For a tastier homemade hamburger, add this ingredient directly to the meat

When making homemade hamburgers, the instinct is often to season the meat with salt and pepper, then form the patties. However, you can take it a step further simply by opening the refrigerator door. The ingredient to try is mustard.

Rather than placing it on top of the steak once it's on the plate, mix a small amount directly into the ground beef. For about 500g of beef, start with one or two teaspoons. There's no need to use much, especially if you're using a fairly strong mustard.

Quickly mix the ingredients with your hands, without overworking the meat, then divide it into portions and shape your steaks. This will allow the mustard to distribute throughout the mixture rather than remaining concentrated on the surface.

Its appeal doesn't lie solely in its pungent taste. Mustard adds acidity, salt, and its own unique aromas, giving added depth to simply seasoned minced meat.

Be careful not to turn the steak into a meatball.

If the goal is to improve a hamburger patty, it's best to keep things simple. There's no need to add egg, breadcrumbs, or a long list of other ingredients. You'd end up with something closer to a meatball or a kefta-style steak.

Here, mustard simply serves as an additional seasoning. Dijon mustard is ideal if you like bold flavors. For something milder, wholegrain mustard also works well and adds its characteristic grains.

Another precaution: don't knead the meat for several minutes. Mix it just enough to distribute the mustard. Compressing the ground meat too much can result in denser steaks once cooked.

Shape them loosely, then refrigerate until ready to cook. Like all raw ground meat, it must be kept thoroughly chilled and handled with clean hands and utensils.

Then, feel free to prepare your steak as usual and serve it with potatoes, a salad, or slip it into a homemade burger.