The Divot

When I was at Cook's Illustrated, I made an interesting discovery that has served me well for years. Making a depression, or divot, about 1 inch around and ½ inch deep, in the center of meat patties helps them cook up flat, rather than puffy and bulging at the center (a problem that I call "tennis ball syndrome"). Consulting food scientists taught me that the connective tissue naturally present in the meat is ground right along with the lean and fat. When the collagen heats up, it shrinks, forcing the top and bottom surfaces to bulge a little. When the divot bulges, the end result is a relatively flat surface.