Ultra-Smashed Cheeseburgers Recipe
Unraveling the mysteries of home cooking through science.
Ultra-smashed burgers pile on crisp, browned flavors while staying juicy. [Photographs and video: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Classic smashed burgers are all about maximizing that deep, brown crust. But I found myself wondering: What if I were to take this to the extreme? Was there a way I could pack even more flavor into a burger? And thus, the ultra-smashed burger was born. Same burger size, but twice the amount of crisp, browned crust.
Why It Works
- Smashing ground beef firmly into an ungreased pan increases contact points, delivering maximum crust and maximum flavor.
- We use a stiff spatula or a bench scraper to scrape the burger up from the pan, making sure to get every last bit of tasty brown crust.
- By cooking two 2-ounce patties instead of one 4-ounce patty, we get double the amount of crust, while a slice of cheese in between the patties keeps things moist.
Read more: The Food Lab: Maximize Flavor by Ultra-Smashing Your Burger
- Yield:Makes 1 burger
- Active time: 5 minutes
- Total time:5 minutes
- Rated:
Ingredients
- 1 soft hamburger roll, buttered and toasted
- Condiments and toppings as desired, such as mayonnaise, mustard, shredded lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and pickles
- 4 ounces (110g) freshly ground beef chuck, divided into two 2-ounce (55g) balls
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 slice good melting cheese, such as American, cheddar, or homemade melting cheese
Directions
-
1.
Prepare burger bun by laying toppings on bottom half of bun. Have it nearby and ready for when your burger is cooked.
-
2.
Preheat a large stainless steel sauté pan or skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Place balls of beef in pan and smash down with a stiff metal spatula, using a second spatula to add pressure. Smashed patties should be slightly wider than burger bun.
-
3.
Season generously with salt and pepper and allow to cook until patties are well browned and tops are beginning to turn pale pink/gray in spots, about 45 seconds. Using a bench scraper or the back side of a stiff metal spatula, carefully scrape patties from pan, making sure to get all of the browned bits.
-
4.
Flip patties and immediately place a slice of cheese over 1 patty, then stack the second directly on top. Immediately remove from pan and transfer to waiting burger bun. Serve.
This Recipe Appears In
The Food Lab: Maximize Flavor by Ultra-Smashing Your BurgerThis post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Serious Eats. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.
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