My recipe for Ultimate Smash Burgers is my take on a perfect version of a cheeseburger. If you've been paying any attention to the food scene, you'll know that smash burgers have gained immense popularity in the past 10 years or so. And for good reason. The smash burger is arguably the best approach when it comes to hamburger preparation. The method of balling up the ground beef and then smashing it directly onto a screaming hot griddle produces an insanely flavorful crust and cooks so quickly that the burger stays juicy. It's a win-win situation all the way around!
My Ultimate Smash Burger recipe is heavily influenced by the Oklahoma fried onion burger. For those unfamiliar, the Oklahoma fried onion burger is a very simple, regional specialty cheeseburger that features two beef patties, thinly shaved onions, and American cheese. The shaved onions are placed directly on top of the beef and they are smashed together on a hot griddle. The burger patties are then flipped, covered with American cheese, and cooked until melted. It's beef, onions, and cheese at their finest! (Seriously, they're so good that they almost don't need condiments.)
Slices of cooked bacon, thinly sliced fresh jalapenos combined with the onions, and a generous amount of my Pickled Okra Burger Sauce are all included in my Ultimate Smash Burgers, which kicks everything up a notch. I can't get over how amazing these are, and I'm so happy to share the recipe with you!
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Ingredients
The ingredients to this burger are simple and easy to acquire pretty much anywhere. It all starts with the highest-quality 80/20 ground beef that you can find. I don't recommend going much leaner, as the fat content is essential to properly cooking the burgers, as is the additional flavor it provides. If you are feeling adventurous, you could even grind your own meat with a blend of beef cuts to suit your tastes! The rest of the ingredients are as follows:
- Thinly shaved white onions
- Thinly shaved jalapenos
- Kosher salt
- American cheese
- Bacon
- Pickled Okra Burger Sauce
- Regular ol' burger buns, toasted in butter - Check out my recipe for the Ultimate Homemade Hamburger Buns to take your burger game to the next level!
As with all of my recipes, feel free to make any substitutions that you would like in order to suit your tastes. I really recommend adding the jalapenos to the onions. Omit them if you don't want any spice at all. They are so thin that you don't get a whole lot of heat, but the flavor is definitely there.
Equipment For Smash Burgers
There are a few key pieces of equipment that you will need in order to achieve burger enlightenment. I have outlined them below, however some of these are not completely necessary - they'll just make your life a little easier.
- Kitchen Scale to portion out your meat (Optionally, use ⅓ cup measuring cup for each ball).
- Mandolin Slicer (Not required, but extremely helpful) - Here is a link to a recommended slicer: OXO Good Grips Handheld Mandolin Slicer
- Large Cast Iron Skillet or Griddle Pan (if using the stove top or conventional grill) - OR - Flattop Outdoor Griddle (Blackstone/Camp Chef, etc.)
- Sturdy Spatula or Bacon Press, etc. Here is the link to the one that I use: Dexter Russel 5" x 4" Hamburger Turner
- Parchment Paper
- Infrared Thermometer (Not required, but recommended) - Check out this Etekcity Infrared Thermometer here.
Smash Burger Technique
If you're new to the smash burger game, there is a little bit of technique that you will need to practice. It's not exactly rocket science, but it is a little more involved than throwing some classic "dad-burgers" on the grill. No worries, here is a quick outline of the whole process:
- Step 1: Preheat a cast iron pan, skillet, or griddle over high heat until very hot. Now is a great time to break out your infrared thermometer, if you have one. You're aiming for at least 425°F up to 550°F. If you don't have a thermometer, add a drop of oil to the pan, and it should immediately smoke. You can check with a few water droplets as well. The drops should ball up and skate around the pan before they quickly evaporate.
- Step 2: Place your balls of beef on the hot griddle, several inches apart. Immediately season with a generous sprinkle of kosher salt, then top with shaved onions (and jalapenos, if using).
- Step 3: Cover with a small piece of parchment paper and smash with a heavy spatula until flat. Really press on the outer edges of the burgers with the spatula to help get really thin and crispy edges (take care not to push all the way through the patties, though).
- Step 4: Remove the parchment paper. Cook until you see liquid start to come up through the holes in the beef and the outer edges of the burger are no longer pink. The outer strands of onions should also begin to caramelize. This should take about a minute or two. Using your spatula, scrape the patties off the griddle and flip. You want to try to preserve as much of the crust as possible.
- Step 5: Top with slices of American cheese, then add several cooked bacon slices to the top of one patty. This will become the bottom patty. Add the top half of your bun to the other patty, then place the heel (or bottom half of your bun) on top of the top bun and allow it to steam. Add a dollop of my Pickled Okra Burger Sauce to the top of the bottom bun (not pictured).
- Step 6: Once you've added all of these toppings, the patties will be completely cooked through. Now it's assembly time. Take the top patty, place it on the bottom patty, then take both of those and place them on the bottom bun. You now have your very own Ultimate Smash Burger!
Pairing Recommendations
Here are a few of my recipes that I recommend serving with with these Ultimate Smash Burgers. These are hand picked to complete your burger enjoyment!
Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes will get you really close to French fries without the fryer! My Diner Inspired Macaroni and Cheese is the ultimate mac and cheese recipe and would be perfect to serve with these burgers.
For something a little lighter, this Crunchy Pepper Slaw makes the perfect side dish during the warm summer months. This family recipe is perfectly tart, crunchy, and has just the right amount of sweetness.
