Which Smash Burgers Recipe Actually Works?

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Burgers

• 1 1/2 lb (680g) ground beef, divided into 8 portions, loosely rolled into balls
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• 4 slice medium cheddar cheese, thick-sliced

Burger Sauce

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp yellow mustard

Toppings

• 4 brioche buns, toasted, buttered on cut side
• 2 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 tomato, large, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
• 2 dill pickles, sliced

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Divide 1.5 pounds of 80/20 ground beef into eight equal portions (about 3 ounces each) and loosely roll each portion into a ball.
2. Cover the meatballs with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the meat is cold.
3. Make the burger sauce by stirring together 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon yellow mustard; set aside.
4. Thinly slice 1/2 red onion into rings, thinly slice 1 large tomato, shred and crisp 2 cups iceberg lettuce (remove outer soft leaves), and transfer the pickles to a bowl; arrange toppings and 4 thick slices of medium cheddar cheese on a serving platter.
5. Preheat the cooktop to medium. Butter the cut sides of the buns with softened or melted butter (about 2 tablespoons total) and toast cut-side down on the preheated griddle or skillet for 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly golden underneath; transfer toasted buns to a wire rack.
6. Crank the griddle to medium-high heat.
7. Place the chilled meatballs on the preheated griddle, top each with a piece of parchment paper, and smash each ball as thin as you can using a spatula and a meat mallet or a burger press so the patty makes maximum contact with the cooktop.
8. Cook the smashed patties about 2 minutes on the first side; during this time season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder (optional) and add a dab of the prepared sauce to the patty. Flip when juices collect on the surface, scraping firmly under each patty to preserve the browning.
9. After flipping, cover one patty with a thick slice of cheddar, top it with a second cooked patty to make a double-stack, and cook about 1 minute on the second side, then remove from the griddle.
10. Assemble each burger: spread a generous amount of burger sauce on the bottom toasted bun, add three pickle slices, shredded lettuce, two slices of tomato, a little red onion, then the double-stacked patty with cheese; top with the toasted top bun.
11. If desired, wrap burgers restaurant-style by folding a square of parchment paper in half into a triangle, placing it halfway over the burger, tucking under two corners, and bringing the bottom corner up and over to enclose the burger.

crowdsource Community Insights

This one comes together quickly and people who made it loved the flavor, but a few practical things kept coming up. What trips people up is touching raw meat and then other items, people who kept a separate plate and utensils for raw and cooked meat avoided cross-contamination. Also, people who added pickles usually regretted it; instead, many mixed their own burger sauce from mayo, tomato sauce, mustard, and a splash of pickle juice and skipped dressing. Finally, if you want a heartier bite, people who went with two patties liked the result.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

We couldn't confidently pull the full ingredient list and instructions from this video yet — watch it above for the complete recipe.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

crowdsource Community Insights

This one really lives or dies on the smash step and the patty thickness. Most people who've made this found that laying a square of parchment under the meat before you smash keeps the burger from sticking and gives a cleaner, more even press. What trips people up is overthick patties and pressing during cooking, thinner patties turn out better, and pushing down on a burger while it cooks just squeezes out the juices and leaves it drier, so shape them thinner from the start. If you want, some cooks add thin-sliced onions on with the patties as they cook for a quick browned-onion boost.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Easy To Customize: Home cooks often adapt it to what they have without issue.
• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Burgers

• 1 1/2 lb (680g) ground beef, 80/20 mix
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper

Toppings & Cheese

• Red onion, very thinly sliced
• Tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 slice cheddar cheese, thinly sliced (or American cheese, any of your favorite cheeses)
• Iceberg lettuce
• Pickles

