Hamburger-style plain smash burger

Ingredients

burgers

• 800 g beef mince (20% fat)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

To assemble

• 4 soft sesame-free buns
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 tomato, sliced
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• pickle slices
• Yellow mustard
• butter, for toasting

Method

1. Form burgers. Divide beef into 8 loose balls. press gently into discs slightly wider than the buns.
2. Season. Salt and pepper both sides.
3. Sear. Heat a heavy pan smoking hot. Smash burgers into the pan. Don’t move for 90 seconds.
4. Flip. Flip and cook 60 seconds more for medium.
5. Toast buns. butter cut sides, toast until golden.
6. Assemble. bottom bun → mustard → onion → pickle → 2 burgers (stacked) → lettuce → tomato → top bun.

Tips

• No cheese lets the beef flavour shine. The burger is the star.
• Same technique as the cheeseburger. Just skip the cheese.
• 20% fat is critical. Lean mince = dry burger.