There's nothing like sinking your teeth into a homemade burger. But while some burger aficionados are staunch believers in 'smashing' patties, others think this will ruin the taste. So who's right?



The thing about smashing patties is that while it can make meat more flavorful due to the crust that forms once it cooks, smashing too much can also risk squeezing all the juices out.

In a series of experiments, J. Kenji López-Alt writes over on Serious Eats writes that smashing your burger doesn't just make the meat taste good, it actually makes it taste more meaty. The bigger surface area created will also maximize browning.

If you're worried about the burger losing all of its juiciness, the key is to only smash once within the first 30 seconds of cooking. And also forget about repeated smashing.

Image via Toronto.com