Smash Burger Recipe
By smashing the beef down flat, you produce a golden-brown, caramelized crust with deep, rich flavors. Topped with caramelized onions and melty cheese, this Smash Burger Recipe is the ultimate summer bbq anthem that's going to live on your weekly meal rotation rent-free.
Servings: 7 patties
Equipment
- Parchment Paper cut into 7 small squares
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (or lamb) 454 grams
- ½ tablespoon oil plus more as needed
- ½ thinly sliced onion yellow or red
- salt and pepper to taste
- yellow mustard drizzle on each one
- 4 slices cheddar cheese halved
- toppings of choice such as lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, sliced pickles, hot sauce, mayo, etc
Instructions
- Divide the meat into 7 equal portions. I like to weigh each one or use a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Each ball should be 2.5 ounces.
- Heat up the pan (or blackstone) and add some oil. Once the oil is hot, add the thinly sliced onions in 7 individual bundles, each spaced a few inches apart, and let cook for about 1 minute.
- Add a ball of meat on top of each onion bundle. Place a small piece of parchment paper on top and smash it down with a burger press or the bottom of a small pot. (You can also do this with a flat metal spatula as well.)
- Once smashed, remove the parchment paper and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add a drizzle of yellow mustard to taste. Cook until the bottom of the burger patties are caramelized and golden, about 2 minutes.
- Flip the patties and cook for about 2 minutes. Add half a slice of cheese to each patty and cook for about 1 minute.
- Note: I like to cook my burgers for 2-3 minutes on each side but keep an eye on them, so they do not overcook or burn.
- Once the cheese has melted, remove the patties from the heat and serve as single or double patties, with any burger toppings you like. Check out my tips below for low-carb alternatives to burger buns.
Video
Notes
- Protein Style: These smashed burger patties are delicious sandwiched between good 'ol burger buns, but there are so many ways to enjoy them as a low carb meal. Just like In-N-Out Burger offers, you can make these "protein style" and wrap them up in large, crunchy lettuce leaves. Or place the patties between two large slices of juicy ripe tomatoes (warning: things will get messy). Or try using large slabs of roasted or grilled sweet potatoes or eggplant as an alternative to bread.
- Cooktop Matters: Smash burgers cook best on a heavyweight surface that retains heat. Making smash burgers on a grill (with a grill grate) is close to impossible, because the meat will fall through the grill grates when pressed down. However, you can place a blackstone or a cast-iron pan on a charcoal or gas grill, and cook the smash burgers that way.
- Nutrition Breakdown: The nutrition info for this recipe reflects one 2.5 oz burger patty with onions and half a slice of cheese. It does not include nurtitional data for a burger bun nor toppings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 burger patty | Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.2g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 0.001g | Sugar: 0.03g | Vitamin A: 97IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg
