Double Smash Cheeseburger

Why the smash became the burger of the decade

The smash burger technique was born in mid-20th-century American diners and in recent years has become the signature of many of the world’s best burger joints. Its logic is pure physics. The flavour of seared meat comes from the Maillard reaction, and that only happens on the surface touching hot metal. A thick patty has two such surfaces and a juicy but bland middle. A thin, smashed patty is almost all crust — which is why two thin patties taste meatier than one thick patty of the same weight.

The meat: 20% fat is a must

Use ground beef with about 20% fat. Fat keeps a thin patty juicy and fries it in the pan; lean beef gives a dry, cardboard-like crust. Do not salt or knead the beef in advance: salt mixed into the meat dissolves proteins and turns the patty dense like a sausage. Season only the outside, once the patty is already in the pan. Keep the balls in the fridge until the last minute so the cold fat does not melt too early.

The right pan and the right move

A cast-iron skillet or steel griddle is heated until it just starts to smoke — about 230–250 °C. The ball of beef goes onto the dry surface, and within the first 10 seconds you press it down hard with a wide, sturdy spatula through a square of baking paper so the meat does not stick to the metal. Press only once: pressing later squeezes the juices out. After 60–90 seconds the edge turns deep brown, and you flip the patty, scraping it up with the spatula so the entire crust comes with it.

Cheese and sauce

The classic is American processed cheese, which melts instantly. Thinly sliced aged cheddar gives a deeper, creamy-nutty flavour; to make sure it melts, add it right after flipping and cover the patties with a lid for 20–30 seconds. The sauce, in the spirit of diner “secret sauces”, is mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and finely chopped pickles; the acidity of the pickles and mustard cuts through the richness.

The bun

A soft bun is toasted cut side down in butter until golden. The crust on the cut side keeps sauce and juices from soaking the bread, and the butter adds aroma. Toast the buns first and keep them warm.

The onion

Thinly sliced onion can be served raw for crunch or used Oklahoma-style — pressed into the patty as you smash it so it caramelises in the beef fat.

Common mistakes

• A pan that is not hot enough — the patty stews in its own juices instead of searing.
• Too many patties at once — the temperature drops; cook 2–3 at a time.
• A cold bun — it cools the burger down and crumbles.