One of the last things you want in a burger is for it to crumble. The juices leak out, eating becomes a mess, and the texture is just altogether dissatisfying. It’s a problem burger lovers want to avoid, and the secret ingredient to preventing crumbly burgers is a common pantry staple: mayonnaise.
One of the most common reasons a burger falls apart is a lack of fat. Fat acts as a binder for ground beef, holding the patty together and keeping it juicy as it melts. Overhandling the meat can also result in crumbly burgers since excessive mixing breaks down the protein fibers that give the burger its structure. Binders like bread crumbs can help “glue” the patty together but can also be one of the biggest mistakes people make when cooking burgers because using the wrong types or wrong amounts can mess up the texture. Mayonnaise solves these issues all on its own.
Since mayo is composed primarily of oil and eggs, it’s got the right combination of fat and proteins to keep a burger from crumbling. Adding two tablespoons of mayo for every pound of your raw burger mix can help you achieve the best texture. This will help keep the meat moist enough to hold together as it cooks while also adding an extra layer of fat on the surface to give you perfectly juicy, beefy burgers.
Mayonnaise makes burgers better in multiple ways
You can also use mayonnaise to infuse burger patties with extra flavor. While store-bought mayo usually brings a very light creaminess to your beef, going with homemade lets you create truly unique flavor profiles. Adding bacon fat to your homemade mayo, for instance, will give any burgers you make extra layers of meaty goodness.
You can also try searing your burgers with mayo if you’re cooking them on a stovetop. Spreading a bit of mayonnaise on the surface of meat before searing it improves the Maillard reaction, giving it an irresistible crust. The oil and proteins in the mayo will increase the browning on the surface of your burger, which comes in especially handy for those who prefer their burgers on the rarer side — they’ll develop an excellent crust with minimal time on the pan. If you marinade your burgers, adding mayo also gives the meat a flavor boost by helping the other ingredients stick to the beef and fully coat the surface of your burger.
Mayonnaise can even make burger buns better through toasting. Instead of spreading butter on the inner surface of your buns, try mayo instead. Because it has a higher smoke point than butter, you can get a more even toast on your buns without any risk of burning them. The crispness that comes from a mayo toast really complements the texture of a rich, juicy, non-crumbly burger.
