What is a Smash Burger? Smash burgers are formed into balls of ground beef then pressed or smashed with a burger press into a thin patty as soon as they hit the grill. This creates extra browning and flavor on the outside while maintaining the patty's juiciness.
Smashed burgers are what the name says: burgers that have been smashed. Guess you probably knew that already, but do you know what it does? When you press down on a burger with a bacon press or a spatula, it improves contact of the meat with the heat source.
When your beef patty meets some heat, the amino acids and sugars within it begin reacting, which results in changes of flavor and color. So when you "smash" your burger patty down, you're creating more surface area for the Maillard reaction to take place.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Saturated Fat 17g | 86% |
| Cholesterol 145mg | 48% |
| Sodium 2427mg | 106% |
Ground chuck is a great all-purpose, buy-it-anywhere choice for burgers. But if you want to get ambitious and blend, say, chuck with ground short rib or brisket, we say go for it.
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Using a piece of parchment. Paper helps so they don't stick to the spatula. When you're giving themMoreUsing a piece of parchment. Paper helps so they don't stick to the spatula. When you're giving them that smash. I like to use a meat mallet to put pressure on the spatula.
Smashing down on the burger patties within the first 30 seconds of hitting a hot skillet ensures maximum juiciness and a flavorful, well-browned crust. Using a well-heated, heavy-bottomed skillet helps the crust brown evenly. A firm, flat metal spatula helps to get every last bit of crust off of the skillet.
Smashburgers can be cooked in a cast iron skillet on your stovetop, but you can also cook these burgers in the skillet on a grill in case you're at a barbecue or don't want to heat up your kitchen.
If you don't have a spatula, you can pre-smash your burgers instead. Place them between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap on your cutting board and flatten them with the thick bottom of a heavy frying pan or pot.