Chef Warns Against Greasy Buns: Toast in Butter Instead

Soaking your burger bun in the leftover grease and juices might feel like common sense, yet one chef calls it "one of the worst things you can do." Michael Hawk, executive chef at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, Florida, suggests a different path. He wants to see a crust form on the top. To achieve that, he says toast the bun in butter first. This creates a barrier that brings flavor and texture together.

"Use a sauté pan with medium heat and whole, unsalted butter," Hawk told Fox News Digital. "Melt the butter and put the bun cut-side down in the pan." He advises applying light pressure to ensure better contact between the bread and the hot surface. Toast it for about two to three minutes until golden brown. Check on the buns often so they reach that perfect color without burning.

"Ideally, the right time to start toasting your bun is just as your burgers are starting to finish," he noted. When you pull patties off the heat, they need a moment to rest so they do not leech all their liquids onto the bottom of the bun. "If you're going to take the time to make a nice toasty bun, then you don't want to put a liquid right on top of it." The three or four minutes required for those buns equals the perfect resting window for the meat itself.

Burning usually happens when people throw buns directly onto a grill because that heat is too intense. Hawk recommends using slow, gentle heat instead. If you must use a grill, place them on the outer edges where the surface runs cooler. His preferred choice for bread is brioche or potato bread since they do not add extra flavors and let the meat shine. He stated any bun works, but people should simply choose their favorite.

Hawk offered several other tips for crafting the perfect burger. The shape, size, and meat blend all factor into cooking time. When making a batch, keep every patty identical in weight and form to ensure even results. Use a digital thermometer to hit your target temperature precisely. Take them off the heat five degrees early because they will keep cooking while resting.

Smash burgers remain popular these days. Hawk insists there is only one moment to apply pressure. "Smash it as a raw patty," he said. "That's the perfect time to smash it, and the only time you want to smash it." Once cooking begins, the meat forms a seal around its outer edges that locks moisture inside. "If you smash it halfway through the process, it's going to result in a drier burger, and it's not really going to develop that nice crust, either," Hawk explained. Pressing a burger while it cooks is probably the biggest mistake home cooks make.

Another top tip he gave involves tempering the meat, which few people do out of fear regarding bacteria. "Allow that burger to come up to room temperature a little bit," he said. Gaining ten to 15 degrees in warmth saves time on the grill and allows you to use an intense heat source while retaining more moisture inside.