Sauce

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp relish

Buns & Finishing

• Brioche buns
• Butter, melted

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Divide the ground beef into eight equal portions and roll each portion into a ball with clean hands.
2. Place the balls on a plate or small baking sheet, cover, and chill for 20 minutes or up to 6 hours.
3. While the patties chill, prepare toppings: very thinly slice red onion, thinly slice tomato, prepare thinly sliced cheddar, and get iceberg lettuce and pickles ready.
4. Make the burger sauce in a small bowl by mixing 1/4 cup mayonnaise, about 1 tablespoon ketchup, 1 teaspoon mustard, and 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon relish; stir to combine. This amount makes enough sauce for about four burgers.
5. Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
6. If toasting buns, cut the brioche buns, brush the cut sides with melted butter, and toast face-down in the hot pan for about 1 minute; transfer toasted buns to a baking sheet.
7. Work 2–4 patties at a time depending on pan size. Place a beef ball on the hot pan, smash it flat immediately with a spatula (use a can or other heavy object if needed), then season the top with salt and pepper.
8. Cook the smashed patty for 1 to 2 minutes, then flip it, season the cooked side with salt and pepper, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through.
9. If adding cheese, place one slice for a double-decker or two slices (if using single slices) on the patty after flipping so it melts while the second side cooks.
10. Repeat the smashing, seasoning, and cooking process with the remaining patties.
11. Spread about a tablespoon of sauce on each toasted bun bottom.
12. Assemble burgers by placing the cooked patties on the sauced buns and piling on toppings: thinly sliced onion, thinly sliced tomato (seasoned with salt and pepper), pickles if using, and shredded or torn lettuce.
13. Give the assembled burger one last press and serve.

crowdsource Community Insights

This one gets high marks for how it looks and for repeat cooks, but what trips people up is raw-meat cross-contamination. People who made this often ended up putting buns or finished patties on surfaces where raw meat had been, or using the same board and gloves, and that led to extra rinsing and worry, change or wash gloves after touching raw meat, and keep a separate board or a clean patch of counter for buns and plated food. Also, a lot of cooks grill the onions first for better flavor, and if you want a small tweak, some people add a splash of Worcestershire to the patty mix.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 3 oz (85g) ground beef
• Brioche buns
• Mayonnaise (or butter)
• Kosher salt, coarsely ground
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Oregano
• Paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• Burger seasoning, to taste
• Barbecue seasoning, to taste
• Ketchup
• Dijon mustard
• Cheese
• Pickles
• Bacon

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Divide the ground beef into 3-ounce or 4-ounce balls (the presenter uses 4-ounce balls for a thicker patty).
2. Spread mayonnaise on the cut sides of the brioche buns and toast them in a skillet until golden and soft.
3. Mix the burger seasoning: combine garlic powder (2 teaspoons), onion powder (2 teaspoons), cayenne pepper (a little, optional), oregano, paprika, a couple pinches of kosher salt, and black pepper (about 1 teaspoon).
4. Heat a heavy skillet or griddle until very hot.
5. Place the beef balls on the hot surface and let them sear untouched for about 10 to 15 seconds.
6. Lay a piece of parchment paper over a ball, place a press (or similar heavy object) on top, and press down to smash the ball into a thin patty; avoid pressing so hard that all the juices are forced out. Remove the press and parchment.
7. Immediately season the smashed patties with the homemade seasoning or with prepared burger seasoning (use barbecue seasoning alongside burger seasoning if desired).
8. Cook until you see the top start to rise and cook toward the other side and bubbles form; slide a sturdy spatula underneath to break the seal and flip the patty, revealing a well-formed crust.
9. After flipping, add cheese to each patty and let it melt while the second side finishes cooking.
10. Mix the burger sauce by combining mayonnaise, ketchup, and Dijon mustard.
11. Assemble the burgers: spread sauce on the toasted buns, place one or two smashed patties on the bottom bun, add pickles and cooked bacon if using, then top with the bun.

crowdsource Community Insights

People who made this found a few small moves made the night much easier. The biggest slip-up was handling raw beef, then touching other food (some even did it with the same gloves), that led to problems, so people recommend washing hands often and not touching ready-to-eat items with the gloves you used on raw meat. Also, toasting the buns mattered more than you’d think: people who toasted theirs were happier with the texture and how the finished burgers looked. And if you want sweeter, softer onions, the ones who pre-cooked them until they caramelized preferred that over just quickly cooking them.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 2 onion, paper thin slices
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 3 oz (85g) ground brisket, formed into balls
• Potato roll
• Dijon mustard
• Spicy dill pickles
• 1 slice American cheese
• Tri-tip steak seasoning, to taste

