THE PERFECT CHEESEBURGER

Nobody panic, but… National Cheeseburger Day is tomorrow, September 18.

Is there anything greater than a cheeseburger? It can be both the height of gourmet fanciness or the simplest of comfort food…

But we have a duty to do our best on the grill tomorrow. To honor the meat invention that everyone loves most.

Make this your official excuse to skip the drive-thru and build the best burger of your life at home.

As far as we see it, there are two roads to greatness tomorrow, so pick your fighter…

ROAD ONE: SMASH IT

The smash burger is about one thing: crust. Get a flat surface screaming hot, drop loose balls of good fatty beef, and smash them thin under parchment so more meat meets more metal.

Salt after the smash, let the edges go lacy, flip once, and melt American cheese on top.

Want to double down? Serious Eats makes the case for two 2-ounce patties instead of one, with a slice of cheese in the middle to glue the stack together.

Double the crust, then scrape hard to keep every browned bit.

That’s pathway one, and it’s a damn good one.

On the other hand…

ROAD TWO: GO THICK

Not a smash person? Head in the other direction with the stuffed cheeseburger and its viral molten-cheese center.

This thing is the anti-smash: fat, juicy, and hiding a lava core of cheese in the middle.

AND DON’T SKIP THE SAUCE

Whichever road you take, a great burger deserves great sauce.

We sourced a good one for you: Meathead’s hamburger secret sauce is mayo, KC-style barbecue sauce or ketchup, yellow mustard, a hit of hot sauce, salt, and garlic powder.