Ever wonder how your favorite restaurant’s hamburger isn’t made over an open grill like you do at home? How do chef’s pull off such delicious food inside of the kitchen space on a stovetop without any need for the grill marks you’re accustomed to?

Check out this Smashburger recipe and have all your cuisine curiosities resolved. This combination of high heat, ground beef, flick of the wrist and downward pressure will both educate your mind and expand your repertoire. Using fresh tomatoes and red onions, you can begin to understand the broader workings of the world one bite at a time as you embrace the inherent ingenuity.

So rather than go low and slow on the grill, let’s turn the heat up and put some sizzle back in our dinnertime. Enjoy this cast iron induced sensory overload and make a Smashburger for yourself and your friends.

Y’all be good. Let’s get supper on the table.

Grocery List	Recipe Quantity (2 people)*
1 Pack of Hamburger Buns (6 Buns)	2 hamburger buns
1 Tomato	2 Slices (1/4″)
1 Red Onion	2 Slices (1/4″)
1 lb of 90/10 Ground Beef	Split into thirds and rolled into balls
1 Pack of Sliced Cheddar Cheese	2 Slices
Salt and Pepper	Season To taste
6 Pack of Beer	1-2 Beers

*This recipe is easily scalable to 4-6 people. It requires one more package of ground beef, one additional tomato, and one additional onion. The cooking process is the same.

COMMANDMENTS

CAST IRON COMMANDMENTS  https://castironsoul.com/cast-iron-cooking-ethos/

Commandment #12 – Learn the stages of cast iron heat.

Temperature	Oil	Butter	Food Types
Low	Drizzled	Melted	Vegetables and Breads
Medium	Shimmering	Browning	White Meats, Starches
High	Smoking	Frothy	Red Meat

Commandment #16 -Salt, pepper, olive oil, and heat is plenty for most dishes. Don’t hide the flavor of the ingredient under layers of seasoning. Just cook it well.

Commandment #24 – Let food share the same skillet. It helps blend the flavors together.

Cookware: 12″ Carbon Steel skillet.

Do you ever feel stuck sometimes, needing a change? I’ve been cooking with cast iron for years now, and was given this Carbon Steel skillet as a gift recently. It’s an awesome piece of cookware that gets really hot, really fast, perfect for tacos, hamburgers, or other meat-bread combinations. So if you’re feeling like like you might just need a change to spark some creativity again, give this skillet a chance. I’m sure it will quickly become a favorite to use just like it has for me.

HOLD MY BEER – PREPARATION

Pull out the hamburger buns and separate the tops from the bottoms.

Remove the skin from the onion and slice into 1/4″ circular pieces.

Cut the tomato into quarter inch slices. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Remove the ground beef from the packaging and pat dry. Using your hands, split up into equal thirds and roll the ground beef into individual balls. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Wash your hands thoroughly after that. Crack open that first beer.

Set the ingredients organized on a flat tray and set to the side.

LIGHT THIS CANDLE- START COOKIN’

Place the 12″ skillet (or other flat surface cookware such as a Cook-It-All) on the stove and turn the heat up to 5. Drizzle 1 TBS of olive oil in the pan and let is spread as the skillet heats. Place the buns in face down, press down with the spatula, and cook for 2-4 minutes.

Flip the buns over. There should be crisp edge like in the photo above. Press down with the spatula, and let cook for another 2-4 minutes (the skillet should be hot by now, so watch our or they will burn). Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Place the onion slices in the skillet and let cook for 2-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and place aside.

Wipe the skillet clean and drizzle 1TBS of olive oil. Wait until the oil spreads and starts smoking.

Once oil is smoking, throw (use some force!) the ball of meat onto the skillet. There should be an instant sizzle. Press down hard with the spatula to flatten into a hamburger patty (this is the “smash” in smash burger”). Keep the patty in the same spot and intermittently press down to push the fats out. Cook for 3-5 minutes (or until bottom side is visually browned). Season with more salt and pepper.

*TIP – keeping the hamburger patty in the same spot helps cook this thoroughly.

Flip the patties over and repeat the process. Press down on the spatula to push out the fats. Season with more salt and pepper. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Flip the patties over one more time. Turn the stovetop off and place a lid on the skillet to “bake” the meat for another 3-5 minutes. This should cook the meat to an internal “medium” range.

To cook the meat beyond medium, continue to “bake” the hamburger at a low heat until cooked thoroughly.

Remove the lid and place the cheese slices on top of the patties. Reminder – the stove is still off and the skillet is cooling but has some residual heat.

Place all ingredients back in the skillet and build the hamburger in the following order:

• 1. Bottom hamburger bun
• 2. Onion Slice
• 3. Beef Patty with cheese
• 4. Tomato slice
• 5. Top hamburger bun

Press down on the top bun to combine the flavors.

Congratulations on expanding your horizons and creating a delicious meal. No need to scrape off the grill. Enjoy the Smashburger!

SMASHBURGERS

Serves 2* Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

*This recipe is easily scalable with one more pound of ground beef, one additional tomato, and one additional onion. Just cook everything in the same order at a larger quantity.

**To cook beyond medium, continue to “bake” the meat with a lid on the skillet at a low temperature until done.

1. Separate the top and bottom of the hamburger buns. Cut both the onion and tomato into 1/4″ slices.
2. Remove the ground beef from packaging, pat dry, and divide up into 1/3 pound sections. Roll these into balls and season with salt and pepper.
3. Wash your hands, and crack open that first beer.
4. Place the 12″ skillet on the stove and turn the heat up to 5. Place 1TBS of olive oil in and let it spread as the skillet heats.
5. Place the hamburger buns in face down. Let cook for 2-4 minutes or until beginning to crisp. Flip the buns over and let cook for another 2-4 mins. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
6. Place the onion slices in the skillet and let cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once slightly browned, remove from skillet and set aside.
7. Wipe skillet clean and place in 1TBS of olive oil. Let oil spread until it starts to smoke.
8. Throw the balls of meat onto the skillet and “smash” down with the spatula to flatten into a patty. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes while occasionally smashing down.
9. Flip patties over and “smash” down with the spatula. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, “smashing” throughout.
10. Flip patties over again and turn the stove off. Place a lid on the skillet to “bake” the meat through for another 3-5 minutes. This should achieve a “medium” temperature range. **
11. Remove the lid and place the cheese slices on top of the patties.
12. Place all of the ingredients back in the skillet and build the hamburger in the following order
    • Bottom hamburger bun
    • Onion Slice
    • Beef Patty with Cheese
    • Tomato Slice
    • Top Hamburger Bun
13. Press down on the top hamburger bun to combine the flavors.
14. Pat yourself on the back for a fun and delicious dinner.