Smashed Burger with Sweet and Red Onion, Bacon, American & Cheddar Cheese
Start by prep the bacon:
Figure 3 oz. uncooked bacon per pound. Cut the bacon into lardons and then cook bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until lightly browned in spots but still pink (do not cook until crispy), about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate and let cool completely. Process the bacon in a food processor into small bits, three or four pulses and scrape down the sides of bowl.
You will need a larger heavy spatula or meat press as burgers will stick to a slotted spatula
Smash Burger Secret Sauce
YIELD: 1/3 cup – good to multiply if needed
ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 teaspoons spicy pickle juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Preparation
Stir all ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste. Place in squeeze bottle if you have one to make burger assembly faster.
Smashed Burger with Sweet and Red Onion, Bacon, American & Cheddar Cheese
Servings: 4 People- 2 - 2oz. burgers total of 8
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb / each good, fresh ground beef and ground sirloin mix 1 medium sweet onion, about a ½ lb cut into chunks 1 medium red onion about a ½ lb cut into chunks
- 4 slices / good American cheese not wrapped in plastic, cut each slice into quarters and separated into stacks of two pieces. Sharpe Cheddar makes a nice addition so prepare accordingly.
- 8 slider size / Hawaiian or similar buns, split and toasted if you care to.
- Butter & olive oil for griddle, oil will keep butter from burning
- Mount Olive Hamburger Dill Chips pickles
- Kosher salt
Instructions:
- Heat a griddle to high
- Place cooked bacon in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to get uniform size. Add the chopped onions and process with the bacon to a uniform small size. Processing the onions with the beef adds to juiciness of the burger, trust me.
- Place meat in large bowl and add the chopped onion and bacon mixture. Add a good four finger pinch of Kosher salt and mix gently with your hands making sure the onion is incorporated evenly in the meat and. Place a small portion of the meat mixture on the griddle and smash to fry so you can do a taste to check the mix and salt if needed.
- Using a 2oz. ice cream scoop/a kitchen scale, gently form meat into 8 -2 ounce balls and set aside on a rimmed pan while the griddle heats. Have your cheese slices ready with your meatballs and have the buns open and on a tray ready for placement.
- Turn exhaust fan to high and wearing an apron, butter or oil the griddle, then depending on the size of your griddle or cast iron pan place 4-6 meat balls on cooking surface allowing room for smashing and flipping.
- Using a heavy duty, solid spatula, smash the balls, flattening them completely and allow the beef and onions to griddle away in their own fat/onion mixture for two minutes or so.
- Flip the patties and then top each with the small squares of American/Cheddar cheese. Now would be the time to toss a couple of buns down on the grill if you want them toasted, so that they can absorb all the steam and fat from the grill or not.
- Cook burgers for another two minutes, remove buns and spread a tablespoon or good squirt of “Secret Sauce”, if using, on the bottom half of the bun then a patty and two or three pickle chips. I strongly suggest you serve the burger with only the sauce or plain, no ketchup, mayo or mustard, you’ll taste why.