Double Smashed Burgers With Cheese
These Double Smashed Burgers With Cheese are so quick, easy, and incredibly delicious, it's the only way I ever make homemade cheeseburgers!
Servings: 1 double burger
Estimated Calories: 470
Ingredients
- 4 ounces 80/20 ground beef, also called ground chuck (make sure it is cold)
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 slice American cheese
- 1 hamburger bun, I use a potato bun
Special Equipment
- 12" cast iron skillet
- parchment paper cut into two 6-inch squares (optional)
- Sturdy spatula (solid without holes)
- Meat mallet (optional; I use this to help press down the spatula when smashing the burgers; a potato masher, wooden spoon, another spatula, or even a can of soup or beans will also work)
Instructions
- Preheat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
- While the skillet is heating, divide the ground beef into two equal portions (2 ounces each) and loosely roll each portion into a ball.Be sure to form the balls loosely and don't compact the meat, as this can make your burgers end up tough.
- After the skillet has heated for 5 minutes, increase the heat to medium-high.
- Add the 2 balls of ground beef to the skillet, leaving plenty of space between them so they can be flattened.
- Place one square of parchment paper over each ball (this keeps the spatula from sticking to the meat; if you don't have any, that's ok, just be aware that you might have to deal with a little sticking).
- Using a sturdy solid spatula without holes (I also use a meat mallet to help press down on the spatula, which makes this easier), press down the balls until they are flat and about ¼ inch thick.The edges will be uneven and you may even get a few holes here and there, and that's totally ok, so just leave them be and don't try to fix them!
- Remove the parchment paper; season the meat with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook until the bottoms of the burgers are browned, about 1 to 2 minutes.Don't move them around at all during this time; to get that crust, you need to leave them be until they are browned.
- Flip the burgers over.The burgers will most likely stick to the pan a little bit (this is ok and it's what creates that crust), so you will need to get under them and scrape with the spatula to loosen them up. I find that turning my spatula upside down makes this quicker and easier.
- Top each burger with half of the slice of American cheese.
- Continue cooking until cooked through, the bottoms are browned, and the cheese has begun to melt, only about 30 seconds to a minute more.
- Stack one burger on top of the other and place on a bun.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Because these burgers cook so fast, have your buns and toppings ready before you start cooking!
- A heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pan will work if you don't have cast iron (don't use a non-stick pan, as most are not safe when used at high temperatures, and it prevents getting that crispy crust).
- A burger press is the perfect tool to smash the burgers if you have one. Another alternative is a small pan with the bottom covered in foil.
- Ground beef should be cooked to 160°F .
- This recipe is for one double smash burger just to show you the technique. Increase the recipe for however many burgers you need to make and cook them in batches (a second pan helps if you're making quite a few). You can keep the cooked burgers warm in a 200°F oven until they're all ready.
- A large cast iron griddle is perfect for cooking larger batches. I can do up to 4 double burgers at a time on mine (it's about 11x20 inches).
- Want to cook these outside on the grill? Put your cast-iron skillet (or griddle) on the grill and heat over medium-high heat until very hot. Just be careful with any flames because parchment paper can burn and the pan or griddle will get greasy.
- Estimated calories shown are for the burger and bun only and do not include any toppings.
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