With A Little Patience, Your Tuna Burgers Don't Have To Fall Apart

Flowers that bloom in spring. Series finales that answer all the questions. And tuna burgers that don't crumble before they even get to the bun. The best things in life are all worth the wait. And though nobody can guarantee a late frost won't tarnish the tulips or the writers' room won't leave all the TV series fans wondering after the last episode airs, one thing you do have control over is your tuna burger patty. All you need is a little patience and a fridge.

Tuna patties are fantastic for many reasons. They are a good source of protein and are easy to make gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs or binders. When made with canned tuna, they are economical (especially compared to the rising cost of eggs). They have a myriad of ingredient mix-in possibilities, and they can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for a last-minute meal. Plus, they can be served as burgers, atop a salad, or with an aioli. However, getting them to the plate is more tricky than it ought to be.

As anybody (or at least most of us) who's tried to make a tuna burger at home knows, the patties, though delicious, are prone to falling apart. No matter the choice of crumb (bread, cracker, almond flour, etc), type of canned tuna (packed in oil or water), or another binder (commonly mayonnaise or egg), those patties are very delicate and likely to fall apart. When flipping or transferring from skillet to plate, the tension is high and the outcome of a solid patty can feel guaranteed. However, nobody is bound to a life of tuna burger scraps hastily tossed into salads, pretending that's the way they were meant to be served.

As Every Little Bite explains, the secret to firm (but still flavorful) tuna burgers lies in refrigerating the patties for at least 20 minutes. Chilling helps the patties stay firm while cooking and flipping on the stovetop. It's a simple step but the results are so satisfying, it's one that shouldn't be skipped.

The concept of chilling to make things stay firm isn't necessarily novel. Cookie dough recipes often recommend chilling the dough to allow the flour to fully hydrate for a more developed flavor. Plus, hardening the butter in the fridge keeps the cookie from spreading out the second the dough hits the oven (let's be honest, we've all had a cookie gate that has resulted in one giant cookie not refrigerating the dough).

For those who can't stomach the 20-minute wait, just freeze the patties for five minutes – long enough to firm the tuna burgers, but not so long that the burgers actually freeze.

So, plan ahead and cue up your favorite podcast. Mix that tuna burger mixture, form the patties, and let them chill for at least 20 minutes, but up to six hours. And enjoy that satisfying feeling when the burgers go from hot pan to dinner plate, perfectly in one piece.