Smash burger
Thin, crispy-edged smashed beef patties with American cheese and pickles
Diners and drive-ins across the American Midwest have smashed burgers on hot griddles for a century, and the style is now everywhere from food trucks to backyard cookouts. A ball of beef is pressed hard onto a very hot pan so it spreads thin and develops a deep brown, lacy crust, then gets a slice of cheese and goes into a soft toasted bun with pickles and a tangy sauce. Two thin patties per burger is the classic. Chef's tip: smash within the first 30 seconds only; pressing later squeezes out the juice.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the sauce
For the burgers
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Stir 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp yellow mustard and 1 tbsp chopped gherkins together. Divide 1 ⅓ lb beef mince (20% fat) into 8 loose balls of 75 g; do not pack them tightly. Keep them in the fridge until the pan is hot. Wash your hands after handling raw mince.
5 minStep 2: Spread cut sides of 4 soft burger buns with ⅔ oz butter and toast in a large heavy frying pan or griddle over a medium heat for 1 minute until golden. Set aside.
3 minStep 3: Turn the heat to high and heat the dry pan for 3 minutes until smoking hot. Add 2–4 balls, spaced apart. Immediately press each one flat to about 5 mm with a sturdy spatula (put baking paper between the spatula and the meat so it does not stick). Season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
2 minStep 4: Cook for 2 minutes without moving until the edges are deep brown and lacy. Scrape under each patty, flip, top with a slice of 8 American cheese slices and cook for 1 minute more. The thin patties cook through quickly; minced beef must be fully cooked with no pink juices (160°F). A common mistake is using lean mince, which turns dry; 20% fat is right.
4 minStep 5: Stack two patties per bun base. Add ½ onion, 12 dill pickle slices, a spoonful of sauce, 4 lettuce leaves and the lid. Repeat with the rest and eat at once.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 46 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does smash burger take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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