Making the best burgers patties are a definite science and if you ever wondered how to make burgers stick together, this post is going to solve that riddle for you. Depending on what kind of protein you use, beef, turkey, chicken or something else, you have to have the right balance of ingredients. In this post, I’ll share the secret for how to make your burger patties so they aren’t falling apart and how to prepare them – whether you are using a grill, stove, oven, or air fryer.
How to make a burger patty?
What makes a burger patty anyway? A burger patty can be made of many different things, but the main ingredient is usually a protein, such as beef. There are vegetarian options, too and I’ll discuss a little more about those below. No matter which type of meat you choose for your burger patty, the combination is usually made up of three basic things:
- protein or vegetable, ground (what makes up the patty)
- binder (what makes the patty hold together)
- seasoning (what flavors your burger patty)
Seasoning your burger patties
The best way to add flavor to your burger patties is to use spice blends. You may see recipes that call for liquid flavorings like barbecue sauce or Worcestershire sauce, but using these is actually going to make it harder for your patties to hold together. There’s nothing wrong with just using salt and pepper to season your burgers, but using spices that are unique to an area of the world and their cuisine may get your burger to the next level.
An example of this may be using Italian seasoning, binding with tomato sauce or salsa, and filling your patties with shredded mozzarella cheese – this would be like a pizza burger.
Have you ever wondered how to make White Castle Burgers?
Another example could be the shape and size of your patties. So if you wanted to make little slider sandwiches, like those served by White Castle, you would make your patties in a square shape and no thicker than a quarter inch.
Other ingredients to create a unique flavor your burgers
How to make burgers stick together
In order for your burger patty to stick together, it is best to use some kind of binding agent. This is like glue for food that you want to keep in a certain shape. As I have pictured above, it is customary to use an egg wash with ground beef to form burger patties, but there are alternatives that can help you accomplish the same goal.
- bread crumbs (also commonly part of meatloaf recipes)
- oats (yes, the breakfast kind)
- seeds (such as chia seeds or flaxseeds)
It is also a good tip to keep your patties cold. So once you’ve shaped them, I would advise you to keep them covered in the refrigerator until right before you prepare to cook them.
How to make burger patties on the stove, in an air fryer and more
Cooking times for every burger are going to vary on the kind of meat/vegetable used to make your patties and their size. I made this infographic as a reference, but you’ll have to note that the times may vary based on the ingredients of your burger patties. I’d love to give you exact information, but the truth is there are too many factors that will affect it.
To help you out, I’ve created the infographic below. So the following questions are answered:
- How to make burger patties in an air fryer?
- How to make burger patties on the stove?
- How to make burger patties in the oven?
- and so on…
- How to make burger patties with gorund beef?
- or ground turkey?
- and so on…
How do I make my burger look good?
It honestly doesn’t matter how good your burger looks – it’s all in how it tastes! But if you are overly concerned about appearances I highly suggest you do the following to improve their presentation
- use fresh toppings, like avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes
- grill up some peppers and onions for a topping
- top with a special burger sauce – don’t be afraid to make your own concoction for your family to try
- add some fries or potato chips
- add a fried egg and let the yolk run with the first bite (my personal favorite)
- bake these beautiful burger buns
I hope you find this post about ‘how to make burgers stick together and more’ helpful and it answered some of your questions. If this post was helpful to you, consider sharing it with a friend or on your Facebook page and tagging @foodiezoolee.
For more cooking tips and recipes, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter! It’s totally free 🙂
