How to Make the Best Smashed Burgers

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: American cheese

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories without sacrificing flavor.

burger buns

🥗Healthier: whole grain buns

💰Cheaper: white bread

Whole grain buns add fiber, while white bread is often cheaper.

Core the iceberg lettuce by smashing it on the counter and removing the core.

Select crispy pieces of lettuce and set them aside.

Cut out the core of the tomato using a paring knife and slice the tomato.

Prepare a special sauce by mincing one tablespoon of shallot and adding it to a bowl.

Finely chop one and a half teaspoons of dill pickles and add to the sauce bowl.

Add half a teaspoon of pickle brine to the sauce bowl.

Add two tablespoons of mayonnaise, one and a half teaspoons of ketchup, an eighth teaspoon of sugar, and an eighth teaspoon of black pepper to the sauce bowl.

Stir the sauce together until it reaches a rosy hue and set aside.

Unwrap individual slices of cheese and keep them separated until ready to use.

Split the burger buns and spread about a tablespoon of the special sauce on each bun top.

Weigh out eight ounces of ground beef into loose two-ounce balls without compacting them.

Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat for five minutes, adding a quarter teaspoon of vegetable oil to the pan.

Use a saucepan wrapped in foil as a burger press to ensure even smashing of the patties.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens