All, Meat, Recipes
Smash Burgers with Secret Sauce
Sometimes, you just need a burger.
And before you resign yourself to heading to a restaurant or ordering one simply because you don’t have a grill, take a look at our take on the classic smash burger–with–yes, you heard us right–no grill required. Simply smash the patties onto a griddle for the most flavorful result. Did we mention these come together in less than an hour? There’s nothing not to love.
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How to Make It
Ingredients
Secret Sauce*
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp minced dill pickles
- 2 tbsp minced white onion
- 2 tsp yellow mustard or Dijon
Toppings
- ¼ head iceberg lettuce, torn or shredded
- ¼ white onion, thinly sliced
- 2 dill pickles, sliced
Smash Burgers
- 4 brioche or potato burger buns
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ⅛ lb (500 g) medium ground beef, about 20% fat
- 4 slices cheddar or American cheese
*The secret sauce recipe yields ¾ cup.
Instructions
- For the secret sauce, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, onion, and mustard in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Arrange toppings in serving dishes. Cover and set aside.
- Heat a large griddle over medium heat for at least 5 minutes. Once hot, add butter and swirl it around to coat the griddle. Add bun halves, cut side-down, toasting in batches if necessary. Toast until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large platter and set aside.
- Maintain the griddle over medium heat. Mix salt and pepper in a small bowl. Divide beef into four equal portions and loosely shape into balls. Be careful not to compact or overwork the beef. Season all over with salt and pepper mixture.
- Place one beef ball on the griddle. Using a sturdy spatula or a flat, small saucepan lid, press down firmly and evenly until ¼-inch thick and approximately 5-inches wide. Repeat with the remaining balls, working in batches if needed. Cook until the bottoms are deep golden-brown, and the tops are almost cooked through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Flip each patty and cook until browned on second side, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
- Top each patty with a slice of cheese and cook until cheese melts and patties are cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer patties to a clean platter.
- Spread secret sauce onto tops and bottom buns. Stack patties, onions, pickles, and lettuce between buns.
How to Store It
The secret sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Kitchen Tips
If you don’t have a griddle, don’t worry! Preheat your oven to 200°F and use a large, heavy pan (preferably cast iron). Work in batches that fit the pan without overcrowding. Then, transfer buns and patties to the oven to keep warm while you continue cooking.
Restaurants and burger joints often use specific tools to smash patties onto griddles. However, any sturdy, flat metal tool in your kitchen can help you achieve similar results.
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