Blackstone Smash Burgers

Next time you’re craving a burger, don’t settle for anything less than the irresistible delight of Blackstone Smash Burgers. So easy to make and you can get creative with your toppings, experiment with different seasonings, and let your taste buds guide you to burger perfection.

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The Ultimate Guide to Blackstone Smash Burgers

Let’s talk burgers, more specifically smash burgers. Today’s post covers what a smash burger is, equipment, my recipe, as well as tips and tricks.

What is a Smash Burger?

Originating from the diners of the mid-20th century, smash burgers have a rich history rooted in the American culinary scene. These burgers are characterized by their thin, juicy patties and the irresistible crispy edges formed by smashing the meat onto a hot griddle or skillet. By applying pressure to the meat, the patty comes into direct contact with the cooking surface, allowing it to caramelize and develop an unmatched depth of flavor.

Personally I think about all of the burgers places in the Midwest growing up that have mastered the art of the smash burger and my mouth just begins to water. So after getting our own Blackstone grill I was absolutely pumped to get to work on my own smash burger recipe.

The secret to achieving the perfect crispy edges and golden brown patties lies in the smash but also how to you prep your meat. A lot of the burger has just has much to do with keeping to meat as loose and unworked as possible to get the perfect thinness and edges.

Now this recipe at its core doesn’t use a lot of ingredients or take much time but of course you take the basic smash burger and make it yours with any toppings and seasoning that you see fit. I personally love topping mine with Homemade Big Mac Sauce or Tomato Ketchup.

Lastly are you wanting to make smash burgers but don’t have a Blackstone or similar still flattop grill? No worries, you can easily make them with a sturdy cast iron pan on the stove top.

Equipment

To make a successful smash burger you do need a few special pieces of equipment, this equipment includes:

• Blackstone or other Flattop Grill: Flattop grills are amazing. I have a 4 burner Blackstone Grill and absolutely love it. Chances are if you are searching for a smash burger recipe you perhaps already have one. If not there are so many options on the market these days. I have even seen some grill companies starting to advertise flattops that can be swapped out for the grates to turn your grill you already have into a flattop.
• Burger Press: This is key. It is essentially a large heavy round press that you will use to smash the burgers. And while I really recommend buying a burger press if you plan on making smash burgers on a regular basis you can get aways by using a regular large spatula (with no holes), as long as you can press the burger thin enough. The nice thing is that burger presses are affordable, this Burger Press from Amazon is the one I use (affiliate link). I will note when shopping for burger presses, I tried to use one with grooves/ridges before I bought a smooth one and I thought the smooth one worked insanely better.
• Parchment Paper: While most kitchens have parchment paper I am adding this to the special equipment list just in case you don’t have some. The parchment paper is to place in between the press and burger to keep it from sticking.

ingredients

• Ground Beef – 80/20 fat ratio works best, this is what I would recommend using. Other ratios will work if that is all you have. Also a really weird but important tip about the ground beef, the beef needs to be as loose as possible so you cannot use the ground beef that comes in tightly wrapped plastic packages, this includes most grass feed beef. Grab any options where the meat is loosely packed, this is usually the variety that you will find on the foam trays.
• Unsalted Butter – You will want this cold, it will melt fast on the grill.
• Salt & Pepper – To taste, add it to the beef before it goes on to the flattop grill.
• Your Favorite Toppings and Buns

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

instructions

Preheat Flattop/Blackstone grill to medium-high heat.

Divide beef into 8 pieces, leave as loose as possible no need to roll into a ball. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide 4 tablespoons of butter into 8 pieces for the burgers. Have a few pieces of parchment paper ready that’s a few inches bigger than the burger press.

When you start this next step start a timer for 2 minutes just after you press your first burger. One burger at a time place a piece of butter down. Place a piece of ground beef on top the butter, place the parchment paper over top and use the burger press to press the burger down hard. I usually count to 10 as I press so I know I pressed it hard enough. Release and quickly do the next burger until they are all in the grill.

Let the burgers cook 2 minutes from when they first hit the grill, so make sure you remember the order you placed the burgers and then flip in the cooking order, don’t press the burgers down you’ll loose juices.

Let the burgers cook another 2 minutes after they are flipped. If you are using cheese place it on top the last minute of cooking. Remove the burgers promptly to a plate. Serve while still hot.

Optional: To toast the buns. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the flattop and swirl around. Press the open side of the buns into the butter and cook 1-2 minutes. 

Serving Suggestions

• For a Cheeseburger make sure to add cheese to the top of the burger during the last minute of cooking. For a true smash burger that you would get at a diner I am going to recommend using American Cheese, yes really the cheese that is bright yellow. Now if you aren’t wanting to use American you can use whatever you like, cheddar is usually a pretty solid choice.
• Make it a Double or Single, this is really personal preference. It can also dictate how much you want to make. The recipe as written makes 8 patties so it could serve between 4 to 8 people depending on single or double burger preference. You can also always just make 1 pound which makes 4 patties to serve less.
• Get creative with toppings and seasonings. You can add seasoning to the beef at the same time you add the salt and pepper so get some extra flavor! Same with toppings, you can go classic with toppings like lettuce, tomato, pickles, tomato, onions, ketchup, and mayo. You can also go crazy and with toppings like barbecue sauce, fried onions, or blue cheese! Turn your smash burgers into a delicious Cowboy Burger, the opportunities are endless.
• Add Big Mac Sauce! My absolute favorite way to serve these burgers is with my Homemade Big Mac Sauce Recipe.

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