Grilled Smash(ed) Burger with grilled onions and spicy aioli
GRILLED SMASH(ED) BURGER
I have been craving burgers for a while, especially the crispy thin meat patty commonly called the smash burger.
The key to having the thin crispy meat patty is a higher fat content of the meat and high heat which quickly cooks the meat.
After trying out various recipes, I ended up with the recipe below which was quick, easy and really tasty, in fact it was so good that I made it back to back 3 days in a row.
Use a heavy spatula to flatten the meat.
Ingredients:
Coarse ground meat with at least 20% fat (beef/lamb or combo)
Brioche bun (or potato bun)
Red onions, thinly sliced
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Garlic powder
Kosher salt (to taste)
Fresh ground pepper (to taste)
Spicy aioli (or combine 1 cup Mayo with 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce)
Pepper Jack cheese slices
Method:
Form small round balls with the meat (each ball should be about 2-3 oz – 1” diameter)
Place a grill pan on the grill.
Add olive oil to coat the surface.
Turn the grill to high (500*F)
Add the sliced onions and cook by tossing.
Add salt and pepper.
Once nicely browned, remove and set aside.
Grill the buns, inside down on the grill for 1-2 minutes.
Apply a thick layer of aioli on the bottom half of the bun.
Now you have to act quickly.
Place the balls of meat on the grill and using the heavy spatula – flatten the meat.
Don’t worry if it is irregular, just make sure that it is as thin as possible.
Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper on the meat.
Turn after 2 minutes (it should be crisp and well browned on the other side).
Place slices of cheese on top.
Remove from grill pan as soon as the cheese melts.
Build the burger by adding 2 meat patties to the bottom half of the bun.
Top with grilled onions and the other half of the bun.
Note: If you can’t grill, you can easily make this on a heavy bottomed frying pan, just make sure that it is hot and well oiled.
