‘Tis the summer of the smash burger. All I have to say is I hope you enjoy this smash burger recipe as much as my family and friends. I have been cooking this recipe for a few years now and would suggest adding it to your summer cookout recipes. It is as simple as following the 13 steps I have listed below, yet it is a complex combination of incredible flavors like you’ve never had before in a burger.

Smash Burger Ingredients:
● Pack of sesame seed brioche buns
● 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef (or meat of choice)
● sweet onions
● American cheese
● Dill Pickles
● thick cut peppered bacon
● vegetable oil
● 1 stick unsalted butter
● salt
● pepper
● Burger Sauce (Recipe to follow)

Burger Sauce Recipe:
● ½ cup mayonnaise
● ¼ cup ketchup
● 1 teaspoon black pepper
● ½ teaspoon garlic powder
● ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
● Directions: Combine all ingredients and mix in a bowl. If possible, allow to sit for at least 2 hours before topping your burger.

Directions:

1. Begin by slicing your sweet onions as thinly as possible. A mandolin helps to speed up this process and achieve a thinner slice.
2. Open your pack of brioche buns, spread a small amount of melted unsalted butter on both sides, and save for later.
3. Weigh out 3 oz. balls of ground beef using a scale. If you do not have a scale, divide your 2 lbs. of ground beef into ten portions that are as equal as possible and set to the side. This recipe makes five double-patty burgers or ten single-patty Burgers.
4. Heat your cooking surface to medium heat. As seen in the photos, a cast iron flat top was used, although a cast iron skillet, electric skillet, or fry pan would also work.
5. Now it’s time to cook. I prefer to start with the bacon, which adds great flavor and seasoning to your cooking surface. Cook the bacon to your desired level of doneness. The bacon above was cooked to an extra-crispy finish, adding a great texture contrast to the soft brioche bun. Once the bacon is done, set it to the side.
6. Next are the onions. Drizzle some oil onto the grill and lay down a few slices of onion directly on top of the grease. After about 2 minutes, flip your onions and let them continue to cook until they are used later on. These onions will caramelize and add a slightly sweet flavor to your burger.
7. In a separate area of your cooking surface, put down a thin slice of butter. Once melted, take your pre-portioned ground beef or meat of choice and set it directly on top of the butter. Let it sit for roughly 1 minute.
8. On the other open area of your cooking surface, lay down the buttered side of the brioche buns. Toast for roughly 1 minute or until they are golden brown. This helps to create a barrier between the patty and the inside of the bun, preventing the buns from becoming soggy and losing their structure. Once done, set the buns to the side.
9. After roughly a minute of your burger cooking, it is time to smash the burger. Using two spatulas, push straight down on the middle of the ball of meat. This will result in a very thin patty. Make sure to push harder around the edges of the patty, as the thin edges will become slightly crispy and result in an incredible texture. Add your desired amount of salt and pepper. After about 3 minutes, your burger is ready to flip.
10. Once you flip your burger, it’s time to add your toppings. I like to add the onions first, followed by the American cheese. I prefer this order, as the melted cheese becomes the glue that holds everything together.
11. About 2 minutes after adding the cheese and onions, the burger is done. As seen in the picture, I decided to make a double-smash burger. Stack one patty on top of the other and transfer to the bottom of the toasted bun on your plate.
12. Next, add your slices of bacon, pickles, and burger sauce, followed by the top bun.
13. Now your burger is complete! Enjoy and pass along your newly found smash burger knowledge to someone you know!

By Chandler Turpin