the most part, you’re better off selecting a sturdier roll or, if you’ve got one nearby, a custom burger bun from an artisan bakery Brioche has its adherents, but I prefer my buns to be a little less buttery and sweet, so as not to compete with the flavor of the beef Do avoid anything with an overly chewy crumb or a tough crust; a tough bun will force the burger patty to squeeze out of the back as you bit into it, a dreaded condition known to those in the industry as “backslide.” Your bun should always be more tender than your burger Cook hot Except for extremely rare cases (as with, say, sliders or steamed burgers), the goal when cooking a burger is to maximize crispy crust formation and browning on the exterior The best way to do this is to cook your burgers as hot as you can: high heat and a ripping-hot cast-iron or heavy stainless steel skillet if you’re cooking on the stovetop (do not use nonstick—nonstick coatings will produce toxic vapors when heated hot enough to sear a burger), or a well-preheated grill with burners on full blast or a massive amount of coals If it looks like the burgers are beginning to burn before the center reaches the temperature you want, lower the heat or move the burgers to a cooler part of the grill (Or, better, start them cool and finish hot.) As for doneness in thick burgers, sure, you can be all macho and try and gauge a burger’s doneness by poking at it with your finger, or you can just use that awesome instant-read thermometer you bought (see here) Temperatures for burgers are exactly the same as for steaks, though burgers cook significantly faster Here’s a rough guide: ... If it looks like the burgers are beginning to burn before the center reaches the temperature you want, lower the heat or move the burgers to a cooler part of the grill (Or, better, start them cool and finish hot.)...skillet if you’re cooking on the stovetop (do not use nonstick—nonstick coatings will produce toxic vapors when heated hot enough to sear a burger), or... poking at it with your finger, or you can just use that awesome instant-read thermometer you bought (see here) Temperatures for burgers are exactly the same as for steaks, though burgers cook significantly faster