Tips for Making Amazing Smashed Burgers at Home

If you love smashed burgers but don’t want to go out every time you want one, find out how to make your new favorite at home with these tips for making amazing smashed burgers at home.

What Is a Smashed Burger?

Not to be confused with the restaurant title, a smashed burger is a type of hamburger. You might recognize smashed burgers similar to the patties you get from most fast-food restaurants. This is the case especially in the Midwest, where smashed burgers originated. Smashed burgers have much thinner hamburger patties with crispy, almost burnt edges to really bring out the flavor. Many restaurants offer them in doubles because of how thin they are.

What Makes a Smashed Burger Different?

The main difference lies in the cooking technique. When you cook a regular hamburger patty, you typically let it rest on the grill until the meat is ready for you to flip it over. The technique for a smashed burger is a bit different, and it’s how the variety got its name: you apply pressure to the meat while it’s cooking to “smash” it down. This creates a thinner patty that many people say has a more concentrated flavor.

How To Make Your Own Smashed Burgers

You can recreate the taste of your favorite restaurant’s smashed burgers at home by following these steps:

1. Divide a package of ground beef into three-ounce portions and then roll these portions into balls. Feel free to add your favorite hamburger seasonings as you roll the meat. Refrigerate the meat after rolling until you’re ready to cook it.
2. Heat your griddle or other cooking surface to medium-high heat. You can cook smashed burgers on an indoor or outdoor griddle, a stove, or a grill—just make sure you cook on a flat surface such as a cast-iron pan or sheet.
3. Place your hamburger patties on your griddle or other cooking surface and immediately apply pressure to “smash” them down into thin patties. You can use a spatula, meat mallet, or burger press to smash them down—whatever you have in your kitchen. Tip: place a small sheet of parchment paper between your utensil and the burger for easy removal and cleanup.
4. Cook the first side until browned, and then flip the patty. Scrape the underside of the patty with your spatula as you flip to maintain the charred texture from the grill.
5. Season the patties as they cook if needed, add toppings such as cheese or sauce, and scoop the patties off the grill.
6. Place the patties on buttered buns with your desired toppings, and you have yourself some restaurant-style smashed burgers!

Now that you know these tips for making amazing smashed burgers at home, you can skip going out to your favorite restaurant and make these burgers from the comfort of home. For even more convenience, order your butcher meat online here at Vincent’s Meat Market. You can order ground beef perfect for smashed burgers and more.