GialloZafferano's Recipe of the Day: Smash Burger

Friday night is the perfect time to treat yourself to a tasty dinner, perhaps by making one of the most beloved sandwiches in American street food at home. The recipe of the day is the smash burger, a hamburger with a signature golden, crispy crust, achieved by pressing the meat directly onto a scorching-hot griddle. With melty cheddar, fresh lettuce, and pickles, you can prepare a richly flavorful sandwich in under 30 minutes, ideal for starting the weekend with something special

FOR 4 BURGERS:

• Ground beef 10.5 oz (300 g)
• Ground pork 3.5 oz (100 g)
• Black pepper to taste

FOR 2 BUNS:

• Hamburger muffins 2
• Cheddar cheese 4 slices
• Salad 2 leaves
• Pickles to taste
• Mayonnaise to taste
• Ketchup to taste

1. Combine the ground beef and ground pork in a bowl, add the black pepper, and knead with your hands until the mixture is smooth.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator while you prepare all the ingredients for filling the buns. This way, you can cook the meat only at the last moment.
3. Cut the buns in half, spread the bottom half with mayonnaise, and add the lettuce leaves. Slice the pickles and set them aside.
4. Place an iron, cast-iron, or stainless steel skillet over the heat and let it get very hot. Meanwhile, take the meat mixture out of the refrigerator, divide it into 4 portions of about 3.5 oz (100 g) each, and shape them into meatballs with your hands.
5. Place one meatball at a time in the scorching-hot skillet and immediately press it down with a meat mallet, applying firm pressure to flatten it as much as possible.
6. Let it cook for 60 seconds, then flip the burger with a spatula and continue cooking on the other side for no more than a minute and a half.
7. Transfer the burger to a plate and repeat the same process with the other portions of meat. Immediately place a slice of cheddar on each burger while it is still hot, so the cheese can melt.
8. Complete the sandwiches by stacking two burgers with cheddar on the base already topped with mayonnaise and lettuce. Add the sliced pickles, spread ketchup on the top half of the bun, and close. Enjoy your smash burgers right away, while the meat is still hot and the cheese is melty.

The secret to a perfect smash burger is the temperature of the skillet. Choose one made of cast iron, iron, or stainless steel, avoiding nonstick because it retains the heat needed to achieve the typical crust less effectively.

Cook one burger at a time and press the meat down firmly as soon as it comes into contact with the scorching-hot surface: it is in these first few moments that the characteristic browning develops. Also remember to flip the burger only once and to prepare all the filling ingredients in advance, so you can serve it immediately.