Go to the Recipe: The Ultimate Smash Burger
I love this style of content!! Super in-depth with the whys and hows but also approachable. I didn’t think there was any more to say about smash burgers after Kenji/TheFoodLab’s research, but I’m proven wrong! It’s fascinating that ya’ll take a different approach with a slightly different set of constraints and come out with something very different.
So how hot is super-wicked eff-ing hot? 400? 500? 600? Our grill can go to the upper triple digits...
so. much. yes. I second Jack - didn't think Kenji could be topped but Grant mighta just snatched the Smashburger crown. @grant - thoughts on simply adding extra fat to store bought mince and regrinding?
Great feature, more like this please 👌👌👌
I had been playing around with the smash burger technique for meats other that ground beef. Yesterday I made a something similar to an iskander kebab with a ground lamb smash burger. I had been trying to figure out a way to get the characteristics of meat on a spit without having to jury rig something in my apartment’s oven, buy some special equipment, or go through an excessive number of steps to get something identical to the real thing. Using a well seasoned lamb meat smash burger was a solid substitute.
I cut the pita and burger in half; if you size the burger just right the half burger fits snugly in the pocket. Then loaded the rest of the space with tzatziki, a spicy tomato based curry sauce, lettuce, tomato, and shaved red onion slices. It didn’t suck.
Want a hot grill. Get a TEC infrared. Mine is 20 years old and been through Chicago winters and scorching humid salt air here on the coast. This baby can heat my lodge grill to 1000F, or better. That is as far as my infrared gun can read. Just stinking hot.
Mind blown.
If you open a restaurant and do a TV commercial with that segment where the onions are raining down on the burger, you'll make a mint!
I'm super excited to dive into these recipes. In the meantime, @grant, can we get a photo of that grill you're using? Is it a hibachi grill?
It's a Portable Kitchen (PK) Grill. I've got one and they rock! https://www.pkgrills.com
I want that house
Grant, I am literally about to buy the kitchenaid commercial range. Nice to see that you made the same choice at some point. Are you happy with it?
@Mike Burton Just made these. My skillet was around 600°F, came out just fine.
Guys I have a problem. In the recipe for "you want these sliders" you say:"Do not over-handle the beef.
Meat contains a protein called myosin, which surrounds the fat particles in the meat. Touching and kneading the ground beef releases myosin, forming something like an emulsification. The more myosin that is released from ground beef, the more it will form a structure like a hot dog. Making sausage? You want myosin exuded to help the sausage hold its shape. Making hamburgers? Go gently.
If you over-handle the beef, the myosin proteins in the meat will cling to each other, giving you tough, dense sliders.
You don’t want that. Be gentle"
So this is my question: what is the best way to do it? Emulsification is good or bad, if it give tough burgers? My tests with the "first" recipe for sliders (less handling, seasoning post) was pretty good.. But I'm confused after this.
Thank you
you are correct about the sliders. these patties are different and larger, with a higher fat content. treat them as two completely different recipes and dishes. this is really meant for grinding your own beef at a high fat content and the sliders activity is based off of store bought ground beef.
I’ve used a three blends of meats for my burger, brisket is one of them, would this format work with the same type blends? Also, the Knox gelatin, is it 1.5% of meat weight or total weight with add-ins( egg, etc.)，thanks
I tried this Monday using my pizza steel on top of my Weber. I did not adequately smash the burgers down because my spatula had big openings on its surface. I'll try again soon with a small frying pan or something as SMASHER.
you can use your blend you enjoy. and yes the % is of the meat before add ins
I definitely want to try this method using your guys's sliders on the grill plate
Are you sure that skillet is cast iron? It looks more like carbon steel to me. I ask as when getting cast iron up to those sort of temperatures, it usually burns away my carefully crafted seasoning.
Kyl, thanks! I can't wait to try this version!
Definitely looks like carbon steel to me also. What temperature should I look for using an IR thermometer?
I have a Tec grill also for 14 years and the heat is amazing
This was the best burger I’ve ever made at home. Thank you so much!
I used store-bought 80/20 and did the salt, gelatin, yolk upgrade. Gas grill with baking steel around 500. Absolutely amazing. I made them for dinner, dreamt about them and then did it again for lunch the next day.
Store bought (wagyu mince) followed the at home hack but on my gas grill cast iron plancha (fellow gas grillers take note!). It might not be glassy crust but I’m VERY happy with the results. Cheers CS gonna be a gooooood summer in my back yaird (Scots American mashup
Kevin - as per Kenjis recommend - I strongly suggest you get a plastering trowel and a scraper. They really do make all the difference !
I really want to know what skillet he's using. It looks way too light for cast iron. Is it carbon steel? What brand?
Probably this one: https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-062005-Frying-8-Inch/dp/B000KENOTK/
Thanks - Steel, not cast iron; I thought so.
Hi, what scale do you recommend?
Tried this today. Made 2 1/4 smash-type burgers - added beef fat to store bought American Wagyu 80/20. Followed Chef Steps from there. Cranked up the Primo to a ripping 600F, got the carbon steel Frying pan super hot (forgot the get the IR for exact surface temp) and seared those babies up. 3 minutes, anoint with Velvetta (yes, I said that) flip 1 more min. Perfect with a charred bun, lettuce, tomato, pickle and a slathering of mayo. Uh-mayzing.
I’ve done these 4 times now and have had great success getting my baking steel 450-550. Sweet spot is probably 475ish but I think anything over 400 is going to make you happy. This is a super forgiving recipe and truly one of the best burgers you’ll ever make.
I’ve done this twice more. Rounds 3 and 4 I got a proper 60/40 brisket grind. Chef Grant, you are a prophet.
