Add More Flavor Into Your Burger Buns With A Brush Of Seasoned Butter

Burgers are a great meal to eat at any time of year, but they're especially delicious straight off the grill on a warm, summer evening. The patties are juicy and flavorful, and the toppings are filled with subtly sweet, tangy, and complex notes that elevate the entire sandwich. But the bun? There's work that can be done.

Instead of settling for flavorless burger buns that taste like you grabbed them straight out of the package (which you may have done), try whipping up a seasoned butter to toast them with. The fat in the butter will not only act as a vector for whatever seasonings you use, but it will also create the perfect barrier against any moisture seeping down into the bun. All you need to do is pop compound butter into the pan and allow it to melt before adding in your burger buns and toasting them for about a minute. You can also cook them on the grill, since it may already be on, or in the oven for an especially large batch. 

There are an array of seasonings you should add to your butter to give it flavor. One simple one is fresh minced garlic; it's a delicious, upgraded take on garlic bread. You can even elevate store-bought burger buns with cheese and herbs by giving your buns a quick toast with roasted garlic compound butter infused with dried basil and thyme and a sprinkle of cheese. 

Butter can certainly be a go-to for toasting your burger buns, but it's not the only fat you can use. For example, you can make bacon cheeseburgers even better by toasting your buns in your leftover bacon grease. The buns will pick up on the meaty, umami, and salty flavor of the fat. Alternatively, try making store-bought burger buns taste better by adding a small dab of a condiment you likely already have on hand: mayonnaise. If it makes a great grilled cheese, it must be the secret to a pretty darn good burger bun too, right? 

Regardless of the type of fat you're using to toast your burgers, it's important to monitor the heat and color of them closely. Leaving them in the pan or on the grill for even a minute or two too long may lead to unexpected crispiness, or worse, burning. If you're opting for the grill, you should also avoid putting the buns over direct heat, as this may cause too many flare-ups and charring issues.