In Praise of Smash Burgers
In the burger kingdom, there are many contenders for the crown, and folks get passionate about the right way to sizzle up a patty.
For many, if it’s not grilled, it’s a no-go. For others, it’s gotta be done on a Double Burner Griddle or flattop-style surface. Some like a patty so fat they can barely get their mouth around it; others go for skinny sliders.
Burger History 101
Burgers arguably date to the 1st century B.C., when–according to burger historian George Motz as quoted in The Washington Post–Apicius's cookbook featured a minced-meat-and-nuts patty.
But in America, it reportedly took until the early 1870s for “hamburger steaks” to start cropping up on menus–first on their own, alongside bread and toast. Eventually, the inevitable (burgers on rolls) happened.
Burger Types to Know
Nowadays, you might see any type of patty making the rounds: the pub burger; the “elevated” gastropub burger; the double cheeseburger; the steak burger; the cheese-stuffed “Juicy Luicy”; the patty melt; butter burgers; the veggie burger; the foie-topped burger(!)–but the one whose dominance in recent years we've been happiest to see is the smash burger.
Pub Burgers
Let’s talk about those thick burger patties for a sec: They’ve got their charms, sure. You’re super-hungry? A pub burger’s not gonna let you down. It’s a good six to 10 ounces of meat, and they’re the kind many of us grew up with. Irish pubs in the ‘80s and ‘90s? Pub burgers.
Gastropub Burgers
Sometimes casually overlapped with the “fancy-pants burger,” this is a style of burger that just kinda goes for it. Caramelized onions? Sure. Sautéed mushrooms? Why not. Elevated beyond the slab of crispy bacon that’s about as “fancy” as a pub burger might get, it’s generally just as enormous–6 to 8 ounces–and might come with truffle fries (another trend we have never totally understood).
All the Rest
We’d argue that the other styles are self-explanatory. Wisconsin truly went for it with the butter-topped burger, and we have only respect for them, because they endure a hell of a winter. The Juicy Luicy–meh; do we really want a burger that drools cheese? About the veggie burger, for carnivores, the less that is said, the better. The foie-topped burger is of course fantastic when executed well, because more is more, but it’s not the one we’ll be dreaming of all four seasons of the year.
Why the Smash Burger?
Crisp-edged and caramelized in texture, the smash burger showcases the Maillard reaction at its most delicious. As John Willoughby wrote in The New York Times: “When you introduce meat to high heat, the proteins and carbohydrates interact, in a process called the Maillard reaction, to produce literally hundreds of new, distinct flavor compounds.”
Translation: sheer delight, in burger form. It's crinkled and beautifully edged, salty and delightful. More of the meat is exposed to heat, so more of it gets flavor. Our issue with the pub burger is that its belly is soft and (all too often) underseasoned.
Another thing to love about smash burgers? Their size. Our recipe calls for three ounces of meat per patty, and we’d suggest that or four ounces as your go-to. (Hey, you can always double up.) And smash burgers are fast. Weeknight-fast. Screaming hangry child–fast.
Don’t over-handle the meat while forming the patties, because you don’t want the meat to “seize up” and become less tender. Do enjoy using our smash burger press to make them expand immediately on the griddle, without fear of scorching your knuckles.
And There’s More…
Four ounces of meat, American cheese melted just so, an in-season tomato slice and another of lettuce. Is there a better food? We think not.
Although, hey, have you guys seen this variation of a smash burger, which sizzles in its own fat? No, no, there’s such a thing as messing with perfection.
