Diner-Style Smash Burgers 🍔 #smashburgers

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is lower in fat, while ground pork is often less expensive.

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: American cheese

Reduced-fat cheese saves calories, while American cheese is often cheaper.

burger buns

🥗Healthier: whole grain buns

💰Cheaper: white bread

Whole grain buns add fiber, while white bread can be more affordable.

pickles

🥗Healthier: cucumber slices

💰Cheaper: no pickles

Cucumber slices provide freshness without the added sodium of pickles.

Start by making a burger seasoning blend with smoked salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and brown sugar. Mix these spices together and put them in a shaker jar for easy use.

Use fresh ground beef, preferably 80/20 chuck, and divide it into two equal portions, then further divide each portion into two for a total of eight patties for four burgers.

Cover the formed beef patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until ready to cook to keep them cold.

Prepare the burger sauce by mixing mayonnaise and barbecue sauce in a bowl. Add in spices and grated white onion, then stir in sweet relish. Cover and refrigerate the sauce until ready to use.

Butter and toast the burger buns, and prepare toppings like iceberg lettuce, cooked onions, tomato, pickles, mustard, and ketchup.

Preheat the grill to about 450°F (hot).

Place parchment paper over the beef patty and press it down flat into the hot skillet. Hold for about 10 seconds, then remove the parchment paper.

Season the exposed side of the patty generously with the seasoning blend. Cook until the edges crisp up and juices pool on top, then flip the patty.

Immediately place a slice of American cheese on top of the flipped patty and stack another patty on top for a double burger.

Assemble the burger by placing lettuce and tomato on the bottom bun, followed by the patties, pickles, and a generous amount of burger sauce, then sprinkle cooked onions on top before adding the top bun.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens