Smash Burgers Recipe (2024)

I love this burger but a way to achieve the same result without any splatter from oil or butter is the Mark Bittman steak technique where you heat the cast iron pan on high for 3 minutes or so until very hot, even smoking, add some salt to the bottom of the pan, lower the heat to med high and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. No splatter and a crisp, perfectly done burger. Add cheese as Sam suggests if you like.

I have that problem too- esp living in an apt- I have no outdoor option. just read an article about cooking steak and they said oil the meat only, instead of pouring it in the pan and there will be less smoke because a lot of the smoke is from the excess oil in the pan... i haven't tried it yet but seems to make sense and I'm willing to see if it helps!

To keep the burger from sticking to your spatula when you smash, place a small piece of parchment paper on the burger before pressing down.

I am a vegetarian mother to a ravenous carnivore teenager. This tutorial was invaluable to me. My son rated it 11 out of 10. The first time I made it was for his birthday so his dad (my ex) was there and tried to tell me how to do it. I said "back off, Sam Sifton taught me how to do this" (it was a very friendly exchange )

Why didn't you size the burger to the bun?

A revelation. Who knew that a flat, crispy on the edges burger could have so much more flavor than the half pound behemoths currently in vogue? Having been frightened out of my wits by the smoke alarm a week ago I took the cast iron skillet outside and heated it up on the grill for 20 minutes while I was making cole slaw. Worked like a charm. Plus closing the lid on the grill melts the cheese really quickly. A winner, Sam, thank you!

You can add one slice of ground bacon (freeze and cut into tiny pieces) to each patty for some smoke flavor and to get the fat ratio closer to a real diner burger. I actually like smashing these very thin on parchment paper and seasoning each side then. I do 1 minute and about 40 seconds. Flip, add cheese, and then 1 more minute. I cook it in butter and spoon the fat onto the cheese to help melt the cheese. This is also really good with two pattys per burger.

This is a fabulous recipe! I cooked a burger your way the week you published it and have tried to eat one a week ever since (anemia). My whole life, I'd eat a burger only if someone else cooked it. Now I can make my own great burger and feel as if I'm dining out. I know it's simple, but I wasn't able to figure it out on my own. This is probably my most favorite recipe of all time, and I've been reading your food section for 40 years.

This is my favorite kind of burger, that crispy outside with a rare inside is the BEST!

This is our go-to burger, but we can't cook these indoors because the smoke alarm goes crazy. I used to put the cast iron griddle on the grill but I found an easier way: I take my pancake griddle out to the porch or garage, depending on weather, and heat it to the max for 10 minutes and then follow the directions here.
We get a crusty burger with a nice rare center, oozing juice. Crusty/juicy - that's for us.

A terrific alternative to the HUGE burgers frequently served at my abode. While men like the biggies, they were dumbfounded with the deliciousness of the skinny ones.

The burger got a really nice crust on it. Important to use a really hot pan as it takes too long to get the crust otherwise, and it just gets overcooked instead.

My cooking weight is a scrubbed brick that is flat on one side, wrapped in foil and kept clean.

I've made good burgers at home, but this is a great burger. My dear wife put Grandma's cast iron skillet on the grill, kosher salt, lots of black pepper, extra sharp cheddar. and let 'er rip—no condiments required. If you plan to make this burger with any frequency (which I do), invest in a wood-handled cast iron burger press, like they use in the diner. You'll get a flatter, smashier burger with more crispy edges. Also great for cooking bacon.

Followed the advice in the comments to salt the cast iron pan and put the oil on the meat so there wasn’t so much smoke. Delicious!

People aren't kidding when they said it was a lot of smoke, especially if you do it in batches.

Just a little tip: I use my potato masher (sprayed with Pam) rather than a spatula. Works great!

Great recipe but a few suggestions:1. Make 2-2.5 oz balls instead of 4 oz. but put 2 per bun. These cook even faster2. You need more than a spatula to really flatten them. Worth buying a meat press3. Definitely need small piece of parchment paper but you can re-use for all the burgers.4. After flipping put raw onions and cheese on top of 1/2 the patties and then cover with a second patty. Time this well.5. Toast buns, add condiments and plate before cooking the meat, then transfer

Sam, Sam, you wonderful man! I have cooked these three times and even the picky kids ate them. I did, however, use bacon fat to cook them (too lazy to clean out the cast iron skillet after bacon for breakfast). They came out most awesome! I discovered leaving them as close to the edge of the skillet as I can gives you the nice crust, but still leaves them medium/medium rare (depending on which part of the skillet they are in) and still melted the cheese. Definitely going in the dinner rotation!

in the video, while cooking, a paper or small sheet of something is placed over the burger when it is smashed a second time. what is that sheet made of?

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

I like the advice, found elsewhere in NYT Cooking, to put a slice of lettuce under the burger rather than on top of it. This prevents to bottom bun from getting soggy.

These are perfectly crusty, juicy and super tasty! A few takeaways from the comments: took my cast iron griddle outside to the grill; sprinkled coarse salt on the griddle before adding the meat - amazingly kept the grease splatter down and most effective for me, pre-smashed the burgers between parchment sheets. Best burgers we have ever made at home - can’t wait to make them again!

I mix the meat with chopped onions and a little garlic before cooking.

Two more tips: put some thinly sliced raw onions on top of the burger once you smash it for the first time and then push down a little bit more, and then when you flip the burger, those onions will char really beautifully. Also definitely add coarse salt, freshly ground pepper and a little bit of garlic powder on both sides each time you smash.

Okay. Why not form the patties with hands??Newbie cook here.

God, these are good. Have become a Smashburger-At-Home convert in the last year. Don’t know what took me so long.

I've been making these things for the last two years ever since I discovered the eponymously name Facebook group. I will never make a burger any other way. Have a big old cast iron griddle that I bring out to the grill and have at it. Unless you have an industrial grade exhaust hood, I'd never try these inside.

What does it mean to gather the small piles of meat into "orbs"?