At the time of writing, tonight is the first pre-season game of the 2022 NFL Season. The Raiders are facing off against the Jaguars. We don't care too much about pre-season, but its a good time to start thinking about how you're going to entertain this fall. Chili is the obvious choice, and we'll cross that bridge when we get to it (although I'm not sure if I'll ever divulge my chili recipe). But it's still too hot out for a pot of chili. The answer is easy. Burgers!
I get that smash burgers are trendy right now, but there really is a reason for it. They're fast-cooking and you can knock out 12 of them in quick succession (as seen above) and they're damn good. Everyone has their own favorite burger method, but this is just mine. I'd love for you to try it out, but switch it up as you see fit. This recipe makes 4 burgers.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 80/20 Ground Beef
- 4 Brioche Hamburger Buns
- 8 slices American Cheese (from deli counter)
- Iceberg Lettuce, shredded
- 1 Heirloom Tomato, sliced thick (~½ in.)
- 1 White Onion, sliced very thin (>⅛ in. Use a mandoline if you have one!)
- ½ cup finely chopped Dill Pickles
- ¼ cup Mayo
- 2 tbsp Adobo Sauce
- 1 tsp Yellow Mustard
- ½ tsp Salt
Tools
- Large, flat, heavy spatula for smashing (I like using a second heavy spatula to press down)
- Cast iron plancha or flat top for cooking.
Process
- Divide ground beef into 8 loosely rolled 2 oz. balls.
- Prep vegetables.
- Combine pickles, mayo, adobo sauce, mustard, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Start plancha or flattop over medium heat.
- Slice buns, lightly spread mayo or butter on each bun and toast each bun until lightly golden brown. After buns are toasted, wipe down plancha and turn to high heat.
- Lay buns out on a large serving tray, add sauce to top and bottom bun.
- Gather meat, cheese, and buns near the cooking area. Being organized helps here. Things are going to move quickly.
- Once plancha is hot hot hot, lightly oil with canola oil. Add beef balls with about 4” in between each ball. This will prevent overcrowding once smashed and allow the burgers to stay crispy. Work in batches if necessary.
- Let beef lightly sear on one side (10-15 seconds) then flip and smash, in a down and smear motion. This will help your spatula to not stick to the beef.
- Work from left to right on the plancha, going down the line. Place all the balls, then flip them all, then smash them all.
- Once smashed, salt and pepper each patty. Only season one side, they are thin enough.
- After ~2 minutes, or once solidly crispy, flip burgers and cook for approximately 1 more minute. Add a cheese slice to each patty. Cook for ~30 more seconds.
- Now form stacks of 2 burgers each and place onto the bottom bun. (Keep the top bun off for now. We don't want the bun to stick to the cheese yet.)
- Top burger with onion, then tomato. Add shredded lettuce to the pre-sauced top bun. This will help the lettuce to stick to everything. Add top bun (with lettuce) on top, and skewer or wrap in parchment to hold everything together.
Serve these with homemade fries and your favorite light beer. Your guests will thank you.