Exploring Flat-Top versus Outdoor Grilling Methods

I make smashburgers on steel frequently. They are bad ass and as soon as you attempt it in this manner, you'll never return. I invented the Baking Steel back in 2012 for pizza but truthfully, smashburgers may be the important things I cook on steel more than anything else these days. The work is getting your burger bar together: chopped pickles, onions, cheese, unique sauce.

Get your frying pan or steel ripping hot. You have to work fast. We're cooking these for 30-60 seconds per side, and you desire it screaming hot for that Maillard reaction, the sear that makes smashburgers legendary. I like to smash for friends. The majority of the time, they have actually currently had our Baking Steel pizza, and I like to blend up the menu.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I have actually made smash hamburgers on this thing that individuals still discuss. Smashburgers in the house are off the charts. Here's how I do it. More area equals more taste. Smashing the beef thin maximizes contact with the hot steel, setting off the Maillard response, the chemical procedure that produces that deep, mouthwatering, browned taste we all crave.

Your first hamburger and your fourth get the exact same incredible edge-to-edge crust without the temperature dropping. I 'd know my family has actually remained in the steel company for over 50 years at our shop in Hanover, MA. I understand this material, and I developed these frying pans specifically to resolve the heat retention issue that cast iron can't.

Making Restaurant-Quality Fries in Your Kitchen

Let it pre-heat for 10-15 minutes till it's ripping hot (around 500-550F). This is the same principle behind our pizza steels fill the steel with heat, and it does the work for you. Carefully divide the ground beef into 4 x 4 oz (115g) balls. Do not exhaust the meat; just form it into a loose ball.

Right away smash them very thin (about 1/4 inch) with a stiff spatula or press. To prevent sticking, you can put a small piece of parchment paper between the meat and the spatula. Season the smashed patties kindly with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Cook for 60-90 seconds. You'll see the edges turn a deep, crispy brown.

Use a bench scraper or stiff spatula to get under the patty, guaranteeing you scrape up all the crispy, browned bits. Turn it over. Right away put a slice of cheese on the flipped patty. Prepare for another 30-45 seconds to melt the cheese. Briefly toast your buns on a cooler part of the griddle for 15-20 seconds.

Advanced Flat-Top Strategies for Upcoming Summer Grilling

Cheese melting perfectly on the Mini Griddle Cast iron is the traditional choice for smashburgers, and it works. After testing both side-by-side for over a years, I changed to steel.

I understand how it shops and transfers heat in a way the majority of individuals never ever think about. Here's the distinction: That suggests it recovers temperature much faster between hamburgers.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Steel does not drop. You get the same screaming-hot crust on your very first burger and your fourth. It warms up quicker and disperses heat more uniformly. No hot areas, no cold spots. Just constant, edge-to-edge browning. No flavoring, no babying. Just cook, scrape, wipe tidy. I have actually tested cast iron, stainless-steel, and every griddle on the market.

Pre-heat the grill and steel for 15-20 minutes on high heat, then smash your hamburgers right on the steel. You get the very same incredible crust with the added advantage of outside cooking and that subtle smoky flavor from the grill.

Delicious Dinner Ideas for Summer 2026

They walk up expecting regular grilled burgers and rather they see me smashing patties on a slab of American-made steel on the grill. Perfect smash hamburgers made on the Baking Steel Original on an outdoor grill I created each of these for a specific use case.

It fits on a single burner and is perfect for households or burger night with pals. is compact and perfect for 1-2 burgers. It's terrific for little kitchens, apartment or condos, or solo cooking. Exact same heat retention, smaller footprint. is the one that began everything. Use it in the oven for pizza, or take it outdoors and location it on your grill for smashburgers, steaks, and more.