Smashburger recipe

While the Smashburger is a popular fast food restaurant, this is a homemade version! I love making Smashburgers at home because it is a very quick cooking method that produces a thin patty with a crispy crust. You can go really thin if you want, which reminds me more of Steak n’ Shake, but I tend to make my Smashburger knockoff burger a little thicker. This cooking method is also just fun. So let’s smash some hamburgers!

The actual burger patty is very simple and has only a few ingredients but is packed with flavour. This is an easy weeknight meal that can come together in about 30 minutes. Plus, you can customize this Smashburger recipe depending on how you like your burger, and I tend to make a cheeseburger with a fair amount of lettuce, mayonnaise, and BBQ sauce. You do, but be sure to try these on your next burger night.

RELATED: Make your own Big Mac sauce or Chick-fil-A sauce to go with this burger recipe.

ingredients

Ground Beef – 80/20* Soy Sauce Worcestershire Sauce Garlic Powder Onion Powder Salt and Black Pepper Oil – Canola, Vegetable or Butter

You will also need ingredients to put the burger together: hamburger buns, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, slices of American cheese and any condiments you prefer like ketchup, mustard, or BBQ sauce.

*This ratio, or ground envelope, works well in this recipe. If you want to use a leaner type of hamburger or try another meat like ground turkey or ground chicken, this recipe will still work well, but the burger patties may be a little drier. Higher fat content produces a juicier burger.

How to make a smash burger

In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix with clean hands until ingredients are combined. You don’t need to over mix this.

Form four to five ground meat balls into burger patties and place them on a plate. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.

I like to use a large cast iron skillet to prepare burgers on the stove. Get your cast iron skillet very hot, almost smoking and add the cooking oil. Season the burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Then put them in the hot pan. Wait 30 seconds, then press the burger flat with a burger press or metal spatula. Continue cooking for another 1 minute and 30 seconds (about 2 minutes total), then flip the burgers. Press again and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.

Toast the hamburger buns and prepare your other toppings. Place the cooked burger on toasted bread, then top with your favorite vegetables and sauces.

Tips for making

A burger press is a fun tool to use for these things! But this is not strictly necessary as a sturdy spoon will work well too. I aim for about 1/4 pound of hamburger per patty. This makes a medium thickness burger. If you want a thinner burger patty, like a Steak ‘n Shake, you’ll need to use less meat per burger. If I’m making cheeseburgers, I usually add the cheddar cheese to the top of the burger right after flipping so the cheese has a little time to melt. To avoid splashing hot oil on your hands or arms while cooking, you can wear long sleeves and an oven cloth when using a burger press or spatula. Not everyone finds this necessary, but I always do when I’m cooking burgers or bacon on the stove. If you want to check the burgers before removing them from the pan, you can open one to check for pink (uncooked) meat inside or use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 160°F, but keep in mind that it may be a little lower than that as the temperature will likely continue to rise after you remove it from the pan.

What do we serve with the burger?