Essential Tips for Perfect Summer BBQ Sides

I make smashburgers on steel frequently. They are bad ass and once you try it by doing this, you'll never ever go back. I created the Baking Steel back in 2012 for pizza but honestly, smashburgers may be the thing I prepare on steel more than anything else nowadays. The work is getting your hamburger bar together: chopped pickles, onions, cheese, unique sauce.

Get your frying pan or steel ripping hot. We're preparing these for 30-60 seconds per side, and you want it screaming hot for that Maillard reaction, the sear that makes smashburgers famous.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I've made smash hamburgers on this thing that people still speak about. Smashburgers in your home are off the charts. Here's how I do it. More surface area equates to more taste. Smashing the beef thin optimizes contact with the hot steel, triggering the Maillard reaction, the chemical procedure that produces that deep, mouthwatering, browned taste we all crave.

Your first hamburger and your 4th get the very same extraordinary edge-to-edge crust without the temperature level dropping. I 'd understand my household has actually remained in the steel organization for over 50 years at our shop in Hanover, MA. I comprehend this product, and I constructed these griddles specifically to resolve the heat retention issue that cast iron can't.

Perfecting the Flat-Top: Best Burger Techniques

Let it preheat for 10-15 minutes up until it's ripping hot (around 500-550F). This is the same concept behind our pizza steels load the steel with heat, and it does the work for you.

Right away smash them extremely thin (about 1/4 inch) with a stiff spatula or press. To avoid sticking, you can place a small piece of parchment paper in 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.

Cook for another 30-45 seconds to melt the cheese. Quickly toast your buns on a cooler part of the frying pan for 15-20 seconds.

Flavorful Dinner Secrets for Summer 2026

Cheese melting perfectly on the Mini Frying pan Cast iron is the standard option for smashburgers, and it works. I used cast iron for several years. But after testing both side-by-side for over a decade, I changed to steel. And look, I'm not simply a guy with an opinion. My household has run because the 1960s.

I understand how it shops and transfers heat in a way the majority of people never believe about. That understanding is exactly what led me to create the Baking Steel in 2012, and it's why I created the Skinny Griddle specifically for stovetop cooking like this. Here's the distinction: That implies it recovers temperature level faster between burgers.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Steel doesn't drop. You get the exact same screaming-hot crust on your very first burger and your 4th. It warms up much faster and distributes heat more equally. No locations, no cold areas. Just constant, edge-to-edge browning. No seasoning, no babying. Just cook, scrape, wipe clean. I've tested cast iron, stainless-steel, and every griddle on the market.

Wish to take your smashburger game outside? Put your Baking Steel Original straight on your outdoor grill grates. Preheat the grill and steel for 15-20 minutes on high heat, then smash your hamburgers right on the steel. You get the same extraordinary crust with the included benefit of outdoor cooking which subtle smoky flavor from the grill.

Understanding Flat-Top vs Traditional Grill Methods

Pals lose their minds when they see it. They stroll up anticipating regular grilled burgers and rather they see me smashing patties on a piece of American-made steel on the grill. It's a whole thing. Perfect smash hamburgers made on the Baking Steel Original on an outside grill I developed each of these for a particular usage case.

It fits on a single burner and is perfect for households or burger night with buddies. is compact and perfect for 1-2 burgers. It's great for small kitchens, houses, or solo cooking. Very same heat retention, smaller sized footprint. is the one that began all of it. Utilize it in the oven for pizza, or take it outside and place it on your grill for smashburgers, steaks, and more.