Try this one: Digital scale
DeBuyer Mineral B
Pretty sure the pan is a deBuyer Mineral B
They are Darto Carbon steal pans. https://www.dartointernational.com
Hey Federico.. I use an older version of this Oxo and it’s solid. However check their other versions as well!
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-1157100-Digital-Scale-Black/dp/B0020L6T7K/ref=sr_1_3?crid=38J9KFYEFPFHZ&dchild=1&keywords=oxo+scale+with+the+pull-out+display&qid=1593320560&sprefix=Oxo+sca%2Caps%2C242&sr=8-3
Also, I highly advise a small scale for, well, smaller amounts Parts of grams etc.. really shouldn’t cost more than about 15$ US. Price increase 🤷♂️... https://www.modernistpantry.com/digital-ingredient-scale-1036.html
Edit.. more info
Hey Kyl.. I love my Dartos and all, even made a smashburg in mine tonight, but... that’s not a Darto in those pics above.
To anybody curious, that link is for their second design. The first iteration had much more sloping sides with a smaller flat spot that wasn’t completely flat (small problem) but great for saute. The new v2 is very slightly crowned in the flat so any grease migrates to the sidewall fast. And the sidewalls are steeper more like a traditional cast iron pan thus the flat is now larger. After having had these for quite a while, I would recommend the no.27, however the extra size that the no.34 paella affords sure would be nice on a grill
These aren’t thin walled like the other carbon steel pans mentioned here in this thread, they’re 3mm thick so anything short of a blast furnace and you’re good to go!
@Anne Bury .. I highly recommend these pans!
Also.. thin wall cast iron is a ’thing’.. Lodge makes some pans and woks have been manufactured in Asia for many moons.
whoops. looks like you are right, ill check with Grant and see what they are at his house... we have all darto in the studio kitchen so I made an assumption that he was using one from here.
OKOK. talked with Grant. these are the ones he uses at home. https://matferbourgeatusa.com/product/black-steel-round-frying-pan-10/
Also available at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3g7t4kC.
Hi Brad,
It’s a Matfer Bourgeat black steel round frying pan: https://amzn.to/3g7t4kC.
Had our local butcher do up a course grind 60/40 mix and just whipped these puppies up. Was feeding 3 of us and we all agreed there is no more going out for greasy burgers. These were TDF.
Looking forward to getting the attachment to grind our own on the Kitchen Aid but until then the local butcher did a fine job. Just paid way too much for it but boy...it was worth it : )
After the meat is prepared can excess be frozen for later use or will freeze/thaw it alter the finished product? Thanks!
I like this one, though when I got it, it was only $60. They are all over Amazon under different names so a deal may be out there.
https://smile.amazon.com/Precision-Electronic-Laboratory-Industrial-Scientific/dp/B07V2RV5RL
It’s great because it tops out at 10 kg so I can weigh anything in my heaviest cooking vessels. And with resolution of 0.1 g it’s also good for small measures too. I use it constantly.
It that tenth gram accuracy REALLY matters, I will use another scale, though I can do 95% of what I need on this guy.
It has no lbs + oz though, which is too bad.
I'm trying to figure out the gelatin and the purpose. To hold the meat together? Maybe it was that I used a different brand, (Simply Delish Unflavored Gelatin Desert) but there was a distinct sweetness to the beef I did not expect. I can't point to anything else in the process that would add sweetness. As for the rest...AWESOME. We paired the burgers with home made double fried French Fries. Because of then attention they took I opted to cook the burgers on a plancha (designed for my Kamado Joe grill) on my gas range in my kitchen to keep all things moving in time. I had the plancha up to 625 and it brought an excellent char. Next time I'll save the mess on the range and heat that plancha on the Joe. Time to digest.
it freezes great
Hi there, so I have never heard of that simply delish unflavored gelatin desert, but in my quick research I found that it is actually a vegan desert, if you are using the plain one that is not fruit flavored it still have sweeteners in it and also doesn't contain any gelatin, it is agar based. Im glad it was still tasty for you but next time try some of the real stuff!!
I made these and they were awesome and seared up great, they were super juicy even with 80/20 store bought ground beef... but I had a bunch of leftover ground beef + egg yolk + gelatin mix so I turned it into meatballs and OH MAN they were the best meatballs I've ever had. The gelatin drastically improved the texture and flavor and the outside was super crusty and caramelized. This is my new favorite cooking trick.
Update: I tried the gelatin trick on ground chicken meatballs and pork dumplings. It works!!
I really want to make these patties a few hours ahead and stick them in the fridge (covered) just to give myself some prep time but step 3 says any more than 30 minutes and it will become hammy. Please help me understand what this means and advise how I can prep a few hours ahead. THANK YOU!!
Awesome ideas! Can I use the same recipe and make thicker patties, and not smash them to a thin one?
Hi guys, Aaron Franklin in one of his brisket trimming videos states that certain hard fats found on a brisket aren't good even for use in making sausage.
Just wondering what your thoughts are on this as in the videos above, Grant uses the entirety of the brisket.
Also wondering what your thoughts are on silver skin being included into the grind.
Thanks in advance
We think it all works great for this. Just grind it up!
Thanks for the response Kyle, much appreciated!
Talk to me about seasoning - I've always worked salt into my meat, formed my patties, and let them hang for 12-24 hours.
I need to know: Why not?
Hello Matt, Salting meat and letting it cure will produce a hammy flavor and creates a firm texture. This is why we recommend seasoning 30 minutes prior to cooking. It will also start to dry out by pulling out moisture. Seasoning closer to cooking will increase juiciness and amplify the fresh beef flavor.
Burger weekend here we come!!!
