Smash Burgers 251 - How Tom Ryan, SmashBurger restaurant chain founder, makes smash burgers. (Note: at 1’ 20” Ryan says that their spatulas are sharpened every day.) https://youtu.be/8E__VJM_AUw
Blackstone smash burger press. Pricey at $30, but it’s a robust SS utensil (see 2nd photo) similar to the one seen in the Tom Ryan video immediately above. Weight: 18 oz Depth: 0.363” (sets patty thickness) Outside diameter: 6-3/16” Not strictly necessary (you could use a large stiff spatula instead), but it makes patties with consistent thickness and flat, parallel surfaces. And forces the patty hard against the cooking surface for a consistently crusty patty. Like Ryan, I put a sheet of parchment paper over the ball of ground beef before smashing it. www.blackstoneproducts.com/pro...ss-sear-burger-tool/
Cooking utensil: your choice. My choice is a 10” round iron cooktop griddle. Its low rim makes it easy to get my sharpened spatula under the patty at a shallow angle to keep the crusty bits on the burger. And plenty of space to toast both halves of a small smash burger size bun in the drippings.
Beef: 22% fat. A 5 oz patty is just right.
Buns: A smallish bun that doesn’t overwhelm the 5 oz patty. Shake Shack uses Martin’s Potato buns for their smash burgers, but those aren’t available in my area, and Oroweat Potato buns are huge, so I use the Ballpark burger buns.
A 5 oz. Burger? Do I order off of the kids' menu or what?
And what's the gist here? You squeeze the burger down on the grill? Don't you lose all the juices that way?
~Alan Acta Non Verba NRA Life Member (Patron) God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
April 19, 2019, 01:21 PM
PASig
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
And what's the gist here? You squeeze the burger down on the grill? Don't you lose all the juices that way?
You smash the raw burger ball down on the griddle, then you don't eff with it.
April 19, 2019, 01:22 PM
Pipe Smoker
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé: A 5 oz. Burger? Do I order off of the kids' menu or what?
And what's the gist here? You squeeze the burger down on the grill? Don't you lose all the juices that way?
Watch the video in the first link. You don’t press the burger on a grill. You press it onto a fry pan or griddle. That seals the patty so you don’t lose the juices! The second video makes the same point.
And you can make two if one isn’t enough!
Serious about crackers
April 19, 2019, 01:29 PM
Balzé Halzé
Ah, I see. Sounds much more appetizing.
And yeah, I'll slap down three of those patties and be good to go.
~Alan Acta Non Verba NRA Life Member (Patron) God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
April 20, 2019, 10:34 AM
Pipe Smoker
BamaJeepster:
“After trying smashburgers it's now the only way the family will allow me to make them. They are great.
Cast iron skillet or griddle 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef Divide into number of burgers you want with minimal handling, you want rough edges - not smooth balls or patties Salt and pepper Get cast iron really hot - use vegetable oil, it has a high smoke point Place meat on surface and smash with burger press or spatula, get as flat as possible Flip and put American cheese slice on top Should have crispy edges Remove and serve
Best burgers ever - I'll never go back to making fat patties or mini meatloafs as I now refer to them.”