 400°F (204°C). Add one-third of fries to oil; oil temperature should drop to around 360°F (182°C). Cook for 50 seconds, agitating occasionally with a wire mesh spider, then remove to a second paper towel–lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining potatoes (working in 2 more batches), allowing oil to return to 400°F after each addition. Allow potatoes to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Continue with step 3, or, for best results, freeze potatoes at least overnight or up to 2 months.

Return oil to 400°F over high heat. Fry half of potatoes until crisp and light golden brown, about 3 1/2 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain a temperature of around 360°F. Drain in a bowl lined with paper towels and season immediately with kosher salt. Cooked fries can be kept hot and crisp on a wire rack set in a sheet tray in a 200°F (90°C) oven while second batch is cooked. Serve immediately.

[Photograph: Kenji Alt] Want more details? Here are the ins-n-outs. Follow Kenji on Facebook or Twitter....

In-N-Out's Double-Double, Animal Style Recipe

vegetable oil, divided

large onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

mayonnaise

ketchup

sweet pickle relish

sugar

white vinegar

Hamburger buns, preferably Arnold brand

black pepper

dill pickles chips

tomato

yellow mustard

deli-cut American Cheese

If using a meat grinder: Place feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die of meat grinder in freezer until well-chilled. Meanwhile, place meat chunks on rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between each piece and place in freezer for 10 minutes until meat is firm.

Combine meat in large bowl and toss to combine. Grind meat and refrigerate immediately until ready for use. Handle as gently as possible. Proceed with step three below.

If using a food processor: Place bowl and blade of food processor in freezer until well-chilled. Meanwhile, place meat chunks on rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between each piece, and place in freezer for 10 minutes until meat is firm, but not frozen.

Combine meat in large bowl and toss to combine. Working in two batches, place meat cubes in food processor and pulse until medium-fine grind is achieved, about 8 to 10 one-second pulses, scraping down processor bowl as necessary. Refrigerate ground meat immediately until ready for use. Handle as gently as possible.

Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 400 degrees while you cook the onions: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt to skillet. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook, tossing and stirring occasionally until onions are well browned, about 15 minutes. Once onions begin to sizzle heavily and appear dry, add 1 tablespoon water to skillet and stir. Continue cooking until water evaporates and onions start sizzling again. Repeat process, adding 1 tablespoon of water with each iteration until onions are meltingly soft and dark brown, about 3 times total. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Make the sauce: Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, and vinegar in small bowl. Stir to combine.

Place closed buns in preheated oven for 2 minutes until slightly darkened and crisped. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until shimmering. Open buns and add face-down to skillet. Toast until dark brown around the edges, about 1 minute total.

Form ground beef into four 2-ounce patties, using damp hands to press each into a patty about 3/16ths of an inch thick and 4 inches wide. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil to pan, swirl to coat, and heat over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. Add burger patties and cook without moving until well browned and crusty on first side, about 2 1/2 minutes. While they are cooking, spread 1 tablespoon mustard on raw side of each patty with a spoon. Meanwhile, top each bottom bun with up half of spread, 4 slices pickles, 1 slice tomato, and lettuce. Flip patties with a thin spatula so mustard side is down and continue to cook for 1 minute. Top each patty with a slice of cheese. Divide onion mixture evenly between two patties. Place the other two patties directly on top of the onions , sandwiching them between the beef. Transfer patty stacks to bottom bun. Top with top bun, and serve immediately.

Note: Want to know why you have to double fry? Check it out here. If you don't have a fry cutter or thick mandoline, take your time cutting the potatoes thinly and uniformly—it will pay off in the results. If...

Perfect French Fries: Iteration 1 Recipe

Salt

Place potatoes in bowl of cold water and rinse, changing water until water runs completely clear. Drain potatoes and dry thoroughly with paper towels or kitchen towels.

Using oil thermometer or instant read thermometer, heat oil in large Dutch oven or wok (oil should come no more than half way up the sides) to 350°F. Add potatoes and cook, stirring and turning frequently until pale blond with lightly bubbled surface, about 5 minutes (oil will drop in temperature when you add potatoes—adjust heat to maintain oil between 300 and 325 degrees F). Remove potatoes and drain on paper towel-lined baking sheet. At this point, potatoes can be refrigerated overnight, or frozen and kept in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Heat oil to 425°. Add potatoes and cook, stirring and turning frequently, until golden brown, about 2 minutes (oil will drop in temperature when adding fries—adjust heat to maintain temperature between 375 and 400°F). Transfer to paper towel-lined bowl, season with salt, and toss to remove excess oil. Serve immediately.

This recipe will work with any medium-dry cheese such as Gruyère, Comté, Swiss, or Jack. Do not use pre-grated cheese as it is coated in starch that will affect its smoothness when melting.

Melty American-Style Cheddar Cheese Slices for Burgers and Grilled Cheese Recipe

(about 1 tablespoon) powdered gelatin

water

(about 1/2 cup) evaporated milk

sharp cheddar cheese, fresh grated (see note)

Line two flat rimmed baking sheets or large square or rectangular platters with a layer of plastic cling wrap and set aside. In a small bowl or cup, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and allow it to hydrate, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, heat the evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan. When milk comes to a simmer, add hydrated gelatin and stir until melted. Remove pan from heat.

Add cheese all at once and stir with a whisk to combine. Return pan to low heat and continue to whisk until mixture is homogenous and registers between 160 and 170°F on an instant read thermometer. Beat with the blade of an immersion blender directly in the pot until glossy and smoother. Alternatively, transfer to the bowl of a blender or food processor and blend, starting at the lowest speed and slowly increasing to the highest. Blend for 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as necessary. If necessary, blend in two separate batches, pouring first half onto lined sheet tray before proceeding to second half (see step 3).

Pour mixture out of the blender and onto the prepared baking sheets. You should end up with a layer a few millimeters thick on each tray. Use a rubber spatula to distribute the cheese in an even layer. Transfer to a flat place in the refrigerator and allow to cool until firm to the touch, at least ten minutes (you may need longer depending on how cold your fridge it, how thick your plates or trays are, and how well your fridge circulates air).

When cheese has cooled, carefully lift the plastic wrap and transfer the whole thing to a cutting board. Cut the cheese into square slices, cutting all the way through the plastic. Carefully left each slice with the plastic still attached and stack, leaving the plastic in between each layer. Repeat with the other sheet tray. Store cheese slices in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Top 8 the burger lab recipes from across the web

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Seared Burgers With Easy-Melting Co...

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In-N-Out's Double-Double, Animal St...

Perfect French Fries: Iteration 1 R...

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Top 8 the burger lab recipes from across the web

The most viewed the burger lab recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Seared Burgers With Easy-Melting Co...

Thick and Juicy Burgers Recipe

Classic Smashed Burgers Recipe

Oklahoma-Style Onion Burgers Recipe

Perfect Thin and Crispy French Frie...

In-N-Out's Double-Double, Animal St...

Perfect French Fries: Iteration 1 R...

Melty American-Style Cheddar Cheese...

The most viewed the burger lab recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine