I used to press my smash burgers too late and could never work out why they were tough. Ramsay explained it simply: the crust forms from instant contact, and if you wait even a moment, you just squeeze moisture out of already-cooked meat.

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What Is The Trick To Making Smash Burgers

The trick is timing: you place the ball of mince on the hot pan and press it flat immediately with a heavy spatula or burger press. Gordon is specific about this, because if you wait even two minutes before smashing, the outside has already started cooking and you push out juice instead of creating a crust.

The other trick is heat, because your cast iron pan or griddle needs to be properly smoking before any meat goes in. If the pan is not hot enough, the patty steams instead of sears and you will not get those crispy lacy edges.

Smash Burger Ingredients

For the patties:

450g (1 lb) beef mince, 80/20 or 70/30 fat ratio
Flaky sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
4 slices American cheese or cheddar
4 potato rolls or brioche buns
1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or groundnut)

For the sauce:

3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tbsp finely chopped pickles

How To Make Gordon Ramsay Smash Burgers

Make the sauce: Mix the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and chopped pickles in a small bowl and set aside.
Divide the meat: Split the mince into 8 equal balls, about 55g (2 oz) each, and leave them loose, do not pack them tight.
Heat the pan: Get a cast iron pan or flat griddle smoking hot over high heat, then add a thin layer of oil.
Smash instantly: Place 2 balls in the pan and press them flat immediately with a heavy spatula or burger press, hold for 10 seconds.
Season: Sprinkle salt and pepper on the exposed side while the bottom sears.
Flip at 90 seconds: Scrape under the patty with a thin spatula and flip, the bottom should be dark brown with crispy edges.
Add cheese: Lay a slice of cheese on one patty, stack the second patty on top, and let it cook for 60 more seconds.
Toast the buns: Add a knob of butter to the pan and toast the buns cut-side down for 30 seconds.
Build: Spread sauce on both buns, add the double patty stack, and serve straight away.

Best Smash Burger Seasoning

Keep it simple: flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper on the outside right after smashing is all you need. The sear on the hot pan creates so much flavour from the Maillard reaction that garlic powder or paprika just gets in the way.

If you want more flavour, our burger seasoning works well sprinkled on after the flip. But I usually stick to salt and pepper because the sauce and cheese do enough.

Can You Make Smash Burgers In A Regular Pan

You can, but cast iron gives the best results because it holds heat when the cold meat hits it. A thin non-stick pan loses too much heat on contact and you end up steaming the patty instead of searing it.

If you do not have cast iron, use the heaviest pan you own. I have done smash burgers in a stainless steel pan and they turned out fine, the crust just was not as deep as with cast iron.

Cast Iron vs Flat Top Griddle

A cast iron pan on your stovetop is the closest thing to a commercial flat top griddle. It holds heat evenly and does not lose temperature when you press the ball of mince down, which is exactly what you need for a proper crust.

I tried a regular non-stick pan first and the patty steamed instead of searing because the pan could not hold enough heat. Cast iron changed everything, and now I will not make a smash burger any other way.

Oklahoma Style With Onions

The Oklahoma smash burger presses thinly sliced onions into the raw mince ball before smashing it onto the griddle. The onions caramelise directly into the patty as it cooks and become part of the crust instead of sitting on top as a garnish.

I add a small handful of sliced onions on top of the ball and press them in with the spatula at the same time. The onions go almost translucent and crispy on the edges, and they add a sweetness that pairs perfectly with the burger sauce.

Single vs Double Stack

A single smash patty is about 60g (2 oz) of mince, which gives you a thin, crispy burger that is mostly crust. A double stack uses two patties with cheese melted between them, which gives you that fast food cheeseburger texture with more meat.

I always make doubles because the cheese melts between two hot patties and turns into a glue that holds the whole thing together. Ramsay’s technique works for both, just keep each ball small so it smashes thin enough.

FAQs

What makes a smash burger different from a regular burger? A smash burger starts as a ball of mince that gets pressed flat on a hot surface, creating a thin patty with crispy caramelised edges. A regular burger is shaped thick before cooking and stays juicy in the middle. Smash burgers are all about crust, regular burgers are about the interior.
What is the 5 6 7 rule for burgers? It refers to cooking times in minutes: 5 minutes for rare, 6 for medium, 7 for well done. This applies to thick regular burgers, not smash burgers, which cook much faster because they are so thin. A smash burger needs only 90 seconds per side.
Why are my smash burgers always dry? You are probably smashing too late. Gordon Ramsay says the press has to happen the instant the meat touches the pan. If you wait, the outside cooks first and pressing just pushes the juice out. Smash immediately, flip at 90 seconds, and do not press again after flipping.

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Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 double smash burger with bun, cheese, and sauce):

Calories: 520 kcal
Total Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 14g
Cholesterol: 95mg
Sodium: 720mg
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fibre: 1g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 30g