Smash Burger Recipe with Easy Sauce (VIDEO)

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A homemade Smash Burger is quick and easy to make. These fly off the grill in minutes so it’s a great way to feed a crowd.
Smash burgers have the iconic flavor profile of classic Burgers, but that double burger patty with cheese melted in between is irresistible and you’ll love the special sauce.

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Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to make restaurant-style Smash Burgers for your next cookout.
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What is a Smash Burger? Smash burgers are formed into balls of ground beef then pressed or smashed with a burger press into a thin patty as soon as they hit the grill. This creates extra browning and flavor on the outside while maintaining the patty’s juiciness.
We love burgers, from classic Juicy Burgers to Cheeseburger Sliders. Making your own patty from ground beef tastes so much better than flash-frozen or fast-food patties. These go down easier and you feel better after eating a fresh homemade burger because you control the quality of ingredients.
If you are a fan of Smash Burgers this homemade version is a must-try!

Ingredients for Smash Burgers

Ground Beef – We use 1.5 lbs of 80/20 beef to make 4 double-patty burgers, but you can easily scale the recipe up to feed a crowd (use 3 lbs for 8 double-patty burgers).
Sauce – A simple combination of mayo and yellow mustard is what we use to grill and assemble the burgers.
Cheese – we love thick-sliced medium cheddar cheese for burgers, but you can use American-style cheese or your favorite sliced cheese.

Burger Toppings

Buns – brioche buns taste great and have that steakhouse burger look, but any burger bun will work
Lettuce – thinly slice your iceberg lettuce for a restaurant-style smash burger
Pickles – sliced dill pickle chips are the best
Tomatoes – Select meaty and large-sized tomatoes for burgers and cut them into rings
Red onion – thinly sliced into rings

How to Make Smash Burgers

Prepare Patties – Divide 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef into 8 equal portions (3 oz each), cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Make Sauce – Stir together 1/3 cup mayo and 1 tsp mustard and set aside.

Prep Toppings – fully prep your toppings ahead to assemble the burgers right away while the patties are hot and juicy off the grill.

Toast buns – lightly butter the cut side of your buns and toast on a griddle or skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer to a rack.

Cook patties – increase to medium-high heat. Depending on your surface area, place 2 to 4 cold pieces of meat onto the hot surface. Working quickly, cover each piece with a sheet of parchment paper and smash each into a thin patty. Remove parchment paper, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, add a dab of sauce, and flip. Sear for 2 minutes on the first side and about a minute on the second side.

Add cheese – place a slice of cheese onto half of the patties and top with a second patty and remove from heat. Serve warm over toasted buns with toppings.

When to Flip the Burger: We cook the patty on the first side for about 2 minutes. Flip once the bottom is browned and caramelized.
Common QuestionsWhat is the best beef for burgers? For a tasty and juicy burger, use ground beef that is 80/20, or 80% lean and 20% fat.
Can I skip the burger sauce? You can skip the sauce step when grilling the patties if you prefer then add your favorite burger sauces when assembling the burger.
Can I Make this on the stovetop? Smash burgers can be cooked in a very large cast-iron skillet, or on a griddle (indoor or outdoor). We love using our Camp Chef cooktop to cook several patties at once.
Why does the beef need to be cold? Unlike a good steak which we like to bring to room temperature first, burger patties should be well chilled before they go onto the grill. It helps the fat stay in the meat and will result in a juicier burger.
What is the Best Smash Burger Press? A flat press works best to get the patties very thin. This is our favorite Smash Burger Tool, but you can also push over the top of a spatula with a meat mallet to smash burgers. Also, pre-cut parchment paper makes the job easy, but you can cut your own pieces.

Make-AheadTo Refrigerate: Since smash burgers are best using chilled ground beef, you can portion and refrigerate ahead. Roll the ground beef into balls then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days.

How to Assemble a Smash BurgerAccording to my husband Vadim, who used to work at a restaurant, this is the proper way to assemble a burger.

Spread sauce on the bottom bun.

Add 3 slices of pickle

Top with a mound of lettuce

Add tomatoes and onions if using

Top with meat patties and cover with the top bun.

How to Wrap a BurgerIf you really want to replicate a restaurant copycat burger, try this easy burger wrapping technique. It’s easy and similar to wrapping a gift.

Cut a piece of parchment paper into a 10-12″ square and fold in half into a triangle. Place parchment halfway over the burger.

Flip burger upside and tuck in the sides.

Tuck the bottom flap under the burger.