Homemade Smash Burgers - Hey Grill, Hey (2024)

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• 2 pounds 85/15 ground beef chuck. Aim for ground beef with 15% fat so the edges will have that signature crunch.
• 8 slices of American cheese. Yes, American. Nothing fancy here. We’re going for the classic restaurant flavor, and it’s gotta be American.
• 8 hamburger buns. Stay away from sesame topped buns. Grab a soft hamburger bun for that perfect melt-in-your-mouth burger bite.
• 1 yellow onion. Slice this onion nice and thin for a crisp crunch once it’s on the burger.
• ¼ cup clarified butter (aka ghee). This is the secret to making a good smash burger. No substitutions allowed here.
• Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub. My Beef Rub is an amazing salt and pepper-based rub that is great on beef. If you don’t have any of this awesome seasoning, you can also use equal parts kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.

• ¼ cup mayonnaise. This provides a nice, creamy base for the sauce.
• 3 dill pickles. Mince these nice and fine so they’ll incorporate into the sauce well. You can also use sweet pickles if you prefer a sweet pickle flavor.
• 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce. I used my Everything BBQ Sauce for this recipe, but you can use your favorite. Some ketchup-based Kansas City BBQ Sauce would taste great as well.

1. Turn on the griddle. I used my Camp Chef flat top griddle on medium-high heat for these smash burgers. This recipe is pretty versatile, so it can also be made on a 12-inch cast iron skillet or your stovetop.
2. Make the patties. Divide your meat into 8 even patties, about 1/4-pound each. Do not flatten, rather make them into loosely formed balls. The more you handle the meat, the chewier they get.
3. Make the burger sauce. Mix mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, and minced pickles together in a small bowl. Add more BBQ sauce as needed to get a nice, rosy pink-colored sauce.
4. Griddle the burgers. Place the clarified butter on the griddle or in the skillet. Place the onions on the griddle and cook until they are beginning to caramelize. Divide them into 8 piles. Place a burger patty/ball right on top of the onions, and use a flat spatula to smash the burgers flat.
5. Season the beef. Season the smashed burger with the beef seasoning or equal parts garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip the burgers, add one slice of cheese to each patty, and continue to grill until the burgers are cooked through and getting nice and crispy on the edges.
6. Toast the buns. Add more clarified butter to the griddle and place the buns cut side down. Brush the clarified butter on the top of the buns while they are grilling. Remove when they are nice and toasty but not burned.
7. Assemble the burgers. Place a dollop of burger sauce on the bottom bun, then top with the cheesy smashed burger patty and caramelized onions. Finish off with a buttery top bun.

Smash Burger Tips

If you do nothing more than follow the simple steps of the recipe, you’re going to get amazing burgers your family will love. But, I’ve got a few tips to help you take these smash burgers over the top:

• Don’t over-handle. The more you handle your beef, the tougher and chewier the burgers will be. Loosely shape the meat into balls and then let the spatula do the work of flattening them.
• Heavy metal. Use a stiff metal spatula or burger press to really press those burgers down onto the hot griddle. A plastic spatula won’t give you the same pressure and crispiness.
• Toast the buns. Toasting the buns in clarified butter on the griddle adds more flavor and helps keep them crisp, even with a juicy burger.