Classic Smashburger

As you know, we eat a lot of burgers! Usually at least once a week – and while some weeks I get really creative and make things like a Bahn MI Burger or Muenster Burgers, lots of times it’s a more simple version – like this Classic Smashburger. You have the guilty pleasures of super melty American cheese with the simple addition of lettuce, onion and pickle. I have included my recipe for Homemade Fry sauce below the smashburger recipe. If you have an alternative sauce you prefer, by all means.

Most of the smashburger-style is about the technique of smashing the ball of ground meat directly on the hot surface. While yes a Flat top – like a Blackstone Griddle – does make this easier to – and easier to make all the burgers at once. You can absolutely do this on your stove top in a frying pan. You will need a solid spatula (meaning no slits or slots) to get the best even cook on your burgers. And I really like to use a food scoop to portion the patties out so that they really are all the same size.

When I make burgers, I like to go full diner or drive-in and serve them up in the plastic baskets with the wax paper. It just make it more fun and also make clean up a breeze! It might seem a little extra – and truthfully it is – but I use the baskets and wax paper all the time – they are great for sandwiches, burritos, wraps, wings. Really its a nice alterative to you usual plate or bowl.

As with any burger – the automatic thought when it comes to sides is a fried potato. I like to switch up the different cuts of fries – tots (like I did this last time), crinkle, shoestring, steak, curly, seasoned, waffle – so many options. If you make a little extra fry sauce, you can really get the whole drive-in experience.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Classic Smashburger

A double patty double cheese smashburger with lettuce, onion, pickle and a special sauce.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword american cheese, pickles, shredded lettuce, smash burger, special sauce, turkey smashburger, white onion

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2 lb Ground Beef
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 12 slices American Cheese
• 6 Sesame Seed Buns
• ½ White Onion halved and thin sliced
• 2 cups Iceberg Lettuce shredded
• 1 cup Hamburger Pickle Chips
• 1 cup Homemade Fry Sauce see recipe below

Instructions

• In a bowl, thoroughly combine ground beef with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Use a 2 inch food scoop to form into 12 balls.
• In a wide flat pan or on a flat top griddle, over medium high heat, add 4 meatballs and press each down flat with a wide flat spatula (you want to press as thin as you can without ripping it, it will shrink up). Let cook for about 3 minutes then flip and smash down again. Cook another 3 minutes and then place a slice of cheese on each patty. Let melt for a minute then stack two patties together and remove from pan. Repeat with remaining burgers.
• Once all burgers are cooked, in the same pan/surface, lightly toast each bun.
• Build the burger – add shredded lettuce, onions and pickles to the bottom bun. Place double smashburger. Smear top bun with fry sauce and place on top, pressing down slightly.