The Perfect Smash Burger Recipe
Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside - you can’t beat the Smash Burger. Add melted cheese, onions, and my special sauce, and you’ve got a burger made in heaven!
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 Brioche Buns cut in half
- Butter to brush the buns
- 12 oz each 3 ounces Ground Beef (The Chef used ground chuck and boneless short ribs use that or buy ground 80/20 at the store)
- 2-4 slices American Cheese
- ½ of an Onion sliced very thin into long julienne
- Clarified Butter
Smash Burger Sauce:
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
- ½ cup Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Brine inside your pickle jar
- 1 teaspoon Parsley chopped
- A few drops of Cognac
- ½ teaspoon Garlic chopped
Recipe Instructions
1) Make the Smash Burger Sauce:
- In a bowl, mix mayo and ketchup. Add a few shakes of hot sauce, a tiny bit of minced garlic, and a splash of pickle juice. If you’ve got shallots, very finely chop and stir in. Now, for the secret handshake: a few drops of cognac. Stir, taste, adjust. If it makes you smile, it’s perfect. Cover and set aside.
2) Start the Onions
- Heat a small pan over medium heat with a bit of regular butter. Add your very thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. We’re going for lightly caramelized—soft, sweet, a little brown around the edges, not dark jam. Stir now and then and let them relax while you prep the beef.
3) Portion the Beef
- Use a scale or an ice cream scoop to portion 3-ounce beef balls. Don’t overwork the meat—minimal handling keeps things tender. Think“ polite handshake,” not “aggressive massage.”
4) Pre-Smash with Parchment
- Place a beef ball between two parchment squares. Press evenly with something flat (pan bottom, plate, or your spatula) until you have a nice thin patty. The parchment keeps it even, prevents sticking, and—most important—saves the juices. Stack patties between parchment and keep them cold until the skillet is ready.
5) Heat the Skillet
- Set your cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat. Add a thin film of clarified butter (or neutral oil). We want griddle hot—that confident, shimmering heat that says, “I was born for this.”
6) Season at the Last Second
- Sprinkle salt and freshly crushed black pepper on the top side of the patties. Season the second side right after it hits the pan—this keeps juices where they belong.
7) Sear—Hands Off!
- Lay the patty onto the hot skillet, peel off the parchment, season, and then don’t touch it. Give it about 2 minutes (watch for deep golden-brown edges and the aroma of victory). This is your Maillard moment—the crispy brown crust that makes a smash burger sing.
8) Flip and Cheese
- Slide your metal spatula under the patty, scraping decisively to keep that crust intact. Flip the burger. Immediately place a slice of American cheese on top. Let it melt as the second side finishes—usually 30–45seconds. If you’re feeling bold, do two patties and stack them. I won’t stop you.
9) Toast the Buns
- While the patties finish, split the buns and toast them cut-side down on the skillet or a dry spot on the griddle (a whisper of fat and butter helps). You want golden, lightly crisp buns that can hold the sauce without collapsing into sadness.
10) Lettuce Cookie-Cutter Trick
- Use a cookie cutter to trim your lettuce leaf to bun size. Silly? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely. Your burger will look sharp and eat clean.
11) Build Like a Pro
- Spread smash sauce on both buns—top and bottom. Bottom bun, lettuce disc, tomato slice, the patty (or double stack), a shower of black pepper, and a spoonful of those caramelized onions. Add pickles if you love them; I’ll cheer you on from a respectful distance. Crown with the top bun.
12) Bon Appétit!
- Transfer to a plate (or your hand—no judgment). That’s it. Thin, crispy edges, juicy center, melted cheese, and a bun that stands tall. You are now the burger boss of your block.
Pro-Tips
Chef’s Notes & Tips
- Don’t smash on the pan. We pre-smash to save the juices and still get the crust. Trust me—your taste buds will send thank-you notes.
- Clarified butter > regular butter on the skillet (regular will burn). Use regular butter for onions.
- Keep the beef cold until cooking. Cold beef + hot pan = better crust, better day.
- Work in batches. Overcrowding drops heat and turns searing into steaming. We’re not making sauna burgers.
- American cheese melts like a dream. And yes, it’s cheese—don’t fight me; fight the urge to add five more slices.
Equipment - You can find the items below at our online store!
Nutrition
Calories: 1293.55kcalCarbohydrates: 50.53gProtein: 43.79gFat: 101.88gSaturated Fat: 34.24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 26.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 26.04gTrans Fat: 2.44gCholesterol: 308.93mgSodium: 1553.27mgPotassium: 625.91mgFiber: 0.57gSugar: 8.36gVitamin A: 1113.46IUVitamin C: 3.56mgCalcium: 314.76mgIron: 4.57mg