The Unexpected Boxed Ingredient That Makes Cheeseburgers 10X More Flavorful

If you're looking to improve the taste of your homemade cheeseburgers and have already tried toasting buns in rendered fat, head to your cupboard. Among the clever ways to use boxed mac and cheese is mixing the cheese powder with raw ground beef. The secret ingredient can be seamlessly mixed into patties to add tangy umami flavor with little effort.

Simply sprinkle a tablespoon or two into a pound of ground beef. You can add more or less as you please, then cook the patties as usual. Since mac and cheese powder is a dry ingredient, you'll want to make sure the burger doesn't become dry or crumbly. To ensure a moist patty, offset the powder with a small amount of liquid, like a spoonful of Worcestershire sauce or beef broth for extra flavor, an egg or a pat of butter, or even a quick splash of milk. The inclusion will help bind the mixture and keep the burger tender while it cooks. 

If you don't have mac and cheese at home, cheese powder can be mixed into bowls of ground beef, chopped herbs, and your favorite spices and seasonings. Use a fattier beef blend, like an 80/20 mix, and try to avoid overmixing the meat after adding the powder to retain the texture of the ingredients. Chilling formed patties before placing them on the grill helps ensure the pieces stay tender and don't fall apart during the cook.

For the mac and cheese obsessed, a heaping spoonful of mac and cheese placed on top of the cooked burger patty can double down on the flavor of this creamy goodness. It is the kind of topping that turns an ordinary burger into an unforgettable one. Some chefs have hidden mac and cheese inside of meat patties, stuffing spoonfuls of the cheesy comfort pasta directly into the middle of the meat before it is grilled. If this sounds like too much effort, consider experimenting with different kinds of cheese slices to complement the powder-enhanced patty.

Buttering burgers or basting them with a balsamic reduction can also punch up the flavor if you want to unleash your culinary creativity, but the easy inclusion of mac and cheese powder will impart a savory dimension that parallels the flavor of any cheese you melt on top. After biting into this delicious recipe, you may be convinced to stock your cupboards with extra boxes of mac and cheese.