There Is An Ideal Burger To Bun Ratio After All

Much of what constitutes "good" food is a matter of opinion. For example, some like their burgers filled to the brim with fun toppings like peanut butter, eggs, and olives, while others prefer a classic patty with cheese, lettuce, and tomato. So if you ask someone what makes up their ideal burger, the answer may be very different from their neighbor's.

Yet, there are some conclusions we can draw about what makes up the most popular burger. For one, about two-thirds of Americans put cheese on their burgers, according to a YouGovAmerica poll, so it's safe to say this is a widely beloved topping. And many people in the U.S. don't want to see any pink in their patties, as 36% of us like our burgers well-done (via CBS News).

One element of burger-making that most may not think about is the burger to bun ratio — after all, don't you just need to fit the patty on the bun? But as it turns out, the ideal burger to bun ratio can be quantified in a metric too. 

The next time you're cooking burgers at your family barbecue, you may want to keep this ratio in mind. If you make too much meat for your bun, it may fall out the sides or just be too difficult to fit in your mouth; but if you cook too little, you may just be inhaling bites of bread and ketchup.

The ideal proportions, as Gotham Burger Social Club founder Mike Puma told Today, are three to six ounces of meat per bun. This will ensure your guests get a juicy, meaty burger that they can still hold in their hand and realistically eat.

Of course, the size of your bun matters too, and you may want to keep yours close by while you're grilling for size reference. You may even want to shape your patties to be a little bigger than your buns, as they may get smaller during cooking. But in general, this rule of thumb should work for most standard hamburger buns.

And although we love adding extras to our burgers, it's important to make sure you don't stack too many, which will also make them difficult to eat. Puma recommends stopping at two toppings and a sauce. You may want to adjust the size and shape of your meat if you're making something different, like a patty melt – but for just a good old burger, stick to the recommended ratio.