When To Salt Burgers


 
Chris Allingham

Chris Allingham

Administrator
Staff member
I've read this elsewhere, but was reminded of it today while reading Cook's Illustrated magazine Jan/Feb 2013 issue.

When should you salt your beef or turkey burgers?

  • Salt the meat before forming the patties?
  • Form the patties, then salt the outside 30 minutes before grilling?
  • Form the patties, then salt the outside just before grilling?
According to research at Cook's, meat salted before forming patties had "a firm, almost snappy texture that was closer to sausage" than a burger. Patties salted 30 minutes before grilling "had a tender interior but a dry and springy exterior". Patties salted "at the very last minute had the texture we liked".

The explanation? "Salt removes water from and dissolves some of the meat proteins, causing them to bind the insoluble proteins together—something good for the springy bite to sausage, not for a tender burger."

Regards,
Chris
 
We used to season just before putting the patties on, but changed to seasoning the meat while forming patties. We like hamburgers better that way, despite Cook's Illustrated.
Thanks for sharing, Chris.
 
I've made plenty of burgers over the years where I've mixed in salt or Worcestershire sauce, and I definitely notice a difference in texture. Like Brad says, there's no right or wrong, but it is interesting to know how salt affects tenderness of a cooked burger depending on how and when it's applied.

Now I need a burger... ;)

Regards,
Chris
 
Good to know.

Should another thread be started on using pepper?

APL says if you pepper before grilling it gets bitter.
 
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To answer the question: all of the above.

I've never thought about it, but this makes a lot of sense. I made burgers with Penzeys Mitchell Street last week and seasoned the beef before mixing and shaping. The burgers reminded me of sausage, both in uniformity of seasoning and texture. The leftover burger was even more so a few days later. I'm not sure I like the idea of applying some rubs only to the outside, though. Thicker burgers might not be seasoned, and rubs with sugar or herbs may burn off.

By the way Chris, what's the icon next to the thread title?
 
Jon Des. said:
By the way Chris, what's the icon next to the thread title?
Click to expand...

I think it's supposed to be a document icon. I accidentally selected it when I posted the message. I sometimes like to use the ? or ! or thumb up icons, not sure why I clicked this one.

Regards,
Chris
 
I personally do not salt my burgers. Not to change the subject, but do you guys salt your eggs in the fry pan? I do not!! Salting eggs in the fry pan causes the whites of the eggs to become rubbery. I think that is the same with burgers. I like tenderness v. rubbery!!
 
Ryan P.K. said:
I personally do not salt my burgers. Not to change the subject, but do you guys salt your eggs in the fry pan? I do not!! Salting eggs in the fry pan causes the whites of the eggs to become rubbery. I think that is the same with burgers. I like tenderness v. rubbery!!
Click to expand...


Point made, but it might not be the best comparison.
 
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Ryan P.K. said:
I personally do not salt my burgers. Not to change the subject, but do you guys salt your eggs in the fry pan? I do not!! Salting eggs in the fry pan causes the whites of the eggs to become rubbery. I think that is the same with burgers. I like tenderness v. rubbery!!
Click to expand...

I agree. I don't salt eggs and use water instead of milk in scrambled eggs for the same reason. But I do salt burgers.
 
Thanks Chris; I agee with CI and Kimball on their observations. I like to grind my own burger meat - typically boneless chuck short ribs from Costco and season with salt right before putting them on the grill. I believe I once heard Alton Brown advise salting 30 minutes or so before grilling including mixing it in the ground beef. The result was a much less tender burger and diminished beef flavor.
 
What's wrong with adding the salt after the burger is cooked? Is there some change in the flavor profile if the meat is salted prior to grilling?
 
Kenji over at the Serious Eats Food Lab has written about this. He has pictures that show the difference in texture of the meat, depending in when it is salted. http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/12/the-burger-lab-salting-ground-beef.html

Salted just before cooking = loose, tender meat
20091211-salting-meat-unsalted-sliced-front.jpg


Salted before making patties = sausage-like texture
20091211-salting-meat-salted-sliced-front.jpg


I've posted this before, but it seems the topic is like politics or religion to some folks. They will insist on mixing in the salt before making patties, and they mightily resist any suggestion that their approach may have any flaw. They'll even attack the photos as some sort of trickery. Very strange.
 
I've never had a problem salting the meat lightly, forming the patties and cooking immediately. Don't over mix!!!!
They're seasoned much better than simply applying salt to the surface just before cooking.
The meat used makes a big difference too....a lean burger is going to tend to toughen up more than a fattier burger.


~Martin
 
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