Classic Smash Burger

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (80/20 — you need the fat)
• Salt, pepper
• 4 slices American cheese
• 4 soft potato buns, toasted
• Toppings: lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, special sauce

Special sauce: 3 tbsp mayo + 1 tbsp ketchup + 1 tbsp relish + 1 tsp yellow mustard + pinch of garlic powder

Method

1. Form balls: Divide beef into 4 equal balls (4 oz each). Do not season yet. Do not overwork.
2. Smash: Heat a cast iron skillet or flat griddle over high heat until smoking. Place a ball on the surface. Immediately press down hard with a sturdy spatula (or a second pan) until the patty is about 1/4" thick. Season the top with salt and pepper.
3. Cook: Don't touch for 2–3 min. The edges will get lacy and crispy. When the bottom is deeply browned, flip. Immediately place cheese on top. Cook 1 min more.
4. Assemble: Toasted bun, special sauce, patty with cheese, toppings.

What You're Practicing

• The smash technique: maximum surface area = maximum Maillard browning
• Why 80/20 beef: leaner meat dries out. The fat renders and bastes the patty.
• Seasoning after smashing (salt on raw ground beef before cooking can make it dense)
• Cast iron or griddle: you need a flat, heavy, screaming-hot surface