Make Juicier Burgers By Adding Heavy Cream To Your Beef Patties (Yes, Really)
Nothing is more delicious than a succulent burger with melted cheese, crisp vegetables, all atop a toasted bun. There are many tricks one can use to achieve peak tenderness and moisture, such as incorporating butter or egg yolk into your ground meat mixture. But did you know some people swear by adding heavy cream to their patties to get exceptionally juicy burgers? We reached out to David Davidov, creator of The Cooking Foodie, to discuss this hack.
"If you ... want to experiment with this method, I recommend adding just [1 to 2] tablespoons of heavy cream per patty into the meat mixture," he explains. "It gives a slight richness without making the patty overly soft or greasy. Just don't overmix!" Over-manipulating ground beef can lead to dry burgers, which would cancel out the effects of the heavy cream.
Another way to get juicy burgers is by keeping formed patties in the fridge until they are ready to be cooked. It's also a good idea to hold off on seasoning the meat until right before it gets cooked. Adding things like salt to burgers can draw out the moisture, so seasoning too early can also lead to a dry patty. Some people wait to season their burgers until just before the final flip.
Heavy cream also lends moisture to lean meat patties
When it comes to adding heavy cream to burger patties, it's important to recognize that it pairs better with some meats than others. For instance, David Davidov advises against using it with brisket or high-fat beef blends. "You'll just end up with an overly greasy burger," he explains.
Where heavy cream truly shines, however, is with other burger preparations. "This trick can help lean meats like turkey or chicken," Davidov says. Leaner meats tend to dry out quickly because they must be fully cooked (turkey burgers need to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit) and naturally lack the fat content of ground beef. That's why it's common to find turkey burger recipes that incorporate fatty ingredients like mayonnaise — like in this recipe for grilled tamarind turkey burgers — or are paired with creamy sauces.
Finally, remember that heavy cream contributes moisture without altering the flavor, so focus on seasoning your burger patties effectively. If you want to err on the safe side, you can also add more seasoning after the burgers are cooked.