Smashburger Supreme
Double-smashed patties with caramelized onions, American cheese, and our secret special sauce on a toasted brioche bun.
Prep: 15 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 25 min · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 5/5 (97 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
the iconic roadside burger joints that dot America's highways
Inspired by the iconic roadside burger joints that dot America's highways — the kind of place with a neon sign, a flat-top grill, and a line out the door.
Story
I had a pound and a half of ground beef in the fridge last Thursday and absolutely no plan, which is how most of my best dinners happen. The kids were doing homework at the counter, my 7-year-old kept asking when food was, and I didn't have the energy to make anything that required more than one pan. So I divided the beef into eight little balls and made smashburgers, because they're fast and they make me look like I know what I'm doing. I learned the smash the hard way. For years I'd press the patty down and then keep fussing with it, lifting it, peeking under it, basically doing everything except leaving it alone. Wrong. You smash it once, hard, with a stiff spatula on a cast iron skillet that's been screaming hot for a few minutes, and then you don't touch it for two full minutes. That's where the crispy lacy edge comes from. The second you start poking, you lose it. The caramelized onions are non-negotiable for me, even on a weeknight. Fifteen minutes in butter over medium-low, stirring when I remember to. If I'm really pressed, I'll start them first thing when I walk in the door and let them go while I unpack backpacks and answer emails. The special sauce is just mayo, ketchup, yellow mustard, and pickle relish, and it tastes like every drive-thru I loved as a kid. A note on the cheese: American, no debate. I tried sharp cheddar once because I was out of American and felt fancy, and it didn't melt into that gooey drape the same way. It clumped. Two slices per stack, one on each patty, so it melts down between them. My honest take is that this is a great burger but it makes a mess. The grease spatters, the brioche gets a little soggy if you don't toast it, and my 4-year-old ate the patty and left the bun on the plate like it had personally offended her. My husband ate two full stacks standing at the counter before they even hit a plate. If you've got a flat-top griddle, use it instead of the skillet so you can smash four at once. Otherwise budget extra time, because in a 12-inch pan you're doing two at a time and the first batch goes cold while you finish.
By Casey
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20)
- 4 brioche buns, toasted
- 8 slices American cheese
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp dill pickle relish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix mayo, ketchup, mustard, and relish to make the special sauce. Set aside.
- Caramelize onions in butter over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until golden and sweet.
- Divide beef into 8 equal balls (about 3 oz each). Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or flat griddle over high heat until smoking. Add a ball of beef and immediately smash flat with a sturdy spatula. Cook 2 minutes until edges are crispy.
- Flip, add a slice of American cheese, and cook 1 more minute. Stack two patties per bun.
- Spread special sauce on both bun halves. Top patties with caramelized onions. Crown it and serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- The key to a great smashburger is a screaming hot surface and thin patties. Don't press them after the initial smash — let the Maillard reaction do its magic. Use a sturdy metal spatula and press down HARD that first time.
Cook's Notes
- **Beef fat content:** 80/20 or 75/25 ground beef is the minimum for a smash burger that crisps properly. Leaner beef produces gray, dry patties without lacey, caramelized edges.
- **Ball size:** 2.5 oz per ball is ideal for a 4-inch patty after smashing. Heavier balls make thicker patties — the thin patty-to-crust ratio is the entire point.
- **Make-ahead:** Form balls and refrigerate on parchment for up to 8 hours. Never press into patties ahead of time.
- **Equipment:** A heavy, flat metal spatula is essential. A burger press or the bottom of a flat-bottomed pan wrapped in foil provides even pressure during the smash.
- **Common mistake:** Not preheating the pan or griddle long enough. The surface should be at least 400°F before the first ball goes down. Touch the surface with a drop of water — it should immediately evaporate.
- **Doneness cue:** Flip only once. The patty is ready to flip when the edges are visibly browned and lacy and the top is 75% gray. Flip, add cheese, and serve in 30-60 seconds.
- **Bun toasting:** Toast the bun in the same fat as the patty. 30-45 seconds cut-side down creates a barrier that slows sogginess from toppings.