Making a great smashburger at home isn’t hard.
Here’s how to do it.
The Smashburger was popularized by a fast-casual hamburger restaurant chain of the same name founded in Denver, Colorado.
Nick Evans
They have a proprietary system of smashing their burgers and cooking them quickly.
It creates a thin patty, with a caramelized, crispy crust.
Top it with cheese and all the fixings and youre in for a real treat.
Nick Evans
Trust me when I say that once you start making these, youll be firmly on team Smashburger.
They are the best!
What Is a Smashburger?
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
The heat plus pressure combo results in a crispy and well-browned burger that cooks very fast.
The browning process that happens is officially called the maillard reaction.
The end result isdelicious caramelized flavorand a burger that cooks quickly and doesnt dry out.
Nick Evans
The hard part of making Smashburgers at home is also a result of this maillard reaction.
You will absolutely want to crank up any over-the-stove fan you have.
Its going to get smoky!
Nick Evans
Using a higher fat beef is nice because as the fat melts it further caramelizes the burger while cooking.
Also, fat is flavor!
That said, perfect is the enemy of good.
Nick Evans
Any ground meat will caramelize well using this smash method.
you’re free to even use plant-based meats with decent results if you are smashing them like this.
I wouldnt bother with a scale for this.
Nick Evans
If you eyeball four loosely packed balls, they will be close in size.
Youll buy one pound of meat for this recipe so each burger should be four ounces.
This will end up giving you a nice thin patty.
Nick Evans
Season the outside of your balled meat with the burger seasoning mix.
Get your skillet or cast iron griddle hot over medium-high heat.
Do not use non-stick skillets for this because you wont get as good of a crust on the burger.
Add some butter and spread it around.
It will start to brown, which is fine.
Add the meat balls to the skillet and immediately add pressure to them.
Repeat with all the burgers.
If you dont have a smaller skillet to press down dont worry about it.
Just use a spatula.
Then let the burgers cook for another 60-90 seconds until the juices start to bubble through the burgers.
Season again with a pinch of burger seasoning mix and flip the burgers with a sturdy metal spatula.
Be sure to scrape under the burger to ensure you get all the crispy bits.
Add cheese and cook for another minute or two.
How to Make Smash Sauce and Other Toppings
Smash sauce is a classic burger sauce.
Its a burger sauce!
Also, prepare any other toppings youd like before you cook the burgers.
Set aside until youre ready to assemble your burgers.
In another small bowl combine the kosher salt, black pepper, and seasoned salt.
Loosely divide the ground beef into four even balls.
Season the balls of beef with a 1/8 teaspoon burger seasoning mix.
Dont worry about completely covering them.
you’re able to add more seasoning when they are cooking.
I use a smaller 8-inch cast iron skillet, but any smaller size will work.
Turn on the fan over the stove and open a window to help with air flow.
Once the butter has melted, add the beef balls.
Place the foil wrapped skillet or a spatula over the beef balls and smash them into flat disks.
Smash each burger for 10 seconds, one at a time, applying a lot of pressure to it.
Repeat until all the burgers are smashed.
Season the smashburgers with another 1/8 teaspoon burger seasoning mix.
Allow them to continue to cook for about 90 seconds until the juices start to bubble from the burger.
Use a sturdy metal spatula to flip the burgers, being sure to scrap up any caramelization.
The burger is so thin that theres no need to check temperature.
It will be done if the burger has a good caramelization on the outside.
While burgers cook, toast the buns.
In a large skillet over medium heat add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
Add the buns, cut side down, and toast for 30 seconds, until golden.
Repeat until all buns are toasted.
If you have a griddle, you’re able to toast the buns alongside the burgers.
Build a smashburger by adding some sauce, approximately 1 tablespoon, to the bottom of the burger bun.
Continue until all smashburgers are assembled.
Serve immediately with fries and a cold drink.
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