The Secret to Super Juicy Burgers, According to Ina Garten

Ina Garten, the queen of all things fabulously delicious, has a way of making even the simplest dishes—pot roast, chicken salad, brownies—feel like a five-star affair. Her "How easy is that?" approach has captured the hearts (and kitchens) of America for decades. And now, the chef, cookbook author and Food Network host is getting ready for the debut of her new memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir, to be released early next month.

To celebrate the last few warm weekends before it officially turns to sweater weather, we came across a classic must-make Ina summer recipe, her Niman Ranch Burgers, which includes one surprising ingredient: olive oil.

Related: 25 Classic Ina Garten Recipes to Make All the Time

Why Ina Garten Adds Olive to Her Burgers

Ina says she doesn't like ingredients that overpower the main ingredient of a dish, which in this case of these burgers is the grass-fed beef. Here, the olive oil enhances the meat and keeps the burgers super moist on the hot grill.

Much like Ina's other recipes, these burgers come out so good you’ll wonder why you ever settled for anything less. The online reviews speak for themselves: "[I] was kind of intrigued with using mustard and olive oil in the mixture. OMG, so glad I did!! It gave the burger a wonderful taste!" says one reviewer and "WOW I would have never thought that a little mustard and olive oil would make the burgers SO moist!! What a fabulous recipe and the onions are to die for!!" says another.

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How to Make Ina Garten's Niman Ranch Burgers

Grab two pounds of 80/20 ground beef (she uses grass-fed beef from Niman Ranch, hence the name of the recipe). Ina says to make them really moist since "nobody wants a dry hamburger,' she adds three tablespoons of olive oil to the ground beef. "You won't believe what a difference this makes," she says in her YouTube video. From there, add in one tablespoon of Dijon mustard and a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mix gently with a fork and "keep it light," she says as you mix, so you don't compact the beef too much. Roll into six, 1/3 pound balls and chill in the fridge. While the burgers are chilling, Ina makes caramelized onions for topping the burgers. Follow in her footsteps with this easy guide.

Related: Ina Garten’s Beef Bourguignon Is the Perfect Special-Occasion Dinner

Prepare your grill by brushing it with oil to prevent the burgers from sticking. Grill the burgers for about four minutes per side and fight the urge to press down on them with your spatula (Ina reminds us that you want the juices to stay inside the burgers). Build your burger with one juicy patty and a pile of caramelized onions all on a warm English muffin. It's the perfect way to toast the end of summer in a classic, approachable, and indulgent way, all of which is very Ina indeed.

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