Skinny and crispy with caramelized, craggy edges, smash burgers have taken America by storm. From jalapeño-onion smash burgers to MSG and banh mi-inspired riffs, the flavour prospects are limitless, however the core method stays the identical.  

In the event you’re a newbie, worry not: Making these lacy, restaurant-style burgers at dwelling is less complicated than you would possibly suppose. All you want is a ripping-hot griddle, a sturdy spatula, and some important suggestions. That will help you get it proper, we’ve rounded up the most typical errors that stand between dwelling cooks and smash burger success.  

1. Your meat isn’t chilly sufficient

In contrast to a thick-cut ribeye or brisket that should relaxation at room temperature earlier than cooking, the meat balls for smash burgers ought to go straight from fridge to griddle. Chilled floor meat holds collectively higher and received’t crumble into items when smashed. Plus, the chilled meat is much less prone to persist with your spatula. 

2. You’re utilizing lean meat

Whether or not making beef, pork, or hen smash burgers, go for floor meat with 15% to twenty% fats content material (usually labeled 80/20 or 85/15). A excessive fats content material is vital to the patties crisping and caramelizing through the brief prepare dinner time. Additionally, fats provides taste.

3. Your cooking floor isn’t scorching sufficient 

Preheat your griddle or forged iron skillet till it’s piping scorching and begins to smoke. The meat balls ought to sizzle the second you place them on the griddle. Not solely does the recent floor guarantee an ideal golden brown crust on the patties, however the meat can be much less prone to stick when it comes time to flip. Both go outdoors and fireplace up your flattop griddle, or flip in your kitchen hood vent and let the skillet begin to smoke.

4. You’re seasoning too early

Folding seasonings into floor meat earlier than shaping patties works nice for thick, tavern-style burgers, however with thinner patties you run the danger of overworking the meat, which might result in robust hockey pucks. Fortunately, smash burgers have a big floor space as soon as pressed, making it straightforward to season evenly proper on the griddle. Resist the urge to season the meat balls, and wait till the patties are flattened on the griddle earlier than you add the salt and pepper. 

5. Your spatula isn’t up for the duty

Because the title implies, smash burgers are supposed to be flattened. A heavy, agency spatula, such because the Männkitchen Finest Smashburger Spatula, has a big floor space and durable chrome steel blade, which ensures you get evenly pressed patties each time. When it’s time to flip the patties, simply slide the skinny fringe of the spatula beneath. Chef Sean Brock takes it a step additional and makes use of the ultra-thin fringe of a large putty knife to flip his well-known Crustburger patties. 

6. Your patties are sticking

The very last thing you need when smashing the meat is for half of the patty to stay to your spatula. Whereas a chilly spatula and chilled meat will assist forestall this from occurring, it’s not all the time doable to maintain issues chilly by a scorching griddle. For a foolproof option to forestall sticking, minimize a three-inch sq. piece of parchment paper, and place the parchment sq. on prime of the meat ball earlier than smashing. Use the parchment as a barrier between the meat and the spatula, then peel it off, and repeat with the remaining meat balls, reusing the identical sq. of parchment paper.