Description
This Smash Burger recipe delivers juicy patties with incredibly crispy, lacy edges, thanks to the smashing technique on a hot cast iron skillet (or griddle). Topped with a flavorful secret sauce, grilled onions, and your favorite fixings, it’s a burger experience you won’t forget!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Burgers:
- 2 pounds ground chuck (80% lean / 20% fat)
- 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
- 4 hamburger buns (or your favorite burger buns)
- 4 slices cheese (cheddar, American, or your preference), optional
- Tomato slices, optional
- Pickles, optional
For the Secret Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon pickle relish (sweet or dill)
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Make Secret Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Whisk until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare Burger Meat: Gently divide the ground chuck into 4 equal portions (about 8 ounces each). Very gently form each portion into a loose ball. Do not overwork or compress the meat. The goal is to keep the meat as loosely packed as possible for the best smash.
- Preheat Grill/Skillet: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F / 200°C) with direct heat. Place a large cast-iron skillet on the grill grates, or if your grill grates have a flat griddle side, flip them over and use that. Let the skillet or griddle get very hot.
- Cook Onions: Add half of the butter (1/4 stick or 2 tablespoons) to the hot skillet/griddle. Let it melt. Add the finely chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent and softened, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the onions from the skillet and set them aside.
- Smash Burgers (Batch 1): Add the remaining butter (1/4 stick or 2 tablespoons) to the skillet. Working in batches (2 burgers at a time is usually best), place two of the loosely formed ground beef balls onto the hot skillet/griddle. Immediately use a sturdy, flat metal spatula (ideally a burger press or a spatula reinforced with another spatula) to firmly smash the burgers down to about 1/2-inch thickness. Season the smashed patties generously with half of the salt and half of the pepper.
- Cook Burgers (First Side): Cook the smashed burgers, undisturbed, for 2-3 minutes, or until the edges are very crispy and browned.
- Flip and Cook (Second Side): Carefully flip the burgers. If adding cheese, place a slice on top of each patty. Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the burgers are cooked to your desired level of doneness.
- Repeat with Remaining Burgers: Remove the cooked burgers from the skillet and set aside. Repeat steps 5-7 with the remaining two ground beef balls, adding more butter to the skillet if needed, and using the remaining salt and pepper.
- Assemble Burgers: Spread the secret sauce generously on both the top and bottom buns. Place a cooked smash burger patty on the bottom bun. Top with the grilled onions, and any optional toppings like tomato slices and pickles. Add the top bun.
- Serve: Serve the smash burgers immediately.
Notes
- Ground Chuck: 80% lean / 20% fat ground chuck is essential for juicy and flavorful smash burgers.
- Do Not Overwork Meat: The key to a great smash burger is to handle the meat as little as possible before smashing. Overworked meat will result in tough burgers.
- Hot Skillet/Griddle: A very hot cooking surface is crucial for creating the crispy, lacy edges.
- Smashing Technique: Use a sturdy, flat metal spatula (a burger press is ideal) and press down firmly and evenly on the burger balls immediately after placing them on the hot surface.
- Cooking in Batches: Cooking the burgers in batches prevents overcrowding the pan, which would lower the temperature and steam the burgers instead of searing them.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve these smash burgers with your favorite burger sides, such as french fries, onion rings, or a salad.