Smash Burgers Recipe

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This Smash Burgers Recipe makes the BEST burger with perfectly crispy edges. Stacked with melted cheese and my delicious burger sauce!

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: patties

Calories: 198kcal

Author: Liz Marek

Equipment

1 flat-top griddle
1 burger press

Ingredients

16 ounces ground chuck 80/20
2 ounces butter (½ stick) melted
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ tablespoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1-2 dashes liquid smoke
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients except the ground beef together in a small bowl .
Place the beef into a bowl and break it up gently with a spoon or your hands.
Pour the ingredients on top and mix together very gently until combined.
Once it’s thoroughly mixed, scoop into 3 to 4-ounce sized balls and gently press together.
Cover the burger balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of a half hour. You want the meat to be super cold and butter to re-solidify. You could also place them into your freezer for about 15 minutes.
When ready to cook, heat a large cast iron skillet or hot griddle like a Blackstone over high heat until SUPER HOT and is smoking. Drop a tiny sprinkle of water to test it, if it immediately sizzles and bounces around and disappears, it’s ready. No need to add oil, there’s plenty of fat in the burger.
Remove your burgers from the fridge or freezer and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Or, you could season them after they’re smashed, it’s up to you.
Place 2 to 3 balls of meat in the searing hot skillet. After 30 seconds of searing, it’s time to smash. Place a piece of parchment over the meat and smash them all the way down until they can’t be smashed anymore, with a large heavy spatula or burger-smash tool. The parchment allows for easier removal and ensures the spatula/smasher doesn’t stick to the meat. Leave them alone and let them cook for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the edges are brown and the centers are barely pink.
Using a thin but sturdy metal spatula to scrape the patties up and flip them over. Immediately place a slice of cheese on top of each patty and let them cook for about a 1-2 minutes longer, depending on how thin they are. When the cheese melts, they’re ready — immediately transfer to your prepared buns.
Build your burger with the toppings of your choice. Tomato, lettuce, pickle, burger sauce, and red onion are my go-to toppings.

Notes

Make-Ahead Instructions: You can form the burger balls up to 24 hours in advance. Keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. This actually helps the flavors meld and ensures the butter solidifies again for maximum juiciness.
Storage Instructions: Store cooked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a hot skillet for about a minute on each side to bring back that crispy edge.
Freezing Instructions: For uncooked patties, shape them into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Cook straight from frozen—no need to thaw first.

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