6 Ina Garten Tips & Recipes for the Best Burgers Ever

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Ina Garten is our go-to gal when it comes to learning the basics of how to make things taste great, so it should be no surprise that the Barefoot Contessa knows a few tricks that make sure your summer burgers are the best ever. What does a fancy dinner party orchestrator know about burgers? Well, for one thing, the Go-To Dinners author lives in the Hamptons, which is basically a summer paradise. Alongside the lobster rolls and fresh summer side dishes, you know that burgers are getting thrown on the grill — there’s no such thing as too posh for a good burger.

But as with all of her recipes, Garten has her burger techniques down to a science. She’s not using frozen pre-formed patties from the store. If you’re craving juicier, tastier, better burgers, then you’ve got to follow the Barefoot Contessa’s burger tips. From added ingredients that make your meat stand apart to toppings that are so much better than raw veggies, Garten’s burger recipes and advice will help you become the star summer chef you’ve always dreamed of being.

Use 80/20 Beef

In most of Ina Garten’s burger recipes, she calls for 80 percent lean, 20 percent fat ground beef. Leaner than that, and your burgers won’t be juicy enough, and fattier than that, and cooking them up can be a bit of a mess due to the rendered fat.

Experiment With the Bun

One of the easiest ways to jazz up a boring burger is to swap out the bun for something a little more interesting. In her grass-fed beef burgers recipe, Garten places the burgers on toasted English muffins, which also do a great job of soaking up all of the savory burger juices.

Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

Add Butter

Sure, Garten recommends using 80/20 ground beef to ensure juicy burgers, but another failsafe of hers? In her Blue Cheese Burgers recipe, the Barefoot Contessa recommends pressing a small pat of butter into the top of each burger patty before it’s cooked, making sure the butter is completely encased in beef before it hits the grill (or skillet). As the burger cooks, the butter melts, so you get a burst of juicy flavor with each bite.

Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

Add Egg Yolks

Another tip from her Blue Cheese Burgers recipe? Add egg yolks to your ground beef to make for a really rich, steakhouse-style burger that stays tender and doesn’t dry out. One reviewer on Food Network shared that the addition “makes the burgers super moist.”

Freeze Your Smash Burgers

What’s the secret to making smash burgers that are super crispy and frizzled on the edges, but not leathery and tough on the inside? In her smash burgers recipe, Ina Garten recommends freezing your burger patties for 15 minutes after they’re formed, which will help them keep their shape and prevent them from overcooking too much inside while the outside gets that signature caramelization.

Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

Caramelize Your Onions

Don’t settle for raw sliced onions if you want to make a truly impressive burger. “If there’s anything that can make a good burger into a really great one, it’s a big pile of caramelized onions on the top,” Garten shared on YouTube. Make a big batch — her caramelized onion burger topping is also delicious in grilled cheese sandwiches and tossed with pasta, too.

In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty:

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