Goodbye slippery pickles and soggy buns! Video tutorial for stacking the perfect burger.

Cody Godwin, USA TODAY
·3 min read

Americans love hamburgers and cheeseburgers. According to the National Day Archives, Americans eat an estimated 50 billion burgers a year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says around 375 million of those are enjoyed on the Fourth of July

When it comes to making burgers, there are differing opinions on how to season and cook a burger, but regardless of how you like yours, there is a right way to assemble a burger.

The correct assembly will have you saying goodbye to slippery pickles sliding out, soggy buns and juices running down your hands and arms. Keep reading to learn the trick to building the perfect burger.

This assembly method works whether you’re making 12 cheeseburgers at once or enjoying a non-beef burger.

Watch this video to see how to assemble the perfect burger.

How to make the perfect burger

Just because they’re called “toppings” doesn't mean they are required to go on top of the burger! Layering the burger efficiently means putting toppings on both sides of the patty. The key here is stacking them in a way that protects dry ingredients from the wet ones and using condiments as glue.

Like any good sandwich, the best place to start is with the bread – or in this case, the buns!

  1. Toast the buns for a solid foundation.

Untoasted buns are like sponges and quickly get soggy.

  1. Spread mayonnaise, ketchup or your favorite condiment on the bun.

This helps it act like a glue for some of the toppings.

  1. Add lettuce.

This acts as a nest for the tomato slice and protects the bun from juices.

  1. Add tomato.

Pro tip: salt the tomatoes before you add them to the burger to enhance the flavor.

  1. Add the burger patty.

  2. If your perfect burger includes bacon and cheese, sandwich the strips between the patty and melted cheese.

The melted cheese acts as a weighted blanket and secures the bacon onto the burger.

  1. Add pickles on top of the melted cheese.

The sticky, melted cheese holds the pickles in place.

Pro tip: put the pickles on a paper towel to soak up the juices before adding them to your burger.

  1. Add onions and any other toppings you like.

  2. Add another layer of condiments to the top bun to act as glue for the top.

  3. Enjoy!

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Hamburger topping ideas

Lettuce, tomato, pickles, and cheese are some of the most popular burger toppings. If you want to shake things up a bit, consider adding:

  • Avocado.

  • French fries or onion rings.

  • Jalepeños.

  • Fried egg.

  • Mushrooms.

  • Spinach.

  • Peanut butter.

  • Cheeses like pepper jack, pimento, or blue cheese.

  • Pepper jelly.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to assemble the perfect burger

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