Smash Burgers

CDH smash burger recipe, two hands holding a double patty burger with melted cheese, pickles and diced onion on a toasted bun.

Smash burgers

Crispy edges, juicy centres that stay tender, and that instant sizzle as the beef hits a hot pan. Smash burgers are all about keeping things simple and letting the technique do the work.

The secret is thin patties, high heat, and pressing just once to build that deep, caramelised crust. Paired with melty cheese, soft toasted buns and a punchy, classic sauce, it just doesn't get better than this.

Ingredients

250g ground beef
Salt and black pepper
2 burger buns
4 slices American cheese
½ small onion, finely diced
Pickles

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp ketchup
1½ tsp mustard
¼ tsp paprika

Hands mixing smash burger sauce with mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and paprika in a small glass bowl on a MAKO wooden chopping board

Method

Divide the ground beef into four loose balls and keep them cold until ready to cook. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and paprika to make the sauce.

Burger buns being toasted cut-side down in a MAKO carbon steel steak pan on a stovetop

Lightly butter the burger buns and toast them in a pan until golden, then set aside.

A MAKO press smashing a beef patty flat in a hot MAKO carbon steel steak pan on a stovetop

Heat a heavy-based pan over high heat until very hot. Add a small amount of oil, then place the beef balls into the pan. Immediately smash them down thin using a press, pressing firmly for about 10 seconds. Season with salt and black pepper.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the edges are deeply crispy. Flip the patties, place a slice of cheese on each, and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds until melted.

Tip: A carbon steel pan works best as it tolerates extremely high heat, so when cold beef hits the pan it stays scorching hot giving you that crispy, caramelised crust that makes a smash burger a smash burger.