When SWMBO calls and asks for Smashburgers.....

dldawes1

Donnie cooks Smashburgers !!!!


I love my wife....she always knows exactly what I need....any excuse to fire up the egg !!!!

Sorry for posting a pic with no fork.....

A great desert for the Queen City Franks earlier !!!     Shhhhh !

Hub

Six months ago I had never heard of a smash burger.  I didn't even know what it was.  Now, smash burgers are in my top five favorite foods of all time.  I'd eat them every night if it didn't require me to buy bigger pants!!
 

dldawes1

Sweatpants are the trick !!!!

I get a lot of compliments on losing weight....Nope, just bought bigger clothes !!!

Jstroke

Looking good Donnie, smart man right there--SWMBO gave a direct request. 

XLentEGG

This whole smash burger thing is going to be my reason to get that 17 inch Lodge that I have my eye on ! NICE BURGERS :-)

dldawes1

I've got a 20" skillet, but I've only used the 14" griddle for SBs so far.

I still want to get one with a grease resevoir in the front.

Carolina Q

Weber... 1/4" steel plate... plasterer's trowel = SMASHBURGERS!!

dldawes1

Just let the grease fuel the egg !!!!  That's basically what I do !!

Jstroke

LOL--turbo

Legally Blind Egghead

I have NEVER tried smashed burgers yet and have been Eggin for years! 

I just stripped and re-seasoned my 10" cast iron skillet and plan on trying it soon.

What is the best method:

*Burger ball size, burger/fat ratio(73/27 or 80/20), dome temp?

I've read Smash for 2-10 seconds, sear 2 minutes, flip, sear for 2 minutes and add cheese and cover 1 more minute?

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated as I don't think I want to slow roast "mini meatloaves" on buns anymore.

JohnnyTarheel

Man those burgers look good... I'd smash um!!!

Carolina Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBHZBTXDBW4

Carolina Q

@Legally Blind Egghead, the "standard" size meatball at the Smashburger franchise joints is 1/3 lb. They also sell a 1/2 lb burger and a smaller one (I assume 1/4 lb, but not sure).  

Hub

Yep.  That video is absolutely spot on!! Although he didn't add the cheese and cover it with the melting dome.

bgebrent

Great looking burgers Donnie, thing a Blackstone is in your future...

dldawes1

Legally Blind Egghead ....Carolina Q 's video is my method of choice. I watched several Youtube videos which pretty much followed the same example. 

Smash for 10 seconds, flip after 2-3 minutes, then it should be ready for cheese within a couple of minutes. 

CI griddle temp around 450F for me.    

They are awesome !!

bgebrent ...Yes, Yes, Yes on the Blackstone !!

Nole_Fan

Plan on doing this very soon.  Have the half moon BGE skillet and a few large Lodge skillets. 

Stupid question though, but do you put anything on the skillet first?  Oil?  Butter?

Do you close the BGE dome to let cook for the 2-3 minutes a side, or keep it open?

gtcharlie

Those look great.  Can't wait to try this weekend.  Which cast iron pan is that?  And do you find that it is so shallow that the grease flows over the sides?  If so are there any deeper pizza pans out there?

dldawes1

Nole_Fan...I use butter on griddle.  Keep egg open throughout cook. It only takes about 4 min to cook a burger. Smash for 10 seconds, flip after 2 minutes. (@450F).

I just put griddle in egg closed until dome reached 450, then opened, buttered griddle, and smashed.

gtcharlie...it is just a Lodge 14" griddle. I use 80/20 meat....works good for me !

Carolina Q

Nole_Fan said:

...do you put anything on the skillet first?  Oil?  Butter?

There are several videos with the Smashburger guy doing the demo. He puts butter on the griddle first. He mentioned it here and you can see the tub next to the flattop.

gtcharlie said:

And do you find that it is so shallow that the grease flows over the sides? 

There is very little grease. I have done these on a commercial flattop, a piece of steel on a grill and in a CI griddle on a stovetop. Never any excess grease.

TN_Sister_State

Now I'm going to have to try this with my favorite cast iron piece in the back left. 

Carolina Q

Carolina Q said:

Nole_Fan said:

...do you put anything on the skillet first?  Oil?  Butter?

There are several videos with the Smashburger guy doing the demo. He puts butter on the griddle first. He mentioned it here and you can see the tub next to the flattop.

gtcharlie said:

And do you find that it is so shallow that the grease flows over the sides? 

There is very little grease. I have done these on a commercial flattop, a piece of steel on a grill and in a CI griddle on a stovetop. Never any excess grease.

@Nole_Fan, @gtcharlie, found another video that illustrates a bit better...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEiyHCxqofg

FarmerTom

Hub said:

Six months ago I had never heard of a smash burger.  I didn't even know what it was.  Now, smash burgers are in my top five favorite foods of all time.  I'd eat them every night if it didn't require me to buy bigger pants!!
 

