The Ultimate Smash Burger (2024)

FAQs

What makes a burger a smash burger? ›

A smash burger is a burger that is made by smashing the ground beef onto the grill or griddle with a spatula. Smashing the burger results in a sear on the outside of the meat, which locks in all of the juices and flavor.

First off, whereas regular burgers hit the grill or griddle already formed into patties, smash burgers start as just loose balls of ground beef plopped on the grill first, then smashed down with a spatula or burger press until they're ultra-thin.

Like so many popular foods, smash burgers have humble yet innovative beginnings. The first smash burger was created in Dairy Cheer restaurant in Kentucky back in the middle of the 20th century. The owner of the hamburger joint, Bill Culvertson, was used to churning out burgers to feed the hungry masses.

We take great pride in using only the finest beef for our burgers, which is sourced from family-owned farms and ranches throughout the United States, such as Walter Angus located near our Colorado headquarters. These farms share our commitment to sustainable, climate-friendly practices and humane animal care.

And while a smashburger isn't exactly a healthy treat, in general they are no more unhealthy than a usual burger (unless you indulge in one of the ten-stack monsters seen on TikTok). Adam said: 'It's less calories because it's less food, buns slightly smaller, patty slightly smaller.

Cook without moving until a golden brown crust develops, about 1 1/2 minutes. Use the edge of the spatula to carefully scrape up and flip the patties one at a time, making sure to get all browned bits removed from the skillet. If using cheese, add now.

It got its name from a restaurant owner named Bill Culvertson, when his employee smashed a burger on the grill using a can of beans and realized how much better it tasted. Regardless of that, when Smashburger first opened, they "... opened with one single notion in mind.

Minced chuck steak is gold for Smash Burger. Secondly, it's the smash that really makes it. When you smash the burgers down on a super-hot grill, the fat has nowhere to go but back up into the burger patty meaning you're essentially cooking your burger in its own beefy juices.

It gives you good leverage, which is important—remember, we're smashing petite two-ounce patties down to a size that's wide enough to fit on a standard burger bun.

Stacked burger patties if smashing before cooking. That's the way Five Guys does it, I just smash right in the pan to save time and energy. If you go to a Five Guys Restaurant you'll see that they smash and stack their smashed burger patties on parchment paper and then stack them by fours.

What oil does Smashburger use for burgers? ›

What oil do you use in your kitchens? We currently use butter on the grill, beef tallow/canola oil in our fryers, and a blended oil on our Smash Fries. To see the full list of offerings, please visit www.smashburger.com and select the “Menu” tab at the top of the page and then select "Nutrition".

Word is that the original smash burger hailed from Appalachia, where employees at a little-known place called Dairy Cheer used cans of beans to smash their burgers. They quickly realized how delicious they were and made a habit of it. Side of fries. Pickles on top.

The traditional hamburger is typically cooked on a grill or griddle, and may be flipped once or twice during cooking. A smash burger, on the other hand, is made by smashing a meatball-sized portion of ground beef onto a hot griddle or frying pan, which produces a thin patty with a crispy exterior.