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Smash Burger Recipe

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Who doesn’t love a good burger, eh? This Smash Burger Recipe is unlike any other burger you have ever had before. It really is one of the best burgers I have ever made, and my family totally agreed with me! The crispy edges of the patties that hang over the edge of the bun, the melted cheese, the fresh toppings! Why go out for a fast food burger when you can make one of the best burgers in town right at home?

Like this fantastic smash burger recipe, there are so many recipes that are easy to make right at home. Plus, going out is getting more and more expensive every day! Rather than ordering in or going out, why not stay home and create some great food like this Ham Steak On The Grill or these great-tasting Skirt Steak Fajitas? Both of which are economical to make at home and taste great!

Loaded Smash Burger on white plate.

Homemade hamburgers are a staple in many homes across the nation. This Smash Burger Recipe takes the everyday hum-drum burger and amps it up to 11!

Best of all, it doesn’t take any longer than making regular burgers. It is also infinitely better than your regular fast-food drive-through burger!

HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.

Reversible Grill/Griddle

BBQ Tool Set 4pc 

Daddy Grilling Platter

What is in a Smash Burger?

Ingredients to make the smash burger all together on a white counter top.

The ingredients for this smash burger are pretty standard when it comes to homemade burgers. It’s the process of making them where the real magic takes place!

INGREDIENTS

  • Canola oil or other neutral cooking oil
  • 80/20 ground beef (this is lean ground beef in Canada)
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • Granulated garlic
  • Slices of good melting cheese like American, Swiss, or Cheddar
  • Butter, at room temperature
  • Brioche hamburger buns
  • Whole leaf lettuce
  • Tomato, sliced
  • Sweet onion, sliced
  • Dill pickles, sliced
  • Mayonnaise
  • Dijon mustard or Donkey Sauce (see link)

How to make this smash burger recipe

Heat a large flat iron griddle on your grill over high heat. If you don’t have a griddle, you can use a large cast iron skillet, but you will have to cook the burger patties in batches.

Form the meat into 4 balls roughly the same size; you can weigh them out to 4 ounces each if you prefer, then set them aside. Do not season the patty meat beforehand; you want to season the patties as they cook on the griddle.

If you are not making the Donkey Sauce (I recommend you make it!), mix together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl and set aside.

Add the canola oil to the griddle and spread it around to cover the griddle. Place the balls of ground beef on the griddle. You want to make sure they are far enough apart to allow you to smash or press them flat. I would leave 5 – 6 inches between the balls if possible.

Let the balls cook for 30 seconds or so, then turn them over. Using a large spatula or trowel, press down or “Smash” each of the balls until they are about the size of your buns.

Then press or “smear” the edges of each burger so they are 1/2 the thickness of the middle of the burger. This is the wonderfully crispy edges of the burger that will hang off the edge of the buns.

Season each patty generously with Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and granulated garlic. Remember, the meat was not seasoned originally, so don’t be shy with the seasonings.

Flip the burger!

Continue to cook the burgers until they are very dark and caramelized; the edges should be crispy. Now it’s time to flip the burgers. Using a drywall scrapper or a very large spatula, flip the burgers. You need a very large flat tool to flip the burger so that they stay together. Remember, there are no binders or fillers in this burger, just the meat!

Now it is time to add the cheese; put 2 slices of cheese on each patty. While the cheese is melting, butter the buns and place them on the grill to toast. It will only take a minute or two for the buns to toast, be careful not to burn them.

What is on a classic Smash burger?

The next step is to build your Smash Burger. The toppings are as important as the burger patty itself. Once the cheese to totally melted, remove the burger patties from the griddle.

Spread the Donkey Sauce or the mayonnaise and mustard mixture on the top or bottom of the toasted buns (or both). I like to put the lettuce on the bottom. Then place the 2 cheese-covered patties on the bottom bun on top of the lettuce.

Smash burger on a white plate with some sweet potato fries beside the burger.

On the top bun, place the sliced onions, sliced pickles, and sliced tomatoes. Put the top on the patties, and voila! There you have it! Perhaps the best burger you may ever eat. I’m sure it will certainly be one of the top burgers anyway!

Can I change up the ingredients?

Smash Burger oozing with melted cheese being held in one hand ready for a big bite!

Of course, you can change up some of the ingredients! Make your smash burger the way you like it. If you have a good butcher, you can as him to get you some 80/20 ground chuck rather than lean ground beef.

If you prefer mozzarella cheese on your burgers, then go ahead. Some people like ketchup and mustard on their burgers. You can certainly include those items on your burger.

