These smash burgers cooked in a grilled cast-iron skillet will be the only way you’ll want to make a burger from here on out. They’re so simple and leave you with tender, juicy beef patties covered in melted cheese and topped with a special sauce for the ultimate burger recipe!
What’s a smash burger?
Smash burgers are when you flatten beef burger patties on a flat hot surface. By doing this, you are left with a browned crispy-edged beef patty- but still juicy!
Since smash burgers are so thin, they also cook very quickly.
What is the difference between a smash burger and a regular burger?
The biggest difference between these smash burgers and a regular hamburger is how they are cooked. The ingredients are pretty much the same.
With a smash burger, you literally smash it down on the hot cooking surface to have a really tin patty. To make a regular hamburger, you just add a beef patty to your hot surface and cook it.
Smash burger ingredients
To make these delicious burgers, you will need:
- Ground chuck (80/20)
- Vegetable oil (or high smoke oil)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sliced American cheese
- Brioche burger buns
- Lettuce
- Parchment paper
Best type of beef to use for smash burgers
This smash burger recipe seems almost too simple to live up to the hype, but sometimes less is more. For the beef, I use 80/20 ground chuck. 80% lean beef to 20% fat, the extra fat gives these burgers extra flavor.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can do a mixture of half ground chuck and half ground brisket if you can find some. Seasoning is just kosher salt and ground black pepper.
What is the best surface for smash burgers?
To ensure you get your burgers smashed thin enough, you’ll need a flat surface. I like to use a big cast iron skillet on my grill, but you can use a flat cast iron griddle instead. You’ll be able to cook more burgers at a time that way.
Grill tip:
The grill needs to be VERY hot to achieve the browned flavorful crust on your smash burgers. The grill should be 450F and once to temperature, allow the cast iron to heat up for 5 minutes prior to adding the beef.
How to make smash burgers
- Use a piece of parchment paper between the beef and the spatula. This will keep the spatula from sticking to the meat.
- Once you’ve smashed the burger down, due to the high heat and thin patty, it will cook quickly. Repeat with another patty alongside.
Grilling tip:
Some spatulas aren’t strong enough to smash the meat down all the way, so I recommend using two to help press it down (or a burger press is ideal if you have one).
- Cook the smash burger on the first side for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Flip the smash burger and immediately put the cheese on, cook 30 more seconds for the cheese to melt. I use fresh American cheese from the deli, it melts great on these burgers. Repeat steps with remaining beef.
Can you cook this recipe inside?
Due to the high heat needed for these burgers, it will be very smokey. So if you don’t mind your smoke alarm going off, you can cook them inside. However, I suggest grilling them or cooking them outside.
Special sauce ingredients
As good as these smash burgers are on their own, this special sauce takes them to the next level! This special burger sauce is so easy to make and only four ingredients:
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Yellow mustard
- Chopped dill pickles
To make the special sauce:
Add the ketchup, mayo, and mustard to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the chopped pickles and mix into the sauce. Taste and adjust the condiments if necessary.
Sauce tip:
If making ahead, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Skeptical of the combination of condiments? Don’t be! This special sauce will change your burger game forever.
Assembling your burger
I like to keep it simple with these burgers, using a brioche bun that I toasted on the grill and lettuce. Feel free to add toppings, but remember less is more.
These smash burgers are meant to be served as a double patty since they are so thin!
Creative burger recipe ideas
Be creative when you make smash burgers. That’s the fun part of cooking!
- Add some caramelized onions and BBQ sauce.
- Put a few onion rings on the burger for a bit of crunch!
- If you like spicy foods, top the burger with some jalapeno slices and use spicy cheese!
There are so many different ways to make these burgers. You can even get more ideas from restaurant menus – they are pretty easy to recreate.
What to serve with thin smash burger recipe
What goes better with cheeseburgers than salty french fries? How about crispy roasted potatoes?
Depending on the type of burger, I sometimes will also serve them with some 3 cheese baked mac and cheese or some Brussel sprouts caesar salad!
Looking for more grilling recipes?
- The Best Grilled Chicken Marinade
- Blue Cheese Burgers
- Fall-Off-The-Bone Dry Rub Ribs
- Jerk Chicken Skewers
For the web story version of this recipe, click here!
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Smash Burgers
Equipment
Ingredients
Smash Burgers
- 1 ½ pounds ground chuck 80/20 or mix of ground chuck and ground brisket
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or high smoke oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Freshly sliced American cheese
- Brioche burger buns
- Butterhead or romaine lettuce
- Parchment paper
Special Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons chopped dill pickles
Instructions
Smash Burgers
- Preheat the grill to 400F. Place cast iron skillet or cast iron grilled on the grates and allow it to preheat for 5 minutes.
- While the grill preheats, form 2 inch balls with the meat (do not over work), you should have 8 balls. Season the top of each ball of beef with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Raise the grill heat to 450F and brush the tsp of vegetable oil onto the skillet. The skillet will begin smoking.
- Depending on the size of your skillet, add 2-3 pucks of beef (do not crowd them since we will be smashing them down). Immediately place piece of parchment paper on top of puck and press down with a spatula, smashing the burger thin. (If one spatula isn’t strong enough, use a second to assist). Repeat with other pieces of beef on skillet. Cook for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Flip the burgers and immediately place the sliced American cheese on top. Cook 30 more seconds until the cheese has melted. Remove from the skillet and repeat with remaining beef.
- Lightly toast the brioche buns on the grill.
- These burgers are meant to be eaten stacked with two patties per burger. Place bottom of brioche bun down, followed by lettuce, two patties, then spoon special sauce over the top.
Special Sauce
- In a small bowl, add the ketchup, mayo, and mustard, whisk to combine. Add in the chopped pickles and mix into the sauce. Taste and adjust condiments if necessary. If making ahead, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Smash burger tips/FAQ’s
- Use 80/20 ground chuck. If you’re feeling adventurous, use half ground chuck and half ground brisket.
- You’ll need a flat surface on the grill. Large cast iron skillet or a flat cast iron griddle to cook more at a time.
- The grill has to be HOT. 450F, allow the cast iron to heat up for 5 minutes prior to adding the beef.
- Use a piece of parchment paper between the beef and the spatula. This will keep the spatula from sticking to the meat.
- Some spatula’s aren’t strong enough to smash the meat enough. Use two spatula’s to help press it down (or a burger press is ideal if you have one). Caution: watch your hands on the lip of the cast iron when smashing since it will be very hot.
- Cook the smash burger on the first side for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Flip the smash burger and immediately put the cheese on, cook 30 more seconds for the cheese to melt. Use fresh American cheese from the deli, it melts great on the smash burgers.
- Don’t forget the special sauce!!
- Can I make this inside? Because of the high heat needed for these burgers, it will be very smokey. So if you don’t mind your smoke alarm going off…
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