Perfecting the Flat-Top: Best Burger Methods

I make smashburgers on steel typically. They are bad ass and as soon as you attempt it by doing this, you'll never ever go back. I invented the Baking Steel back in 2012 for pizza but honestly, smashburgers might be the important things I prepare on steel more than anything else nowadays. The work is getting your hamburger bar together: sliced pickles, onions, cheese, special sauce.

Get your griddle or steel ripping hot. You have to work fast. We're preparing these for 30-60 seconds per side, and you want it shouting hot for that Maillard response, the sear that makes smashburgers legendary. I enjoy to smash for buddies. The majority of the time, they've already had our Baking Steel pizza, and I like to blend the menu.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I have actually made smash hamburgers on this thing that individuals still talk about. Smashing the beef thin maximizes contact with the hot steel, setting off the Maillard response, the chemical procedure that develops that deep, savory, browned taste we all crave.

Your first burger and your fourth get the exact same extraordinary edge-to-edge crust without the temperature level dropping. I 'd understand my family has actually been in the steel company for over 50 years at our shop in Hanover, MA. I comprehend this product, and I constructed these frying pans specifically to fix the heat retention issue that cast iron can't.

Savory Dinner Inspiration for Summer 2026

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

Right away smash them really thin (about 1/4 inch) with a stiff spatula or press. To avoid sticking, you can place a little 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.

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

Delicious Dinner Ideas for Grilling in 2026

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

I comprehend how it shops and transfers heat in a method many people never ever think of. That knowledge is precisely what led me to invent 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 indicates it recovers temperature quicker in between burgers.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

You get the exact same screaming-hot crust on your very first hamburger and your fourth. Just cook, scrape, wipe clean. I've evaluated cast iron, stainless steel, and every griddle on the market.

Preheat the grill and steel for 15-20 minutes on high heat, then smash your hamburgers right on the steel. You get the very same amazing crust with the included benefit of outdoor cooking and that subtle smoky flavor from the grill.

The Complete Guide to Flat-Top Grilling Mastery

Pals lose their minds when they see it. They walk up expecting regular grilled burgers and instead they see me smashing patties on a piece of American-made steel on the grill. It's an entire thing. 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 good friends. Same heat retention, smaller footprint. Utilize it in the oven for pizza, or take it outside and location it on your grill for smashburgers, steaks, and more.