Ready to elevate your burger game? The “Better Than Fast Food! Classic Smash Burger Recipe” will guide you in creating the ultimate crispy, juicy burger that puts any fast food chain to shame. Picture ooey gooey cheese melting over a perfectly smashed patty nestled in a toasted bun, topped with fresh ingredients and a special savory sauce that’s pure bliss.
In this article, you’ll uncover the step-by-step process to craft these nostalgic and delicious burgers right in your own kitchen. From selecting the best Certified Angus Beef® to mastering the art of the perfect smash, each detail will ensure your burgers are flavorful and satisfying. Get ready to experience a whole new level of homemade goodness!
Ingredients Required
1 1/2 pounds Certified Angus Beef ® ground beef, 80/20 lean
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon grated yellow onion
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 white hamburger buns
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 slices American cheese
2 cups shredded iceburg lettuce
8 slices vine-ripe tomatoes
Certified Angus Beef Ground Beef
To achieve the best taste, you start with high-quality ingredients, and it doesn’t get much better than Certified Angus Beef ground beef. This beef is renowned for its rich flavor and excellent texture, perfect for making juicy, irresistible burgers.
Mayonnaise
This creamy component helps to create a luscious, rich special sauce. It also aids in retaining the moisture of the beef patties once they are smashed.
Yellow Mustard
A staple in many classic burger sauces, yellow mustard adds a tangy kick that balances the richness of the beef and mayonnaise.
Grated Yellow Onion
Grating the onion instead of chopping it helps to incorporate its savory flavor more smoothly into the sauce, giving it a consistent texture and taste.
Hot Sauce
A couple of teaspoons of hot sauce will introduce just the right amount of heat to the special sauce, enhancing its overall flavor profile.
Worcestershire Sauce
This sauce contributes a complex, umami flavor to the special sauce, making it richer and more savory.
White Hamburger Buns
Soft and slightly sweet, white hamburger buns are perfect for absorbing the juices from the beef while providing a light, fluffy texture.
Butter
Butter is used to toast the hamburger buns to a golden crisp, adding a delightful crunch and richer flavor.
Kosher Salt
Kosher salt is ideal for seasoning because its large crystals ensure an even distribution and superior flavor enhancement.
Pepper
Freshly ground black pepper adds a hint of spice, complementing the robust flavor of the beef patties.
American Cheese
Classic and melty, American cheese provides that ooey-gooey, cheese-pull experience that is essential for a smash burger.
Shredded Iceberg Lettuce
Iceberg lettuce offers a crisp, refreshing crunch that contrasts beautifully with the juicy beef and melty cheese.
Vine-Ripe Tomatoes
Sliced vine-ripe tomatoes add a burst of freshness and acidity, balancing out the richness of the beef and cheese.
Preparing the Beef
Portioning the Ground Beef
Begin by taking your Certified Angus Beef ground beef and dividing it evenly. For double patties, you’ll need to portion the beef into eight equal parts for four burgers. You can do this by dividing the beef in half and then halving each portion until you get eight pieces. Each portion should be roughly three ounces. Using a scale can help achieve consistency.
Forming the Beef into Balls
Loosely form each portion into a ball. Avoid compacting the meat too much, as a loose formation will help in creating a juicier, more tender patty when smashed.
Refrigerating the Beef Portions
Place the formed beef balls on a tray and refrigerate them while you prepare the other ingredients. Keeping the beef cold helps maintain its structure and prevents it from sticking to your hands or the griddle during the cooking process.
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Making the Special Sauce
Grating the Onion
For the special sauce, finely grate half of a yellow onion using a box grater. Grated onion incorporates more smoothly into the sauce than chopped onions, resulting in a cohesive and flavorful blend.
Mixing Ingredients for the Sauce
In a mixing bowl, combine half a cup of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of yellow mustard, the grated onion, two teaspoons of hot sauce, and one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Achieving the Desired Flavor Balance
Taste your sauce and adjust the ingredients as necessary. You’re aiming for a balance of creamy, tangy, savory, and spicy. Feel free to add a little more hot sauce if you like extra heat or a bit more Worcestershire if you prefer a deeper umami flavor.
