Smash Burgers with House Sauce
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4.8 out of 5 stars
(42)
Ingredients
4 burger patties
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- A couple swishes of fish sauce (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lb. ground beef (80/20 is ideal)
- 4 Brioche buns
- 4 slices American cheese (the good kind from the deli)
- House Sauce (see notes for recipe – do not skip! this stuff is magical)
- 1/2 onion, diced or sliced (sautéed for an extra level up)
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 1 tomato
- 12 pickle slices
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Preparation
Step 1
Mix the smash burger sauce in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, place the ground beef and pour the sauce over. Mix with your hands to get it well-distributed through the meat. Form into 4 balls. Place the balls in the fridge for 20-30 minutes while you prep everything else. You can even pop it in the freezer for a few minutes – you just want them to be pretty cold so the butter mixture doesn’t immediately melt out everywhere once you start cooking them.
Step 2
Butter the buns and toast them on your skillet or griddle until golden.
Step 3
Prep the toppings and house sauce (see notes).
Step 4
Cut a small piece of parchment paper that you’ll use on top of the burgers to prevent sticking.
Step 5
Heat a cast iron skillet or flat griddle until it’s very hot; place a few of the burgers on the hot surface. Sprinkle them with a big pinch of salt and let them sit and sizzle for about 20 seconds.
Step 6
Place the parchment paper on top of each burger and then, using a heavy, flat tool, press the burgers down as flat as you can get them in one swift motion. They’ll be super sizzly and splattery, but they should make a nice, round, thin smash burger shape on the griddle. Cook for a few minutes and then flip and top with cheese right away. Leave them undisturbed for another 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese and get a max amount of flavorful browning on the back side.
Step 7
Assemble your burgers! Mine is always a toasted brioche buns, mega flavorful smash burger patty (or 2), cheese, crispy lettuce, and a thick smear of that house sauce. Happy, happy summer.
Step 8
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Chef's notes
House Sauce:
Mix 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon horseradish, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire, a quick squeeze of sriracha, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, half of a shallot, minced or grated (or sub a clove of grated garlic). Season with salt to taste. NEXT LEVEL.
