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An elite smash burger needs six things—a beef patty with crispy fried edges, a burger sauce so good you want to dip your burger in it, iceberg lettuce, pickles, onion, and American cheese.
As a born and raised midwesterner, I’ve been cooking and eating beef for as long as I can remember. And over the course of my 10+ years in the food publishing industry, I’ve developed more beef recipes than I can count.
And this smash burger recipe is by far the burger I make the most in my house. They’re just so easy. And they’re always a hit.
Why This Recipe Works
The crispy edges of the burger patty is what makes smash burgers so delectable. With piping hot flat tops at the ready, it’s easy for fast food joints to churn these out all day. So when developing this recipe, I needed to find a way to get that gorgeous char without the convenience of a flat top (though if you have a Blackstone, use it!).
Enter the cast-iron skillet. When preheated for about 5 minutes, you can achieve that sear and “fry” along the edges of the burger. Once the burger has cooked a bit, I layer on some fresh onion, flip, and top with cheese. This allows the onions to griddle and the cheese to melt. Then assembling is all that’s left.
If you’re looking for more burger recipes, be sure to check out our Salmon Burger recipe, Shrimp Burgers and Mediterranean Turkey Burgers.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef: I recommend using fattier ground beef than you normally would. Something with 15 to 20 percent of fat. I like 80/20 for smash burgers patties because when heated and smashed on the griddle, the beef releases some of the fat into the griddle which encourages the beef to brown and create a crisp crust. Also, the fattier the beef, the more flavorful your smash burger will be.
- Pickles: I have a lot of opinions about pickles (I especially love pickles in a pasta salad). And my favorite pickles for smash burgers are refrigerated whole kosher dill pickles. Overall, they’re more flavorful. Cut a few into chips for the burgers and slice some into spears for serving on the side.
- Lettuce: When it comes to burgers, nothing compares to a few crisp layers of iceberg lettuce. It’s just the only way. I like to fold a couple of lettuce leaves to create multiple layers and exceptional crunch.
- Onions: I prefer yellow onions here.
- American Cheese: If you’re going to make a smash burger—you’ve gotta go all in. And that means using ultra-melty American Cheese. I like the ease of individually wrapped Kraft Singles, but you can also purchase a chunk of American cheese at most meat and cheese counters. I do not recommend hard or aged cheeses—to do a Smash Burger right is to use a cheap, melty cheese!
- Burger Sauce: This recipe uses my go-to smasher burger sauce. This “special sauce” is made with equal parts whole-grain mustard, prepared yellow mustard, and mayonnaise. There’s just something about this combination!
- Burger Buns: I prefer brioche hamburger buns. They’re soft, buttery and ever so slightly sweet. Potato buns are also a great option.
How to Make a Smash Burger
- Preheat a cast-iron, griddle or flat top.
- Toast the buns then roll the ground beef into balls.
- Place two balls of meat in the hot skillet and season with kosher salt. Immediately smash the meat down into very thin patties using a heavy-duty spatula or burger smasher.
- Cook until crisp and browned then press a few slices of onion into the patties and flip.
- Place cheese over burger and cook until the cheese has melted and onions are griddled and golden.
What Pan to Use for Cooking Smash Burgers
Since most home cooks have a cast-iron skillet, I developed this recipe to use one. A griddle, flat top, carbon steel, or stainless steak skillet all work as well.
My Best Smash Burger Tips
- The most important step in making smash burgers is the smashing. (Shocking, I know.) I recommend using a solid, very heavy duty spatula that can withstand a lot of pressure without bending or snapping. If you’ll be making smash burgers a lot, get a burger smasher (they’re amazing!).
Otherwise, smash with a solid metal spatula and use a potato masher on top for extra leverage. - It can get pretty smoky when making smash burgers in the kitchen, so fire up your kitchen vent or open some windows.
- Be sure to prep the toppings before you start cooking. The burgers cook fast, and having everything ready to go means you get to enjoy these hot off the griddle.
- I develop recipes uses Morton kosher salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal, use this conversion: 1 ½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt. You can learn more about kosher salt here.
Pre-Smashing the Patties
If you’re serving a big group, pre-smashing the patties can be helpful. The edges won’t get as crisp or fried, but they’re still wildly delicious.
To do this, just smash the balls of beef between two squares of parchment paper. Layer the patties between small pieces of parchment to keep them from sticking and to make it easier to slap onto the griddle. Give that patties a good press when you drop them in the pan to ensure even contact with the hot pan and to encourage crisping.
Smash Burger Patty FAQs
The key to getting smash burgers to stay flat is to smash them almost immediately after the meat is placed in the skillet. Smash the meat with as much muscle as you can and hold the spatula down for about 10 seconds before removing the spatula. Keep pressing it down as needed until you’re ready to flip the burgers. Or use a burger smasher!
To achieve those crisp, caramelized edges on a smash burger you need to do a few things. One, use a relatively fatty ground beef (we recommend 80/20). Two, smash the patties really thin. Three, don’t move or flip the patties until they are adequately browned and caramelized on the bottom side!
Helpful Equipment
Watch How to Make Smash Burgers
Smash Burgers with Mustard Smash Sauce
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup whole-grain mustard
- ¼ cup prepared yellow mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil mayonnaise
- 1 pound (80/20) ground beef
- Morton kosher salt
- 4 brioche buns, split
- 1 medium yellow onion, very thinly sliced
- ½ head iceberg lettuce, leaves separated
- 3 large kosher dill pickles, thinly sliced + more for serving
- 4 slices American cheese, such as Kraft Singles
Instructions
- For burger sauce, mix together mustards and mayonnaise; set aside.
- Divide meat into quarters (about 4 ounces each) and roll into balls. Transfer to a plate or small baking sheet.
- Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron, stainless steel, or carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat until ripping hot and smoking, about 5 minutes.
- Toast half of the buns, cut side down, in skillet until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining buns.
- Increase heat to high.
- Add two beef balls to skillet; season generously with kosher salt. Smash beef balls down with a heavy duty spatula, using a potato masher to press down on top of the spatula for extra leverage, until very thin, about ½-inch thick. Cook, without moving, until bottom sides are crisp and browned, about 1 ½ minutes.
- Press a few onion slices into burger patties with spatula. Scrape up and flip patty.
- Place a slice of cheese over burger and continue to cook until cheese is melted and onions on bottom are griddled and golden, 30–60 seconds. Remove from griddle.
- To assemble, spread 1 tablespoon burger sauce on cuts sides of buns (tops and bottoms). Cover bottom buns with pickle slices then top with burger patty. Add a few slices of raw onion, a couple of folded sheets of iceberg lettuce followed by the top bun.
- Wipe out skillet with paper towels before repeating smashing and cooking process with remaining beef balls, onions and cheese.
- Serve burgers with pickle spears.
Notes
Nutrition
This sponsored post is in partnership with the Iowa Beef Council. As always the thoughts, opinions, recipe, photos and content are all my own.
Got damn these burgers are good. Love the technique of pressing the onion into the patty. Keeping the lettuce intact with all the layers as you did gave the burger a nice crunch. The Kraft cheese put them over the top. Thank you!
Hi KT—thanks so much for trying these and leaving a comment!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These are to die for!!! We cook them on our Blackstone griddle outside, so no mess on the stove. Love the crunchy edges, and do NOT skip the sauce, that’s the best part!!!
Love that!! I wish I had a flat top! The sauce is the key for sure!!!