Smashburgers!

If you're unfamiliar with Smashburgers, I'm thrilled to be able to share my experience of making them tonight.  The burgers are literally smashed.  Forget the tedium of making patties, making the indentation in the middle, so they don't puff up while they cook.  

Just gather the ground chuck into a loose, ragged ball.  NO rolling, patting, or shaping.  Each burger should be (on average) about 4 oz.  

With the meat being loosely gathered together, it won't become dense, and that allows the patty to cook quickly.  The super hot heat from the cooking surface and the smashing technique is the secret to getting those delicious crispy edges and the beautiful seared color.

You'll need a sturdy metal spatula and a cast-iron skillet or griddle.  Yes, I have made a mental note to buy a heavy-duty metal spatula; however, my slotted one did just fine for tonight.

No need for a lot of exotic or unusual seasoning ingredients either.  Let's make our seasoning blend first.

Combine 2 T. kosher salt, 1 T. black pepper, and 2 t. granulated garlic.  Sprinkle the desired amount of seasoning on all sides of each portion of meat.  Store any remaining seasoning in an airtight container.

Here's my ground chuck gathered up and ready to go on a screaming hot cast-iron griddle pan.

Heat the griddle (or your chosen cooking surface) until it just begins to smoke.  Place a portion of the meat onto the hot griddle and smash it down with a sturdy spatula.  Don't smash it down and release.  Continue to smash down for at least ten seconds before releasing the spatula.

There's going to be a LOT of smoke.  So open those windows, turn on the exhaust fan, and let the burgers cook for 2 - 2 1/2 minutes.  

As thin as the burgers are, they cook very quickly.  When the burger is about halfway cooked through, flip it, and smash again.  Cook for about another minute. 

Doesn't that look great?

If you're going to add cheese, now is the time.  And again, the more simple, the better.  Unwrap the good ol' American cheese.  Let the cheese begin to melt, and then remove the burger from the griddle to a warm plate while you continue to smash the other burgers.

Before serving, take a few minutes to prepare the burger buns.  Spread the buns with butter.  Toast the buns directly on the griddle until golden brown, 10 - 15 seconds each.

Now for the toppings.  Keep them simple.  This isn't the burger for blue cheese, or mushrooms, or truffle oil.  

Mayo, mustard, ketchup, some dill pickles slices, a ripe red tomato, red onion, and of course, crunchy Iceberg lettuce.

You can serve the Smashburger as a single, double, or even a triple if you dare!

As a side note, Sweet Harold claimed the burger pictured above as "the best burger I've ever eaten."  There you go!

Thanks to Cuisine at Home Issue No. 141 for the inspiration!

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