For The Best Burger You've Ever Had, Reach For This Controversial (But Safe) Ingredient

There are so many burger seasonings worth trying out there. Some like to keep it simple with just salt and pepper, while other folks get creative with tasty additions like onion soup mix. However, if you want to turn up the savoriness of your burger without necessarily infusing it with too much additional sodium, you'll want to turn to another must-have seasoning: monosodium glutamate (MSG).

MSG, which resembles a crystalline powder, is like isolated umami, meaning it will bring out the savory notes of your burger without requiring any extra salt. (In fact, in some cases it may mean you need to use less salt — a win for folks eating a lower-sodium diet). If you're just starting with this ingredient, try creating a seasoning blend that uses ¾ teaspoon MSG for every tablespoon of salt.

Season each side of your burger with a pinch of your savory burger seasoning as they're cooking and watch that meatiness reach a whole new level. If you want to enhance the umami even more, turn to other umami-rich burger toppings, like ketchup and mushrooms.

MSG has been a culinary workhorse for many years. It's commonly added to processed foods, like fast food sandwiches, chips, and condiments, though there are plenty of ways for home cooks to experiment with it. However, this wasn't always the case. MSG has been shrouded in misconceptions over the years; chief among them is that it is detrimental to human health.

The reality is that MSG, when consumed in small amounts, shows no negative impacts on health. Naturally, folks aren't eating MSG by the spoonful, so you can rest easy knowing that the scant amount you add to your patties won't set you back on your health goals. Since it supplies savoriness, you'll be able to dial back the amount of salt you use (though you can't substitute it 100%).

If you have leftover burger seasoning, you can repurpose it for many other recipes. Add a bit to your homemade barbecue sauce or a pinch to your buttermilk fried chicken to drive home the succulent flavor of the meat even more. MSG doesn't have a flavor on its own, but it does amplify umami in other foods, so be sure to consider this when deciding how to use it.