The Soda Can Hack To Transform Basic Beef Patties Into Edible Bowls

It's hard to beat a juicy, delicious burger. But when you think of a burger, you probably picture a ground beef patty between two fresh buns, complete with toppings of your choice. And while that's the way most do it, there is also a way to get a fun twist on this American classic: turn it into a burger bowl. All you need is a can of soda — or any cylindrical-shaped can, really.

Instagram creator and social media chef Dmitriy Oznobishin has popularized the technique and in the process shown that a bun isn't necessary to build the perfect burger. That lack of buns is an added bonus for anyone who is looking to make a burger but trying to avoid gluten, carbs, or is just out of bread. This method of making burgers has been floating around barbecue circles for years as a creative hack for stuffing cheeseburgers, but in this case, you'll leave the filled center open. All it takes is shaping the beef around the can to form a bowl, then filling it with your favorite toppings. But it's important to note that some recipe testers say it's not as simple as it looks.

A standard soda can works best here because it creates a bowl that's just the right size for a personal burger. A standard single-pound package of beef can work, but 14 ounces of beef total is typical. That's a little more than 7 ounces per burger bowl. Just flatten the ground beef into a patty, stick a soda can in the middle, then mold the ground beef around the outside of the can. From there, remove the can, then fill the center of the bowl with your desired toppings. You can use common burger fixings like onions, minced pickles, or tomatoes — even an egg can git overtop, as Oznobishin demonstrates. Cover the mix with cheese and air fry the burgers at 360 degrees Fahrenheit. They're ready in about 15 minutes.

For molding the burger meat around the can, it's probably best to ensure the can is full because any added pressure to the can's exterior will cause it to dent. But, in case you drink it later, that means you absolutely have to sanitize the can once you're done using it to ensure you don't transfer any potentially harmful bacteria.

If you're willing to try this trick, there are additional things to keep in mind beyond just disinfecting the soda cans. Some recipe testers have reported that the meat does not hold together while cooking in the air fryer, likely due to a lack of binder. Others note that the burger bowl did not cook all the way through in the suggested timeframe. To add to the undercooked concern, the underside of the meat seems to be an area that needs more time and attention. Additionally, if you've added an egg to the inside of the bowl, there's no way to tell if it's also remained undercooked until you slice it.

With that in mind, air fryers can vary by type, so there might be some trial and error to get the burger bowl cooked in your own appliance. Some methods you might want to consider is to try lowering the temperature and increasing the cooking time, which can make sure the interior of the dish has time to cook while the exterior does not burn.