Don't forget dessert with my recipe for Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies. These are dangerously delicious.
Related Recipes
Craving more smash burger ideas? Check out my recipe for Double-Double Animal Style Smash Burgers for the Kitchen Coalition twist on a California classic.
Buns can also be the tipping point that takes a burger from great to excellent. Check out my recipes for the Ultimate Homemade Hamburger Buns, Soft and Fluffy Potato Buns and Fluffy Brioche Buns to learn how to take your next burger night to the next level!
Did you make this recipe for Ultimate Smash Burgers?
Let me know in the comments below how yours turned out, and don't forget to leave a rating!
Recipe
Ultimate Smash Burgers
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale Optional
- Mandolin Slicer (Not required, but extremely helpful)
- Cast Iron Skillet or Griddle Pan If using a stove top or conventional grill
- - or -
- Outdoor Flattop Griddle - I.E. Blackstone, or Camp Chef
- Heavy Spatula
- Parchment Paper
- Infrared Thermometer (Not Required, but helpful)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. 80/20 Ground Beef Rolled into 2.5 oz or ⅓ Cup balls. (Each burger uses two patties)
- Kosher Salt
- 1 Large White Onion Shaved as thin as possible
- 2 Medium Jalapenos Shaved as thin as possible
- 12 Slices American Cheese Preferably sliced from the deli, and not pre-packaged
- 1 Pound Bacon Cooked to your preference, and cut in half
- 1 Batch Pickled Okra Burger Sauce
- 1 Batch Ultimate Hamburger Buns Split and Toasted with Butter - Optionally, use store-bought buns.
Instructions
- Using a kitchen scale, portion ground beef into 2.5 oz balls. (Each burger will use two patties). Optionally, use a ⅓ cup measuring cup for each patty (this should get you close). Cover and reserve until ready to cook.
- Using a mandolin slicer, slice white onion as thin as possible. Optionally, slice by hand as thin as possible. Cover and reserve until ready to cook.
- Using a mandolin slicer, slice your jalapenos as thin as possible. Optionally, slice by hand as thin as possible. Cover and reserve until ready to cook.
- Preheat your cast iron pan or griddle of your choice. An infrared thermometer should read at least 425*F. If you don't have a thermometer, add a few drops of water. They should bead up then quickly evaporate.
- Working quickly, add at least two balls of ground beef to the griddle, and immediately season each patty with a generous pinch of kosher salt.
- Completely cover with shaved onions and jalapenos (if using).
- Cover each ball with with parchment paper, and press down with your spatula. Heavily press on the outer edge to create ultra thin and crispy edges.
- Remove the parchment paper and cook for approximately 1-minute until juices begin to pool on the top of the burger and the outer edges are no longer pink. The outer strands of onions should begin to caramelize as well.
- Using your spatula, scrape the burger patties off the griddle/pan and flip. Immediately cover both patties with American cheese.
- Add cooked bacon to one patty, and top the other patty with the top of your bun. Stack the bottom (or heel) of your bun on top of the top bun and allow it to steam.
- While steaming, place a tablespoon or two of Pickled Okra Sauce on the top of the bottom bun. Allow to cook for an additional 30-seconds, up to a minute. Remove your steamed bottom bun and add to your plate.
- Use your spatula to take your top patty and bun, and stack in on top of the bottom patty (with bacon slices).
- Take both patties and top bun, and stack them on your bottom bun. Serve while hot.
Shem Ishler says
That burger is THICK! That burger is STRONG!
Spencer Klickman says
The burger is indeed THICK, Shem! I appreciate the support and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
JCarreiro says
Tried these tonight and they were awesome! I highly recommend! (My family doesn’t like heat so no jalapeños, but that was the only change. One bit of advice though…cook them outside. Even with the stove top vent on it set the fire alarm off.
Spencer Klickman says
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
I've come to find that if the fire alarm goes off while I'm cooking (and nothing is ACTUALLY burning!), it's a sign that we're in for a treat! I'll update the blog post to include a smoke warning though - thanks for the input!
Paula says
We had these last night and the taste blew my mind! I'll never go back to traditional burgers! Great recipe!
Spencer Klickman says
I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed these! It's seriously hard to ignore the craving for these when it hits!
Miles says
Fried onion smash burgers have quickly become my favorite burger type by far. The simplicity of meat, cheese, onions, salt and a bun is absolutely wonderful. With that being said, experimenting with the added toppings in this recipe is sure to create a whole new experience that I can't wait to try!
Spencer Klickman says
They're so good! Let me know how yours come out when you make them!
Harry K says
I've cooked and ate a lot of smashburgers in my time and these are excellent! I made the recipe as is, minus the bacon, and they were some of the best burgers I've ever had. The thin shaved jalapeños are crucial and add the perfect amount of heat. And that burger sauce is something else! The pickled okra adds a sweetness that balances everything out and really grounds the whole experience. This is a one of a kind burger, for sure!
Spencer Klickman says
Glad to hear that you enjoyed them! I agree though, the bacon is great on them, but not 100% necessary for a tasty burger.
Harry K says
I've cooked and ate a lot of smashburgers in my time and these are excellent! I made the recipe as is, minus the bacon, and they were some of the best burgers I've ever had. The thin shaved jalapeños are crucial and add the perfect amount of heat. And that burger sauce is something else! The pickled okra adds a sweetness that balances everything out and really grounds the whole experience. This is a one of a kind burger, for sure!