CrustyCrab
Recipes

American80/20 ground beef

Cast Iron Smash Burgers

Thin, crispy-edged patties smashed hard in a ripping-hot cast iron pan and stacked on butter-toasted buns with American cheese.

Calories
560kcal
Protein
28g
Carbs
30g
Fat
37g
Total time
20min
Servings
4

Nutrition is per serving.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
  • 4 soft burger buns
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp butter, for toasting the buns

Steps

  1. Portion the beef. Divide the beef into 4 loose balls. Don’t pack them tight; a loose ball smashes flatter and crispier.
  2. Heat the pan. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high with the oil until it just starts to smoke, about 3 minutes.
  3. Toast the buns. Melt the butter in the pan and toast the cut sides of the buns until golden. Set aside.
  4. Smash. Drop in a ball of beef and smash it flat with a sturdy spatula, pressing hard for about 10 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat, working in batches so you don’t crowd the pan.
  5. Sear and flip. Cook undisturbed until deeply browned and crispy at the edges, 2–3 minutes. Flip, top with a slice of cheese and a pile of onion, and cook 1 minute more.
  6. Build. Stack on the toasted buns and serve right away.

Notes

  • Loose beef and a very hot pan are the whole technique.
  • Double stacks: make 8 smaller smashes instead of 4 and stack two per bun.
  • Raw onion: skip cooking the onion on the patty and add raw slices on top if you’d rather keep it fast.