There are a lot of other things that people like to put on their burgers, from pickled jalapenos to beets. Yes beets, they are a very popular burger topping in Australia!

The key to a great smash burger is a thin patty, cooked so the edges are charred and crispy! It needs a good amount of cheese, and your toppings need to be super fresh!

Smash burger on a plate with a bite taken out of the burger.

I mean, really! If you are a burger fan, a burger aficionado, or someone who appreciates a great burger, what else can you say? I think you have to admit that is one sexy burger!

Time to head out to the grocery store and pick up the ingredients for this stupendous burger today. Or put it on the menu for next weekend. Your family is going to thank you…trust me!

Loaded double Smash Burger on a plate with sweet potato fries.

Pin it HERE!

This Smash Burger Recipe is so amazingly good you are never going to want to go out for drive-thru fast food burgers again!

Pin it HERE!

This Smash Burger Recipe is so amazingly good you are never going to want to go out for drive-thru fast food burgers again!
Smash Burger on a white plate.

Smash Burger Recipe

Ken Noland
If you are a burger fan, you are going to absolutely love this amazing Smash Burger Recipe! It's a crispy, cheesy double burger extravaganza!
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 22 minutes mins
Course Grilling
Cuisine American
Servings 2 Double Burgers
Calories 657 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tsp canola oil
  • 1 pound 80/20 ground beef lean ground beef divided into 4 – 4 oz balls
  • Kosher Salt and Fresh ground pepper to taste
  • Granulated garlic for sprinkling
  • 8 slices of good melting cheese American, Swiss, or cheddar
  • Butter at room temperature for the buns
  • 2 hamburger buns I like Brioche buns
  • 2 whole leaves of lettuce
  • 1/2 tomato sliced
  • 1/4 sweet onion sliced
  • Dill pickles sliced
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 – 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • Or
  • Donkey Sauce see link below

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large flat iron griddle to high heat.
  • If not making the Donkey Sauce mix the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Add the canola oil to the griddle and spread it around to cover the whole griddle.
  • Place the balls of meat on the preheated griddle and let cook for about 30 seconds.
  • Turn the ball over and, using a large spatula or trowel, press down or “smash” each ball until it is about the size of your buns.
  • Then press or “smear” the edges of each burger so the edges are thinner than the middle. (The burger edges need to hang over the bun)
  • Sprinkle the top side of the burgers generously with Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and granulated garlic to taste.
  • Cook the burgers until they are very dark and caramelized; the edges should be just crispy.
  • Now it’s time to flip the burgers; using a drywall scrapper or very large spatula, flip the burgers.
  • Put 2 slices of cheese on each burger and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. The burger should be cooked through at this point.
  • While the burger is finishing cooking on the second side, butter the top and bottom of each of the hamburger buns and place them on the grill to toast for about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Spread the mayonnaise mustard mixture or Donkey Sauce on the buns, top or bottom, or both.
  • Top each bun with lettuce, 2 patties, sliced onion, sliced pickle, and sliced tomato.

Equipment

Lodge LDP3 Reversible Grill/Griddle, 9.5-inch x 16.75-inch
Lodge LDP3 Reversible Grill/Griddle, 9.5-inch x 16.75-inch
Alpha Grillers Grill Set Heavy Duty BBQ Accessories - BBQ Tool Set 4pc Grill Accessories with Spatula, Fork, Brush & BBQ Tongs - Gifts for Dad Durable, Stainless Steel Grill Tools
Alpha Grillers Grill Set Heavy Duty BBQ Accessories – BBQ Tool Set 4pc Grill Accessories with Spatula, Fork, Brush & BBQ Tongs – Gifts for Dad Durable, Stainless Steel Grill Tools
Nefelibata BBQ Daddy Grilling Platter Gift Father’s Day Barbecue Serving Tray Plate Dishes Birthday Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Him Men Grandparent Dad Outdoor Indoor
Nefelibata BBQ Daddy Grilling Platter Gift Father’s Day Barbecue Serving Tray Plate Dishes Birthday Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Him Men Grandparent Dad Outdoor Indoor

Notes

Note: if you don’t have a flat iron griddle, you can use a large cast iron skillet; you may have to cook the burgers in batches one or two at a time, depending upon the size of your skillet. Making these on your BBQ keeps your kitchen clean and the house smoke-free.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 657kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 13gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 1707mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11g
Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


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Hi, I’m Ken thanks for stopping by BBQing with the Nolands! I was born and raised in Western Canada. I grew up on the great wide open farmlands that produce some of the worlds’ best livestock and grains.
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