Smashed Burgers

There is nothing better than a summer party in July, a cold beer and the smell of burgers on a charcoal barbeque. And then there are those cold winter months in barbeque Siberia when you yearn for the sun on your skin and a burger in your hand.

I can’t help the sun, but at least there is a solution for the lack of a grill.

Enter the smash burger. Made popular by diners across America and famous by the Shake Shack in NY. This is burger made on a flat indoor grill or cast iron skillet. It essentially involves smashing, or pressing heavily down on the burger just after it hits the grill. The result is very even brown crust with amazing flavour. In order to do this properly you need to ensure:
(1) the grill must be properly heated;
(2) the burger must be smashed right away, no more than 30 seconds after hitting the grill, to avoid the loss of fat and moisture; and
(3) Press down firmly with a wide, heavy spatula

Let’s talk burgers for a minute. A true burger consists only of ground beef, with salt and pepper on the exterior only. As a kid my mother always mixed her burger patties with bread crumbs, egg, onion soup mix, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. It was delicious. But it was not a burger. Really more of a patty shaped mini meatloaf. Since a burger is only ground beef, the quality of beef and the ratio of fat to meat is essential. If you have never tried grinding your own meat, it’s not as crazy as it sounds. Meat grinders are sold relatively cheaply as attachments to most stand mixers, are also sold as stand alone units, and in a pinch, you can use the blade attachment on your food processor in place of a true meat grinder. Chose a meat with at least 20% fat. Fat equals flavour!

When grinding meat, make sure that everything is cold. I actually put the grinder in the freezer while I cut the meat into chunks. I then briefly put the meat in the freezer before grinding. You don’t want the meat to freeze- just get a good chill. You also don’t want to over-work the meat. Push the meat into patties with a very light touch. When you grind your own meat, there is less concern about food borne illnesses. You clean your own equipment and ensure that it is sanitary. As a result you don’t have to cook the burgers to well done.

Smashed Burgers

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, The Food Lab
Serves 2-4

1 lb freshly ground beef
4 soft hamburger buns, preferably potato rolls
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 deli cut slices American cheese
Condiments of choice

Divide the meat into 4 even portions and form into pucks about 2 inches high and 2 ½ inches wide. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Open the buns but do not split the hinges. Brush lightly with the butter then toast under a hot boiler or in toaster oven until golden brown, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Using a wadded up paper towel, rub the inside of a 12-inch cast iron skillet with vegetable oil, then heat over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Season the top with salt and pepper, then place the seasoned side down in the skillet. Using a wide heavy spatula, press down on each until it is roughly 4 to 4 ½ inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Season the tops with salt and pepper. Cook without moving the burger until a golden brown crust develops on the bottom, about 1 ½ minutes. Use the edge of the spatula to carefully scrape up and flip the patties one at a time, making sure to get all the browned bits. Cover each with a slice of cheese. Continue to cook until the patties are the desired doneness- about 30 seconds longer for medium-rare.

Transfer the patties to the buns and top the burgers as desired, close the burgers, and serve.

Special Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 Tbsp kosher dill pickle juice
1 tsp sugar
pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine all th ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. The sauce will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.