I'm like you.  Not sure who's post on here got me started, but I owe someone a debt of gratitude.  It's the only way I do them now.  SWMBO wants them no other way.  I finally broke down and got that Lodge 17" griddle.  I can easily get 6 on at a time.  The only problem I have with them is once I start the smashing, I am in constant motion until finished, especially if doing more than one batch.  Not much time for refreshments.

dstearn

dldawes1 said:

Donnie cooks Smashburgers !!!!


I love my wife....she always knows exactly what I need....any excuse to fire up the egg !!!!

Sorry for posting a pic with no fork.....

A great desert for the Queen City Franks earlier !!!     Shhhhh !

Did you press them on the CI Pan with paper and a press?

dldawes1

dstearn ..I have a video on FaceBook. I can't figure out how to post videos here.

I make the ball, grab it with a piece of wax paper, layit on the griddle (with wax paper laying on top of it), use my largest spatula to begin the smash, then use a meat press to smash it on down. Hold for 10 seconds, then after 2 minutes, flip and wait 2 minutes, then throw the cheese on. 

The 2 minutes is an average time....you can see the grease cooking up through the burger when it is getting done on that side.  Thicker Smashburgers require longer cooking. 

I like the 1/3 lb balls of beef...they should require about 2 minutes.

Hope that helped answer your question.  The videos pretty much explain it all.

Legally Blind Egghead

Okay how far down do you press ?  Do I need a special press and if so where do I get it?  I heard somene say use a Plaster trowel?

Lastly I just acquired some beautiful Lodge skitlets and am seasoning now.  The largest one is 15" with handle which does NOT allow me to close lid on LBGE.  Can't I just angle it in Egg to bring up to temp (450) then use on a raised grid and just cook with lid open?  Process should only take about 4-5 minutes and I should be able to fit about 4-6 1/3lb burgers.

dldawes1

dldawes1 said:

dstearn ..I have a video on FaceBook. I can't figure out how to post videos here.

I make the ball, grab it with a piece of wax paper, layit on the griddle (with wax paper laying on top of it), use my largest spatula to begin the smash, then use a meat press to smash it on down. Hold for 10 seconds, then after 2 minutes, flip and wait 2 minutes, then throw the cheese on. 

The 2 minutes is an average time....you can see the grease cooking up through the burger when it is getting done on that side.  Thicker Smashburgers require longer cooking. 

I like the 1/3 lb balls of beef...they should require about 2 minutes.

Hope that helped answer your question.  The videos pretty much explain it all.

Legally Blind Egghead  Yep leave the egg open. No special tools required. A plaster trial will work. Press down with one smash until it don't smash no more !! And hold for 10 seconds while it sears.

Carolina Q

The real deal is 1/2" thick. Use a spatula and fake it.

Powak

FarmerTom said:

Hub said:

Six months ago I had never heard of a smash burger.  I didn't even know what it was.  Now, smash burgers are in my top five favorite foods of all time.  I'd eat them every night if it didn't require me to buy bigger pants!!
 

I'm like you.  Not sure who's post on here got me started, but I owe someone a debt of gratitude.  It's the only way I do them now.  SWMBO wants them no other way.  I finally broke down and got that Lodge 17" griddle.  I can easily get 6 on at a time.  The only problem I have with them is once I start the smashing, I am in constant motion until finished, especially if doing more than one batch.  Not much time for refreshments.

Does the 17" fit I the LGBGE?

FarmerTom

I'm using the Lodge griddle on an XL. I don't know how it would fit on a L 

SmokeyPitt

Powak said:

FarmerTom said:

Hub said:

Six months ago I had never heard of a smash burger.  I didn't even know what it was.  Now, smash burgers are in my top five favorite foods of all time.  I'd eat them every night if it didn't require me to buy bigger pants!!
 

I'm like you.  Not sure who's post on here got me started, but I owe someone a debt of gratitude.  It's the only way I do them now.  SWMBO wants them no other way.  I finally broke down and got that Lodge 17" griddle.  I can easily get 6 on at a time.  The only problem I have with them is once I start the smashing, I am in constant motion until finished, especially if doing more than one batch.  Not much time for refreshments.

Does the 17" fit I the LGBGE?

@Powak if I recall correctly the 17 inch doesn't quite fit on the large.  Someone got it and had to cut off about 1/4 inch of the handles to get the dome to close.  Assuming we are talking about this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L17SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-17-inch/dp/B00063RWVG

For about the same price one of these will fit on a large egg:
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Griddle-Kettle-Q-KQ17R-Grills/dp/B003VGM012/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1469802115&sr=1-1&keywords=kettle+q

If you are looking to do smashburgers I think I would rather have the little griddle.  The open front doesn't get in the way of the spatula.