Smash Burgers
Two-ounce balls of 80/20 ground beef, smashed flat on a screaming hot cast iron, crust formed in sixty seconds, American cheese melted on the flip. Double stacked on a toasted brioche bun with special sauce. Better than a drive-through and done in fifteen minutes.
Ingredients
Meat & Protein
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20, cold from the fridge
Produce
- 0.5 white onion very thinly sliced
Dairy
- 4 American cheese slices
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter for toasting buns
Pantry & Canned Goods
- 4 brioche burger buns split
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise Hellmanns or Dukes recommended
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp dill pickle slices finely chopped, plus more whole slices for topping
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Seasonings & Spices
- 0.75 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
- Make the special sauce: stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, chopped pickles, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge.
- Divide the cold ground beef into 8 equal portions — about 2 oz each. Roll loosely into balls. Do not overwork the meat. Keep them in the fridge until the pan is ready.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until smoking. Do not add oil — the fat in the beef handles it.
- Toast the buns: melt butter in a separate skillet over medium heat and toast the buns cut-side down until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
- Working in batches of 2, place beef balls in the hot pan and immediately smash flat with a heavy spatula or burger press. Press firmly and hold for 10 seconds. Season the tops generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Add a few slices of onion on top of each patty.
- Cook undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds until the edges are deeply browned and lacy. Scrape under the patty with your spatula — get all the crust — and flip. Immediately place a slice of American cheese on top. Cook for 30 to 45 seconds more.
- Stack two patties per burger. Spread special sauce on both bun halves. Add pickle slices. Serve immediately.
Notes
Cold beef is non-negotiable. Warm beef fat renders out before the crust forms and you end up with a dry, gray patty. Pull the beef out of the fridge right when the pan goes on the heat — not before.
American cheese is not a compromise. It melts faster and more evenly than cheddar, which is exactly what you need in a 30-second window. If you use cheddar, it won't be fully melted before the patty overcooks.
Turn on your exhaust fan and crack a window. This gets smoky. That smoke is flavor, but it will also set off your smoke alarm if you don't have airflow.
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