Smash burgers (smashies) are simply put, 100% ground beef mince (This mix is important – 80% lean, 20% fat) smashed thinly with a weighted burger press on to a searing hotplate, seasoned, flipped, topped with American cheddar cheese, served on a lightly toasted burger bun with American mustard, tomato sauce, burger sauce, pickles and thin slices of red onion.
A quick, delicious crowd pleaser!
Let’s get smashing….
Time: 30mins
Equipment:
- Scales
- Burger press
- Metal spatula
- BBQ hot plate
Ingredients:
- Course ground burger mince
(80% lean, 20% fat) - Salt, pepper, garlic (SPG) rub
- American cheddar cheese slices
- Burger Buns
- Bread & Butter Pickles
- Red onion
- American mustard
- Tomato sauce
- Burger sauce
Method:
- Create 100g balls from the mince
- Heat the hot plate to 290c (550f)
- Place mince balls directly on to the hotplate and with your burger press apply plenty of downward pressure to “smash” the balls in to a thin-as-possible pattie, twist the burger press a 1/4 turn and slide the press off the pattie.
- Season raw side of the pattie with SPG.
- After just a few minutes, when the edges of the patties begin to lift, flip and add cheese slices.
- Another minute or so and it should be done! simple as that.
- Add the patties (singles, doubles or more) to the base of the burger bun and build your burger to suit.
Purist smash-burger aficionados subscribe to the less-is-more theory and use only the ingredients listed above, but there are no rules – add an egg & bacon for a breakfast treat or perhaps add shredded iceberg lettuce for a “big mac” clone.
The reason that smashies taste so good given their simplicity is due to the right amount of heat and the downward pressure that is applied when creating the pattie. This action kick-starts a process known as The Maillard Reaction. The science behind The Maillard Reaction states that the natural sugars and amino acids found in the beef undergo a chemical transformation that gives the smashed pattie it’s distinctive golden brown crust and also instantly caramelises the sugars. So they not only look appealing but hits the tastebuds in an agreeable way. The Maillard Reaction is found to occur in many foods that we enjoy, such as a perfectly seared steak, baked breads, biscuits and toasted marshmellow as just a few examples.
Any questions feel free to reach out via email: info@thebbqhut.co.nz
Words & Photos: Kerren “Kezza” Packer – BBQ Writer