Jamie Oliver Seals In Burger Juices With A Zesty 2-Ingredient Glaze

You can tell a lot about a person based on their burger preferences. Loaded with bacon and blue cheese? That's someone who likes to indulge in the nice things. Mushroom and Swiss burgers are a clear symbol of salt-of-the-earth kind of people. And we consider anyone who orders a Juicy Lucy a friend of Tasting Table. Regardless of how you enjoy your burgers, this brilliant burger hack from celebrity chef and restauranteur Jamie Oliver will elevate your patty to the next level.

When it comes to tips on making the perfect burger, Oliver is an ideal person to turn to. (As long as you can overlook the fact that he's from the United Kingdom, and we all know that burgers are about as American as apple pie). Oliver, who has been in the restaurant industry for over two decades, got his start in the kitchen at the ripe age of eight when he began cooking at his parents' pub.

In his recipe for spicy beef burgers, which he shared on his website, Oliver reveals his secret for added flavor: A two-ingredient glaze of mustard and Tabasco Chipotle, which he brushes on both sides of his patties after a minute into cooking per side. This not only acts as a turbo-charged seasoning but creates a layer of caramelization as it heats in the pan. While mustard-glazed patties are nothing new – In-N-Out has been serving them on the secret menu for decades – Oliver's addition of hot sauce, along with Red Leicester cheese, bacon, and burger sauce, makes these burgers a thing of legend. 

Jamie Oliver's idea to add a dash of Tabasco Chipotle sauce to his mustard glaze is perfect for people who like a little hit of heat to balance out the fat of their burger. However, not everyone likes to sweat bullets while they chow down, so for the spice-averse, we have some just-as-delicious mustard glazes to try. But before we get into the ingredient details, you'll need a base to glaze. For a delicious, restaurant-quality burger, we recommend using a mixture of three types of ground-up meat: sirloin, chuck, and short rib.

While you can make a glaze with any condiment base, mustard is a great hero ingredient because the combination of vinegar and spices makes for the perfect pairing to your rich and fatty burger. If you don't want to go spicy, we recommend you go sweet by adding a drizzle of honey (or more depending on your sweet and savory preferences) to your mustard. This will help it reach an even glazier consistency. Or, you can go all in on your condiment shelf and make a burger-sauce-themed glaze featuring mustard, mayo, and ketchup. However, whichever glaze you choose, make sure to brush only a little on as your burgers cook. Going overboard will result in a sloppy mess and a potentially undercooked patty.