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Double smash burger
Two crusty, lacy-edged beef patties with American cheese and burger sauce
A double cheeseburger made from thin beef patties smashed flat onto a very hot cast-iron pan, stacked with melted American cheese, pickles and onion on a toasted potato bun. Smashing loose balls of cold 20%-fat mince in the first seconds maximises contact with the pan, giving a deep brown crust while the thin patty cooks through to 71 °C in about 3 minutes.
- Energy
- 896 kcalper serving
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Protein
- 40 g
How was it?
Equipment
- Cast-iron pan (30 cm) or flat griddle plate
- Stiff, wide metal spatula (burger smasher or sturdy fish slice)
- Second spatula or heavy pan base, to press
- Baking paper squares (12 cm)
- Instant-read thermometer
- Small bowl and kitchen scale
Before you start
- Weigh the mince into 8 loose balls of 75 g each; do not knead or pack them. Keep them on a plate in the fridge.
- Cut 8 squares of baking paper for smashing.
- Dice the onion very finely and pat the pickle slices dry.
- Open the window or turn on the extractor: the pan will smoke.
Method
-
Make the sauce
80 g mayonnaise30 g tomato ketchup15 g yellow mustard20 g dill pickles, finely chopped½ tsp smoked paprika½ tsp garlic powderStir the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, chopped pickle with its brine, smoked paprika and garlic powder together in a small bowl. Chill until needed.
Done when The sauce is an even salmon-pink colour, with flecks of pickle and no streaks of white mayonnaise.
Tip Make it at least 15 minutes ahead; the garlic powder needs time to hydrate and lose its dusty taste.
-
Keep the beef cold
600 g beef mince, 20% fatCheck the 8 balls of mince are loose and well chilled. Leave them in the fridge until the pan is hot.
Done when The balls feel cold to the touch and still show the texture of the mince strands, not a smooth packed surface.
Tip Cold fat smashes into lacy edges; warm, packed mince sticks to the spatula and cooks into a dense disc.
-
Prepare the onion
120 g white onionRinse the diced onion in a sieve under cold water, then shake it dry on kitchen paper.
Done when The onion smells fresh rather than sharp and sulphurous, and the pieces are separate and dry.
-
Toast the buns
4 potato buns15 g butterSpread the butter on the cut sides of the buns. Toast them cut-side down in the pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, then set aside.
Done when The cut faces are evenly golden and crisp, and smell of browned butter.
Tip Toasted buns stay crisp under the sauce and juices instead of turning soggy.
-
Heat the pan very hot
1 tsp neutral oilWipe the pan clean, add the oil and spread it to a thin film with kitchen paper. Heat over high heat for 5 minutes, to about 230 °C on the surface.
Done when The oil shimmers and gives off the first wisps of smoke; a drop of water vaporises instantly.
230 °C · 446 °F -
Smash the patties
600 g beef mince, 20% fatPlace 4 balls of mince in the pan, well apart. Immediately cover each with a square of baking paper and press down hard with the spatula, using the second spatula on top for force, until each patty is about 5 mm thick.
Done when The patties sizzle loudly and spread into thin, ragged discs about 11–12 cm wide with lacy edges.
Tip Smash within the first 10 seconds and only once. Pressing later squeezes out the juice and tears the crust.
230 °C · 446 °F -
Season and sear
4 g fine salt½ tsp black pepperPeel off the paper and season the patties with half of the salt and pepper. Sear over high heat for 2 minutes without moving them.
Done when The edges are dark brown and crisp, and the top is turning from red to grey around the outside.
230 °C · 446 °F -
Flip and add cheese
8 slices American cheese slicesSlide the spatula flat under each patty, scraping hard to keep all the crust, and flip. Lay a slice of cheese on each patty and cook for 30–60 seconds over high heat.
Done when The cheese drapes and melts over the edges, the underside is cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 71 °C.
Tip Minced beef must reach 71 °C. Thin patties get there fast, so check the first one and then trust the timing.
230 °C · 446 °F -
Stack and repeat
Stack one cheesed patty on top of another to make 2 doubles and move them onto the bottom buns. Wipe the pan, heat it for 1 minute and repeat steps 6–8 with the remaining 4 balls and the rest of the salt and pepper.
Done when The top layer of cheese melts into the patty below and glues the stack together.
-
Assemble and serve
4 potato buns120 g white onion60 g dill pickle slicesSpread the sauce on the top buns. Top each double stack with onion and pickle slices, close the burger and press lightly.
Done when The cheese oozes just past the edge of the patties and the bun holds its shape without collapsing.
Common mistakes
The patties steam and turn grey with no crust.
Fix The pan was not hot enough or too crowded. Preheat the cast iron on high for a full 5 minutes and cook no more than 4 patties at a time.
The mince sticks to the spatula when smashing.
Fix Always smash through a square of baking paper, and use cold, loosely formed balls.
The crust stays stuck to the pan when flipping.
Fix Use a stiff, sharp-edged spatula held almost flat and scrape firmly under the patty in one movement.
Dry, crumbly patties.
Fix The mince was too lean or was pressed again after the first smash. Use 20% fat and smash only once.
Serving
Serve immediately, wrapped halfway in baking paper so the juices stay inside. Classic sides are French fries or a sharp coleslaw.
Storage and reheating
Best eaten straight away. Cooked patties keep 1 day in the fridge, covered; reheat in a hot dry pan for 1 minute per side until piping hot. The sauce keeps 5 days in the fridge in a closed jar.
Make ahead
Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead. Portion the mince into balls up to 1 day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge.
Variations
Oklahoma onion burger
Before smashing, put a small handful of paper-thin sliced onion on top of each ball and smash the onion into the meat. Flip after 2 minutes so the onion caramelises on the pan.
Single smash
Use 4 balls of 110 g, smashed to about 8 mm, and sear 2½ minutes on the first side. Check for 71 °C before serving.
Vegetarian
Use 8 balls of 75 g of a firm plant-based mince made for burgers, chilled. Smash and cook as above, about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the second, until well browned.
