When I found out I was starting in the basement for the first challenge on Next Level Chef I am not going to lie, I was a little bummed. But then they told us we would be making smash burgers and I thought that was a more realistic challenge to pull off from a basement pantry than most things they could have thrown at us. I felt genuinely okay about it right up until I ran to the platform and it was completely bare. The only things left did not make sense together at all and yet I had to figure out a burger with what I had.

I grabbed the last protein on the platform which was plant based protein. I was actually pleased about this at first because it looked exactly like ground beef and I thought I could treat it identically. I was very wrong. I also grabbed a bun, two butter lettuce leaves, a carrot, a can of coconut milk, a bottle of BBQ sauce, and a singular slice of Swiss cheese. I would never recommend you make a smash burger out of those ingredients and I genuinely do not recommend anyone try. The fact that the mentors liked it enough to keep me in the competition and put me in the top fourteen is something I am still grateful for to this day.

The recipe below is what I would have made if I had grabbed everything I actually wanted on that platform and it is genuinely one of the best burgers I have ever eaten. Eighty twenty ground beef seasoned simply and deliberately then pressed into balls and chilled before hitting a screaming hot cast iron skillet where they get smashed hard and cooked fast until they have that deeply caramelized, lacy, crispy edged crust that makes a smash burger so completely unlike any other style of burger. Sharp cheddar goes on immediately after the flip and gets melted under a splash of water and a lid for the most perfectly melty cheese pull you have ever seen on a burger.

The homemade burger sauce is the finishing detail that takes this from a great burger to a genuinely restaurant quality experience at home. Mayo, ketchup, dijon, a splash of pickle juice, a splash of vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper stirred together in five minutes into the most perfectly balanced special sauce that makes every single bite taste completely intentional. Butter toast the buns in the same pan the onions came out of and assemble with the caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and generous layers of sauce on both buns. This is the burger.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

The plant-based protein disaster story from Next Level Chef makes this recipe post one of the most entertaining on the blog and the actual recipe below it is genuinely one of the best burgers you can make at home in twenty five minutes
The smash technique on a screaming hot cast iron creates a deeply caramelized lacy crispy edged crust that is completely impossible to achieve with a standard thick burger patty
The five minute homemade burger sauce is so much better than any condiment from a bottle that once you make it you will put it on everything and never go back
Chilling the patties for fifteen minutes before cooking is the step that keeps them from falling apart when smashed and gives you that clean crispy edge rather than ragged uneven patty edges

Key Ingredients:

80/20 ground beef: The fat percentage that makes a smash burger work. Eighty percent lean with twenty percent fat renders beautifully when smashed onto a hot skillet and creates that crispy lacy edge that is the whole point of this cooking style. Leaner beef will not give you the same result
Worcestershire sauce: The umami ingredient that adds a depth and savoriness to the ground beef that makes it taste like a seasoned burger rather than just salted meat. One teaspoon in the mix goes a long way
Cast iron skillet: The pan that gets screaming hot and stays screaming hot when the cold patties hit it which is exactly what you need for that deep caramelization. A regular nonstick pan will not get hot enough to achieve the same crust
Sharp cheddar: The cheese that goes on immediately after the flip and melts under a splash of water and a lid so you get that glossy, fully melted, draped over the edges cheese situation that makes a great smash burger look so good
Burger sauce: Mayo, ketchup, dijon, pickle juice, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. The pickle juice is the detail that makes the sauce taste specifically like a great burger sauce rather than just ketchup and mayo mixed together. Do not skip it
Caramelized onions: Thick sliced onion cooked low and slow in a little oil until soft, golden, and sweet. They add a richness and depth to the burger that raw onion simply does not and they are worth the extra few minutes every single time

Tips for Success:

Get your cast iron screaming hot before the patties go in. You should see a wisp of smoke coming from the pan before the first ball goes on. A pan that is not hot enough will steam the burger rather than sear it and you will lose that crust completely
Smash the patties immediately and firmly the second they hit the pan. You have about ten seconds before the meat starts to cook and set up before smashing so work fast and apply real pressure
Chill the portioned balls for fifteen minutes before cooking so they are cold and firm when they hit the pan. Cold meat forms a better crust and the balls hold together more cleanly when smashed
Pour a small splash of water into the pan and cover immediately after adding the cheese to create steam that melts the cheese completely in about thirty seconds without overcooking the patty

Storage:

Smash burgers are best enjoyed immediately after assembling while the patties are hot and the cheese is melty and the buns are still warm and toasted. If you have leftover cooked patties store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat for about ninety seconds per side to bring back some of that crust. The burger sauce keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week and gets better as it sits. Make a double batch of sauce and keep it on hand for the week.

FAQ:

What is the difference between a smash burger and a regular burger?
A smash burger is pressed flat onto a screaming hot cooking surface immediately after it goes on which creates maximum contact between the meat and the heat. This Maillard reaction produces a deeply caramelized, crispy, lacy edged crust on the outside of the patty that a thick traditional burger cannot achieve because the steam from the inside of the meat prevents that level of surface crust from forming. The result is a thinner patty with dramatically more flavor on the exterior than a standard burger.

Can I use a regular skillet instead of cast iron?
Cast iron is strongly recommended because it gets hotter than any other pan and holds that heat when the cold patties go in. A stainless steel pan is a workable alternative that can also get very hot and hold temperature. A nonstick pan is not recommended because it cannot safely reach the temperatures needed for proper smash burger caramelization and the coating can be damaged at those temperatures. If cast iron is what you have it is also what you need for this recipe.

Can I make double smash burgers?
Yes and they are even better. Stack two smashed patties with cheese between them as well as on top for the full double smash burger experience. Cook each patty separately for the best crust on each one rather than putting two balls on the skillet at once and trying to smash them together. The two patty stack with caramelized onions and homemade sauce is genuinely one of the best burgers you will ever eat at home.