Spicyboi99 Recipes by Saucy Dans | Vol. 2 - Smash Burgers
I all about going to get a good burger - thankfully where I live in Amsterdam there are a growing number of places to snag a decent burger, wasn't always the case. up until 2-3 years ago, you would have to wait for the weekend started to get the ferry to Noord and eat at Beef Chief at the Oedipus Brewery. But sometimes, the burger cravings call for something a bit more rough n ready, greasy, sloppy and all the more delicious. This is the recipe for you, the burger renaissance man/woman/person/highly-motivated-and-train-dog-with-opposable-thumbs. It's quick, easy, costs peanuts, and will result in a crowd pleasing experience for you or whoever is lucky enough to be within arms reach.
Why it works: Beef, salt, cheese and sauce come together in a perfect harmony in your kitchen in 15 mins. Kashmiri Kick burger sauce provides a little extra fermented funkyness and smoky mild heat.
Makes 4 large burgers or 6 smaller ones
Ingredients
Burgers
2.25 pounds / 1 kg beef & lamb mixed mince (or any beef mincemeat with a good amount of fat, chuck roast is good option ask your butcher. The beef lamb mix is my favorite option because of the extra layer of taste it adds and it's available at my local halal butchers)
4-6 american style cheese slices (or use any cheese you like, yet the fake american cheese gives the signature taste
1 cup / 70g Iceberg lettuce
1 White sweet onion (or any type of onion, shallots also work nice too)
Salt (any type is good, the finer the grain, the more you need to use)
Black Pepper to taste
Neutral cooking oil (such as peanut, sunflower or vegetable oil)
Butter
4-6 burger buns
Burger Sauce
3 Tbsp / 45ML Mayo
1 Tbsp / 15ML Pickle juice
1-2 pickle slices, fined diced
2 Tbsp / 30ML Kashmiri Kick Mild Hot Sauce (or more to taste)
Splash of soy sauce
Method
1. Take your meat out of the fridge before you want to cook, let it come to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Slice your onions as thin as possible, ideally with a mandolin or box shredder. Slice open your buns and butter to taste.
2. Prep the sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Divide your meat into the desired portion, depending on the number of burgers your want to make. You can make 4-5 large burgers or 6-7 smaller ones. Roll the divide meat into loosely packed balls. Roll the balls in salt and pepper so that all sides are covered with a light layer of salt.
4. Get your pan on high heat until it starts to smoke. Add oil, 1-2 tsp should do it. Wait until the oil begins to shimmer. Then take one of the balls and place in the middle of the pan. Press down hard with a smasher (or if you don't have one a large wine bottle will do the trick). You want to achieve a thin layer of meat, spread across a wide area.
5. Add thinly sliced onions on-top of the smashed pattie. After 2 minutes, get ready to flip the burger using a spatula and you will reveal a nice crust. After flipping, smash down again so that the onions can caramelize. Add a slice or 2 of cheese directly onto the burger, and it will begin to melt.
6. Meanwhile, toast buttered buns in a separate pan until golden brown. Once they are ready, remove from pan. Set on a plate or (pro-tip) on a sheet on aluminum foil, and spread a layer of burger sauce, add a small handful of lettuce.
7. Time to complete the burger by adding the pattie with cheese to the burger, add an extra dollop of burger sauce and/or some extra kashmiri kick sauce before slamming on the top bun. Dig in!