Smash burger on the BBQ or plancha — technique & recipe | The Rub Kitchen

To make a smash burger, press a loosely formed ball of minced beef thinly onto a hot cooking surface right at the start of cooking. The large contact area helps form a brown crust. With cold meat, suitable tools and controlled heat, you can make this American burger style on a plancha or in a suitable pan on the BBQ.

What is a smash burger?

Unlike a thick, pre-shaped burger, the meat is flattened on the cooking surface. The patty becomes thin, often only a few millimetres thick. Direct contact can produce a pronounced Maillard crust. Juiciness is not guaranteed: fat content, thickness and when you stop cooking all matter.

The style has a long history in American diners and burger restaurants. You do not need a single inventor or an exact starting year to use the technique well.

Choosing minced beef

  • Fat content: around 20% fat is a common starting point, not a compulsory minimum. More fat is not automatically better; choose according to taste and cooking method.
  • Grinding: use fresh minced meat from a reliable supplier. Coarser or home-minced meat is not necessarily better or safer.
  • Portion: 80–90 grams per ball is a practical choice. For a double burger, use two balls, for example.
  • Keep it cold: shape loosely, avoid unnecessary kneading and refrigerate covered until cooking.

Making smash burgers: step by step

  1. Heat the surface: use a suitable plancha or heavy pan and follow the temperature limits for the plate, coating, handles and barbecue. Maximum heat or a standard 250–280°C is not a universal requirement. A drop of water is not an accurate temperature measurement.
  2. Use a little oil if needed: a very thin film of suitable oil may help, depending on the surface and fat content. Avoid a pool of oil.
  3. Place and immediately flatten: put a cold ball of mince on the surface and press it thin within the first few seconds using a sturdy, suitable spatula or burger press. Keep your hands away from splattering fat.
  4. Season lightly: sprinkle salt and pepper or a small amount of rub over the top. A thick coating can burn.
  5. Let it brown: allow the underside to form a crust. Around 90 seconds to 2 minutes may be a guide, but judge by colour and heat. Loosen the patty with suitable tools, keeping the crust attached.
  6. Flip and add cheese if wanted: cook the other side and ensure the burger is fully cooked through. Another 60 seconds is not a universal guarantee of doneness.
  7. Do not press again: repeatedly pressing during the rest of cooking can squeeze moisture and fat out of the burger.
  8. Stack: for a double burger, cook both patties through separately before stacking.

Doneness and safe handling

Minced meat is not an intact steak: bacteria can be distributed throughout the product. Cook ordinary minced-meat burgers all the way through according to appropriate product instructions. Use a clean, thin temperature probe and insert it from the side into the centre of a thin burger. A brown crust or melted cheese does not prove it is safely cooked.

Keep raw mince separate from ready-to-serve foods. Use clean tools and a clean dish for cooked meat. Toasting buns in fat still in contact with raw meat is not a good standard practice; use a clean zone or a separate pan.

BBQ rub on a smash burger

Salt and pepper make a simple base. For a different flavour, add a thin layer of rub after flattening. That side meets the hot metal when you flip the patty, so watch for darkening spices and sugar.

You can also mix rub into the mince, but salt and kneading can produce a firmer texture. For a loosely textured smash burger, seasoning only the outside is a practical choice.

Check current ingredients, salt and allergens on the packaging. A rub does not automatically make a dish a traditional regional preparation.

Buns and toppings

A soft, lightly toasted bun, such as brioche or a potato roll, works well with a thin patty. Other buns work too; choose a size that does not overwhelm the burger.

  • A cheese of your choice that melts well.
  • Thinly sliced onion, raw or cooked separately.
  • Pickles for a tangy accent.
  • Burger sauce made with ingredients such as mayo, ketchup, mustard and relish.
  • Iceberg lettuce for freshness and crunch.

Use a suitable cooking dome to melt the cheese if wanted. Not every bowl or lid can withstand the heat; watch out for hot handles and steam.

On the BBQ without a plancha

A cast-iron pan or flat griddle suitable for the BBQ can work too. Check that the entire item, including its handles, is suitable. Heat it in a controlled way, rather than automatically using the barbecue's maximum temperature. Flat contact with the meat is the same principle, but heat distribution and results can vary between pans.

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