Just in time for your Independence Day celebrations, I give you these amazing Blackstone Smash Burgers! These cheeseburgers taste like they came from your favorite greasy burger joint, or maybe even better? Serve this Blackstone smash burger recipe with fries, dill potato salad, or a dill pickle potato salad.
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What's so special about smash burgers? So many things! Just ask my son, Scott, who crafted these beautiful and flavor-packed burgers! They're inspired by his favorite burger joint in San Diego called The Friendly. It's one of his first stops whenever he's in San Diego.
What makes smash burgers different than regular burgers, you might ask? Well, for one thing, the patties are much thinner since they're smashed with a press. They're also more fatty, giving you those wonderful crispy edges. So, if turkey burgers are more your style, smash burgers may not be for you!
We've topped these juicy burgers with lots of grilled onions, melty American cheese, and crispy bacon. Fresh sliced Serranos and lemon garlic aioli are optional, but highly recommended!
Of course, you can top these smash burgers with an array of other toppings, just don't let my son, Scott, catch you. He insists they should only be eaten the way he prepares them. You've heard of the Soup Nazi, right? That's how my son is with everything he prepares, including these Blackstone smashed burgers!
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Burger: You'll need 1-¼ pound of ground chuck to make eight 2-½ ounce burgers. We recommend 25% fat content.
- Seasoning: All you need is kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season these burgers.
- Tallow: If you are not adding bacon to your smash burgers, we recommend using beef tallow (see beef tallow recipe) to fry the burgers.
- Butter: You'll need approximately ¼ cup butter, which you'll use to grill the onions and toast the hamburger buns.
- Onion: One to two yellow onions, depending on how many burgers you are making. One large onion is enough to top 8 patties.
- Cheese: American cheese is a classic option, but you can add your favorite cheese, including sliced Swiss, pepper jack, sharp cheddar, Gouda, etc.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon is optional, but recommended!
- Buns: We used sesame seed buns, but brioche buns, potato buns, or plain buns can be substituted.
*A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card.
🔪 Helpful Tools
- Flat top grill (I'm using a 36" Blackstone Griddle)
- Smash burger press
- Kitchen scale (paid link)
- Large metal spatula for flipping
- Eight square pieces of parchment paper
🍔 How to Make Smash Burgers On A Blackstone
Step 1: Begin by taking two large square sheets of parchment paper and folding them into quarters. Cut each into 4 equal squares to make 8 pieces. These will go between your raw burgers and the smash burger press.
Step 2: Divide ground beef into 2½ ounce portions. If you don't have a kitchen scale, divide 1¼ lbs ground beef into 8 equal portions, then roll into balls.
Step 3: Heat the Blackstone grill while dicing the onion. Add the onion in a pile to a clean, hot griddle. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a splash of water to wilt the onions.
Step 4: Mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter as you cook the onions over medium-high heat. Cook for approximately 25 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping often. Add more water as needed.
Step 5: Remove onions and set aside while you fry the bacon. Once the bacon is nice and crispy, remove it from the grill.
Step 6: Generously season meatballs on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Next, butter both the top and bottom buns and place them buttered-side down onto the grill. Cook until toasted and golden brown.
Step 7: Turn up the heat to high, then place meatballs onto the hot grill. Leave plenty of room between them. Top meatballs with parchment paper, then smash with a press until flat and count to ten while pressing.
Step 8: Remove the press and parchment paper, and repeat with the remaining burgers. Cook for approximately 3 minutes or until crispy around the edges. Flip burgers with a spatula and top with onions and American cheese. Once the cheese is melted, remove the burger patties from the grill.
Step 9: Place two patties on the bottom bun, then add two slices of bacon and sliced Serrano peppers, if using. Slather the top burger bun with garlic aioli and top the burger.
If you're in the mood to mix things up, these Thai turkey burgers are definitely worth a try!
🍅 Other Smash Burger Toppings
Although we prefer our smash burgers simple, you can dress yours up any way you please! Here are just some of the options:
- Sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and fresh onions
- Pickles, quickles, or pickled green beans!
- Sauteed mushrooms, my favorite!
- Mustard, ketchup, mayo, or this spicy huckleberry BBQ sauce
- Sliced avocados
- A sprinkle of everything but the bagel seasoning!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Since smash burgers are so thin, they cook in no time at all! Using high heat, cook smashed burgers for approximately 3 minutes or until edges are crispy, then flip. Add grilled onions and cheese, then cook until the cheese is melted, or 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Waxed paper is not recommended when cooking with high heat. Parchment paper, on the other hand, is perfect for the job!
Yes, you want to season the outside of the ground beef balls with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper just before you plan on grilling them.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- If you don't have a Blackstone grill, you can still make smash burgers. Just use a cast iron skillet instead!
- Smash burgers taste best fresh; however, if you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container and eat them within 4 days.
- If you can't find ground burgers with 25% fat, do what we did and grind 4 ounces of fat in with 1-¾ pounds of 15% fat ground chuck.
- We added fat trimmed from our last smoked brisket, but you should be able to get some beef fat from your local butcher.
- This recipe calls for 2 burger patties per bun. If you make singles, it will serve 8!
🌭 More Burger Recipes
If you enjoy these Blackstone smash burgers, be sure to check out these other great burger recipes!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Begin by taking two square sheets of parchment paper and folding them into quarters. Cut each into 4 equal squares to make 8 pieces. These will go between your raw burgers and smash burger press.
- Divide ground beef into 2½ ounce portions. If you don't have a kitchen scale, divide 1¼ lbs ground beef into 8 equal portions, then roll into balls.
- Heat Blackstone grill while dicing the onion. Add onion in a pile to a clean, hot griddle. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a splash of water to wilt the onions.
- Mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter as you cook the onions over medium-high heat. Cook for approximately 25 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping often. Add more water as needed.
- Remove onions and set aside while you fry the bacon. Once the bacon is nice and crispy, remove from the grill.
- Generously season meat balls on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Next, butter both the top and bottom buns and place buttered-side down onto the grill. Cook until toasted and golden brown.
- Turn up the heat to high, then place meatballs onto the hot grill. Leave plenty of room between them. Top meat balls with parchment paper, then smash with press until flat and count to ten while pressing.
- Remove press and parchment paper, and repeat with the remaining burgers. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, or until crispy around the edges. Flip burgers with a spatula and top with onions and American cheese. Once cheese is melted, remove burger patties from grill.
- Place two patties on bottom bun, then add two slices of bacon and sliced Serrano peppers, if using. Slather the top burger bun with garlic aioli and top the burger.
Nutrition
Notes
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- If you don't have a Blackstone grill, you can still make smash burgers. Just use a cast iron skillet instead!
-
- Smash burgers taste best fresh, however, if you have leftovers, store in an air-tight container and eat within 4 days.
-
- If you can't find ground burger with 25% fat, do what we did and grind 4 ounces of fat in with 1-¾ pounds of 15% fat ground chuck.
-
- We added fat trimmed from our last smoked brisket but you should be able to get some beef fat from your local butcher.
- This recipe calls for 2 burger patties per bun, if you make singles, it will serve 8!
-
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