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Thinly slice the onions as paper thin as possible (use a deli slicer or a very sharp knife).
2. Place the sliced onions in a bowl, sprinkle with a little kosher salt, massage to draw out moisture, and let sit for about 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, ring out or squeeze some of the accumulated liquid from the onions and set the onions aside.
4. Preheat the pellet grill with the griddle to 500°F and configure for direct grilling (no diffuser plate; baffle pushed in).
5. Form the ground brisket into 3 ounce balls without flattening them (you will smash them on the griddle).
6. Arrange potato rolls, Dijon mustard, spicy dill pickles, and American cheese slices so they are ready for assembly; spread a little Dijon mustard on each bottom roll and do not toast the buns.
7. Place up to four 3 ounce balls on the hot griddle, sprinkle each with tri-tip steak seasoning, pile a generous amount of the salted, squeezed onions on top of each ball, and smash them into wide, very thin patties with crispy edges.
8. Cook the smashed patties until the bottom is well seared, then flip to cook the onion side briefly; when flipped, season a little more if desired.
9. Place a slice of American cheese on the patties, put the top bun over the cheese and the bottom bun above it to use steam to melt the cheese, then close the grill lid for about 30 seconds to help the cheese melt and warm the buns.
10. Assemble each double burger: put the mustard-spread bottom roll down, add one cheese-topped patty, place pickles between the patties, add the second cheese-topped patty on top of the pickles, then finish with the top roll.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Easy To Customize: Home cooks often adapt it to what they have without issue.
• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 1/4 lb (113g) fatty ground beef blend, formed into loose balls
• Mayonnaise
• Cholula hot sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, to taste
• 1/2 slice American cheese (or any kind of cheese)
• Hamburger buns
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Onion, raw
• Pickles
• Colman's mustard

book_ribbon Instructions

1. If grinding your own meat, chill cut meat in the freezer for about 30 to 45 minutes before grinding.
2. Grind the beef starting with a larger grind plate, then switch to a smaller grind plate to finish the grind.
3. Weigh out patties as quarter-pound balls; for double-smash burgers use two quarter-pound patties (0.5 pound total) stacked.
4. Form the ground beef into loose balls; do not compact them tightly.
5. Mix the sauce: combine mayonnaise with a little Cholula hot sauce and a little Worcestershire sauce.
6. Preheat a heavy-bottomed, metal-utensil-safe pan (HexClad or cast iron) until very hot.
7. Brush the cut sides of the buns with mayonnaise, place them cut-side down in the hot pan, and press down so the bun toasts evenly; remove when toasted.
8. Place a beef ball in the hot pan, then use a large spatula or burger press to smash it flat into the pan.
9. Salt the smashed patty immediately after smashing.
10. Leave the patty undisturbed for about two minutes; flip when you see crust forming around the outer edges.
11. After flipping, add American cheese on top of the patty, grind a little fresh black pepper onto the cheese, then cover with a lid and let steam for 20 to 30 seconds until the cheese is melted.
12. Between batches wipe out excess grease from the pan with a paper towel (be careful of the heat) so the next patties can sear properly.
13. Repeat placing, smashing, salting, flipping, cheesing, and steaming for remaining patties.
14. Assemble the burger: spread the prepared mayonnaise/Cholula/Worcestershire sauce on the bun, place pickles and a little Colman's mustard on the bottom bun as desired, stack the double cheeseburger patties on the bun, add raw onion if desired, and top with the toasted top bun.

crowdsource Community Insights

This comes together fast, but heat and sizing are what most people learned the hard way. People who got the griddle really hot and smashed the patties onto that blazing surface got a much better crust; not getting it hot enough left them under-browned. Patty size trips people up, some made them too big instead of going thin and smashing, and that changed the outcome. Also, toasting the buns made a real difference (and people advised against heating them in the oven). Follow those three things and you’ll avoid the usual pitfalls.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 1/4 cup 80/20 ground chuck
• Burger seasoning, to taste
• Kraft Deluxe cheese
• Buns
• Mayonnaise
• Pickles, sliced
• Ketchup

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Portion the 80/20 ground chuck into roughly 1/4-cup balls; do not roll them tightly—just form loose balls for easier smashing.
2. If you want uniform patties you can use a kitchen scale, otherwise a 1/4-cup measuring cup is used for portions.
3. Prep buns and condiments: spread mayonnaise on the bread if desired and toast the buns first if you want them toasted.
4. Preheat the Blackstone griddle: set it on low initially, then ramp it up so the griddle surface is very, very hot and smoke is coming off the top.
5. Space the meat balls on the hot griddle and place a sheet of parchment paper over each ball.
6. Using a Burger Smasher or a heavy spatula, press each ball through the parchment and hold the smash for about 10 seconds, moving the smasher back and forth while pressing to help seal edges.
7. After smashing, season the patties with burger seasoning.
8. Use a spatula to scrape under the patties and work backwards to lift and release the crust once it has formed.
9. Place Kraft Deluxe cheese on the hot patties and set the top bun onto the cheese to steam and help melt it.
10. Remove the patties, add additional mayonnaise if desired, top with sliced pickles and a squirt of ketchup, and assemble on the buns.