The Flavor-Infusing Trick You Use For Steak Works Just As Well On Burgers

If you're a beef eater, chances are you have strong opinions about what makes a succulent steak or the best burger. Between different styles of cooking, seasonings, and sauces, one trick to infuse flavor in either is as simple as it is effective. It always pays to baste your steak with butter and the same goes for your burgers too.

Simply put, fat means flavor and a butter baste for your burgers is just the thing to add even more great taste to your meat just as you would with a steak. For example, consider the Butterburgers from fast food chain Culver's. This is a flavorful demonstration of what happens if you fry a hamburger in butter. More than simply using the fat for frying, repeatedly spooning it over the burgers to baste the patties as they cook adds to the satisfaction, helping your burgers become all the juicier and more delicious.

This trick is especially useful when you're working with leaner ground beef in your burger patties to help supplement the lack of fat. You can also try this with turkey, chicken, or pork burgers, depending on your personal taste preferences, but it works wonders with beef. If you're a fan of making your own homemade compound butters, the flavorful possibilities for a butter-basted burger are endless.

Treat your butter-basted burgers as you would a steak. Let the patties rest and reach room temperature first to ensure even cooking before they hit the pan. Mind the meat and know your desired level of doneness, noting that the recommended minimum internal temperature at which a ground beef burger is safe to eat is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, get creative with the butter you use for basting.

For example, pickle butter will totally elevate the flavor of your homemade burgers. It's so easy to make your own compound butter to store and keep for later use. A single stick of butter — or about eight tablespoons — divided into two-tablespoon increments will go a long way for folding into the meat, frying the burgers, and basting them while cooking. You can try other basic compound butter recipes by mixing up your favorite brand of butter with soy sauce, cowboy-inspired seasonings, fresh garlic and herbs, and more.

When serving up your butter-basted burgers, make sure that the buns and other accompaniments will complement the flavors already in play. A brioche bun will present a rich, pillowy housing for your burger and a simple slice of sharp cheddar or creamy American cheese makes a lovely topping for the dairy-forward meal. Then, add some greens like spinach, arugula, or a spring mix to introduce a lighter, vegetable element that won't overpower the buttery burgers. Serve these up with steak fries or your favorite sides and enjoy the fruits of basting your burger in the good stuff.