Preparing the Vegetables
Shredding the Iceberg Lettuce
Remove any wilted outer leaves from the iceberg lettuce before shredding it into thin strips. Shredded lettuce provides that classic crunch and texture typical of fast-food style burgers.
Slicing the Tomatoes
With a sharp knife, slice your vine-ripe tomatoes into thin rounds. Ensure the slices aren’t thicker than the beef patties. Thin slices integrate better into the burger, adding flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
Toasting the Buns
Buttering the Buns
Take your white hamburger buns and spread a thin layer of room-temperature butter on the cut sides.
Toasting Over Medium Heat
Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Place the buttered sides of the buns down on the griddle. This helps to achieve a perfectly toasted, crispy, and golden exterior.
Timing the Toasting Process
Watch the buns closely as they toast to ensure they don’t burn. This usually takes just a couple of minutes. Once they reach a golden-brown color, remove them from the heat and set aside.
Cooking the Patties
Preheating the Griddle
Turn up the heat and preheat your griddle to high. A super hot griddle is essential for getting that signature caramelized crust on your smash burger patties.
Placing the Beef on the Griddle
Remove the beef portions from the refrigerator and place them on the hot griddle, ensuring you leave ample space between each ball. This space is necessary because the patties will spread out as you smash them.
Using Parchment Paper to Prevent Sticking
Place a piece of parchment paper over each ball of beef before smashing. This will prevent the beef from sticking to your spatula or pressing tool, resulting in cleaner and more even smashes.
Smashing the Patties
Applying Pressure Evenly
Using either a sturdy spatula or a meat mallet, press down on the beef balls evenly. Flatten them out to your desired thinness, typically into thin, wide patties. This technique helps in creating that crispy edge and maintaining the internal juiciness.
Achieving Desired Thinness
The goal is to make the patties as thin as possible while still retaining their structure. Smash until they are about a quarter-inch thick.
Retaining Juiciness
Even though the patties are thin, using high-quality Certified Angus Beef and the correct smashing technique ensures they stay juicy and flavorful.
Seasoning and Flipping
Seasoning One Side
Sprinkle a generous amount of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper on the patties’ exposed side. Since these patties are thin, seasoning one side is usually sufficient to flavor the entire burger.
Adding Special Sauce Before Flipping
Just before flipping, spread a thin layer of the special sauce over the top of each patty. This step will help to caramelize the onions in the sauce and infuse even more flavor into the meat.
Ensuring Proper Caramelization
Using a spatula, carefully flip each patty, making sure to scrape up all the caramelized crust from the griddle. This crust is what gives the smash burger its intense, delicious flavor.
Melting the Cheese
Topping Patties with Cheese
As soon as you flip the patties, place a slice of American cheese on top of each one. This will allow the cheese to start melting immediately from the heat of the patty.
Combining Patties for Melted Effect
Stack one patty with cheese on top of another patty without cheese. This will create a double-meat, double-cheese layer that is gooey and delicious. The cheese acts as a glue to hold the two patties together seamlessly.
Cheese Acting as Glue
Once combined, the heat from the patties will melt the cheese thoroughly, ensuring it binds the two patties together perfectly. This results in an ultra-cheesy, juicy interior that’s incredibly satisfying.
Conclusion
Summary of the Process
You’ve now created the ultimate fast-food style smash burger right at home! From portioning out high-quality Certified Angus Beef to making a zesty special sauce, and meticulously preparing fresh toppings, each step makes a significant impact on the final product.
Benefits of Using High-Quality Ingredients
Using Certified Angus Beef coupled with fresh vegetables and a well-balanced, homemade special sauce ensures that you’re not just eating a burger, but enjoying a culinary delight. High-quality ingredients lead to better flavor, texture, and overall eating experience.
Encouragement to Try the Recipe
Don’t wait for your next diner trip to indulge in a classic smash burger. Gather up these simple ingredients, follow the steps, and treat yourself to a mouthwatering burger that’s not just better but exceptionally so. Give this recipe a try, and your taste buds will thank you!
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