Double Cheddar Smash Burger
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats, America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
Two thin beef patties pressed hard onto a smoking-hot pan so the edges turn lacy and dark, stacked with melting cheddar in a buttery toasted brioche bun. Loud, quick and very much a treat.
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Method
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Equipment
- Cast-iron pan or flat griddle
- Stiff flat metal spatula or burger press
- Baking paper
- Small bowl
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 861 kcal |
| Protein | 43.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 41.3 g |
| of which sugars | 8.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 6.9 g |
| Fat | 57.3 g |
| of which saturates | 24.2 g |
| Fibre | 2.3 g |
| Salt | 2.95 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 2 servings
Patties
- 300 g beef mince, 20% fat kept in the fridge until you cook
- 1.5 g fine salt about ¼ tsp; for the outside of the patties (the cheese and pickles add more)
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 80 g cheddar cheese slices 4 slices, about 20 g each
To build
- 2 brioche buns about 70 g each
- 14 g butter, softened about 1 tbsp
- 4 little gem lettuce leaves
- 1 ripe tomato about 120 g, sliced
Burger sauce
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 15 g gherkin, finely chopped
- 1
Get everything ready. Slice the tomato, rinse and dry the lettuce, and stir the mayonnaise, ketchup and chopped gherkin together. The cooking takes minutes, so have every part of the burger within reach before the pan goes on.
- 2
Portion the beef. Divide the mince into four loose balls of about 75 g each. Handle them as little as possible and do not pack them tight; put them back in the fridge while you toast the buns.
- 3
Toast the buns. Spread the butter on the cut sides of the buns and toast them, cut side down, in the dry pan over medium heat for about a minute until golden. Set aside.
- 4
Smash the patties. Turn the heat to high and wait until the pan is smoking. Add two balls, lay a square of baking paper on each and press straight down firmly with the spatula for about 10 seconds until each is roughly 1 cm thin with ragged edges. Peel off the paper and season with the salt and pepper.
- 5
Flip and melt the cheese. Leave the patties alone for about 2 minutes until the edges are deep brown and crisp. Scrape firmly under the crust, flip, add a slice of cheese to each and cook for 1 more minute. Stack one patty on another. Repeat with the other two balls.
- 6
Build and serve. Spread sauce on the bottom bun, add lettuce and tomato, then the cheesy double patty and the top bun. Serve straight away while the edges are still crunchy. Beef mince should be cooked through with no pink in the middle (at least 71°C).
Storage
Best eaten immediately. Cooked patties keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat in a hot pan until piping hot all the way through (74°C in the centre). Do not store assembled burgers. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
