It’s easy to understand why we love hamburgers especially one that is juicy and hot off the barbecue grill. The hamburger is a truly all-American food that is loved the world over. From the basic beef patty and bun, there are now many different sizes and varieties such as bacon and cheddar and Swiss. Some want their burgers plain while others want just about everything on it—cheese, bacon, mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, mayonnaise and a whole lot more. Despite all these additions, the true secret behind a successful grilled hamburger is the meat itself.

The different variations of flavors really depend on individual preference. There is not just one right way to eat a hamburger however, there are important tips you should keep in mind when buying the meat. Knowing what these are will spell a big difference in the taste regardless of what grilled hamburger recipe you use.

1. Get the best meat you can buy. Think quality over quantity. Ground beef chuck with 17-20% fat is the best. The fat content of a burger determines whether it will shrink or not as you grill it. If you use a high-fat meat, you will end up with a smaller patty. Admittedly, high fat hamburger meat is cheaper, however if you want a burger that is moist and meaty, go for the 17-20% fat beef.

2. Season the meat before you start grilling.The basic hamburger spices are salt and pepper. Add these to the raw ground beef in a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix. Make sure you add enough of these ingredients especially the salt. Some people also add binding ingredients like breadcrumbs or egg but not including them give your patties real meat texture. You might want to experiment with other seasonings like gourmet blends of seasoned salts. To enhance the flavor, you can add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.

After you have seasoned the meat, you can start adding flavor to your grilled hamburger recipe. By adding bell pepper, onion, garlic, lots of chili powder or minced jalapeno, you can make chili burger. With finely chopped cooked bacon and grated cheddar cheese, you can create a bacon cheddar burger patty. Use your imagination. There are many spices and ingredient combinations that you can use. Once you have seasoned the meat you can begin to add some serious flavor to your grilled hamburger recipe. If you want to make a chili burger, try adding minced bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and a generous amount of chili powder or minced jalapeño. Keep in mind that to keep your burgers from crumbling on the grill, make sure your ingredients are finely chopped and evenly distributed.

3. Work gently.When forming your patties, make sure your meat is cold so it is important that you refrigerate your meat mixture before you start shaping. It’s even better if your hands are cold when you do this part. Divide the meat into ¼ to ½ pound balls and then set these on a tray. Using your bare hands, shape each ball into a patty. The patties should be bigger than the bun because they shrink as they cook on the grill. Heat up your barbecue grill and make sure it’s hot before you put the patties on it.

Alonzo Bolton is a food and nutrition researcher for recipejunky.com/. He writes and researches actively on Free Recipes and shares his knowledge at recipejunky.com/ where he works as a staff writer.