The Ultimate Onion Smashburger

Ingredients

• 4 oz Ground beef (80/20 blend preferred, rolled into a loose ball)
• 0.25 Yellow onion (very thinly sliced, almost translucent)
• 1 Hamburger bun (brioche or potato bun)
• 1 slice American cheese
• Salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp Neutral oil or butter (for the griddle)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat a flat-top griddle or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Lightly grease with a small amount of oil or butter.

2. 2

   Place the loose ball of ground beef onto the hot griddle.

3. 3

   Immediately place a generous handful of thinly sliced onions directly on top of the beef ball.

4. 4

   Using a heavy-duty burger press or a large spatula, press down firmly on the onions and beef until the patty is very thin and the onions are embedded into the meat.

5. 5

   Season the top of the smashed patty with salt and black pepper to taste.

6. 6

   Cook for approximately 2 minutes until the bottom has developed a deep, dark brown crust.

7. 7

   Flip the patty so the onion side is now facing down against the griddle.

8. 8

   Place a slice of American cheese on top of the meat.

9. 9

   Place the top bun over the cheese-covered patty and the bottom bun (cut side down) on top of the top bun. This allows the buns to steam and warm through from the heat of the burger and onions.

10. 10

    Once the onions are caramelized and charred (about 1-2 minutes) and the cheese is melted, remove the burger from the heat and assemble.

Notes

The key to a great smashburger is a very hot surface and not over-handling the meat before it hits the griddle. Thinly slicing the onions is crucial so they soften and char quickly without burning the meat.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• burger
• grilling
• lunch
• dinner
• comfort food
• beef