Give Cheeseburgers 10X The Flavor With One Simple Trick

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There are so many factors to obsess about when it comes to crafting the perfect cheeseburger, from cooking techniques to cheese choices to the best blended beef grinds. But one of the easiest ways to dramatically upgrade your burger actually has nothing to do with the patty itself. The secret is hiding in the skillet after the burgers finish cooking: beef fat. Skip the butter or cooking spray, and try toasting your buns in rendered beef fat, also known as tallow or drippings. This restaurant-worthy technique only takes a minute or two and absolutely transforms the taste of your next burger. 

Technically, the best part of beef for making tallow is called suet, and it's found surrounding the cow's joints and kidneys. But unless you're a butcher or commonly buy beef organs, you probably won't come by it accidentally. Of course, thanks to tallow's rediscovered popularity, it's easy enough to purchase in stores, or online, like this Forward Farms grass-fed beef tallow on Amazon. And if you like to splurge, there's even wagyu beef tallow available these days. 

However, you don't have to make a special purchase if you're grilling cheeseburgers. The fat rendered from your burger patties is perfectly acceptable as well. The reason it works comes down to flavor concentrations. As you likely know, when cooking a burger, the fat collects in the pan or the griddle. This isn't just grease but includes heavenly beefy flavor compounds that developed during cooking. When you place the cut sides of buns directly into the hot drippings, the bread absorbs the savory richness while also getting crispy and golden.

A toasted bun has the added bonus of stability; the crispness and protective fat barrier can hold up better to juicy patties, melted cheese, slippery tomatoes, and sauces. There's little worse than an untoasted bun becoming immediately soggy once exposed to all those burger juices. The combination of crunch and tenderness is one reason why restaurant chefs almost always toast their burger buns. You'll certainly want to use the right type of bun if you like them toasted, which is why we suggest a French brioche, Italian ciabatta, or a Kaiser roll. All of these have a level of firmness and do a solid job of soaking up flavors without getting lost in the sauce. 

Perhaps you've buttered your buns in the past. While butter certainly makes everything better, beef fat does have some advantages over it. Butter contributes richness and dairy notes, but beef fat really amps up the entire meatiness of the meal. Rather than introduce a whole new flavor profile, beef fat reinforces your beef-forward presentation. If you labored over crafting the best meat blend for your burgers, it makes sense you'd want to highlight it. 

For maximum flavor, consider the restaurant trick of adding a thin layer of mayonnaise to the bun before placing it facedown in the beefy goodness. It'll create exceptionally even browning, and you can also sprinkle a tiny bit of garlic powder or smoked paprika onto the bun right afterward. When indulging in a homemade cheeseburger, it's best to go all the way.