Chef Dean
Bacon Egg and Cheese on a Roll
The iconic New York bodega breakfast: shattering-crisp bacon, a golden-yolked fried egg, and molten American cheese tucked into a soft kaiser roll. This is the sandwich that built a city.
Culinary Explorer
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Smashed Double Cheeseburger with Caramelized Onions
Created by
Two lacy-edged beef patties with shattering crusts, draped in molten American cheese and crowned with deeply caramelized onions. This is the burger that diners once perfected and fast food corrupted. Time to reclaim it.
Sandwiches & Wraps
American
BBQ
20 min
Active Time
55 min cook•1 hr 15 min total
Yield4 burgers
The smashed burger is American ingenuity at its purest. Some genius at a roadside stand discovered that pressing a ball of beef against a screaming-hot griddle creates more crust per bite than any thick pub burger ever could. That crust is the point. Those crispy, lacy edges where the Maillard reaction works its magic. The thin patty that cooks in ninety seconds. The cheese that melts into every crevice.
I've eaten burgers from coast to coast. The great ones share a common truth: they respect the ratio. Meat to bun to toppings, all in proportion. A smashed double gives you that ratio twice over, with a stripe of melted cheese between the patties and another on top. The caramelized onions add sweetness that plays against the salty crust and tangy pickle sauce.
This isn't difficult cooking. It's attentive cooking. You need a heavy pan, high heat, and the courage to leave the meat alone while it develops that gorgeous golden-brown crust. Fight the urge to press repeatedly. One firm smash, then patience. The reward is a burger that puts any drive-through to shame.
Make the onions first. They need forty-five minutes of gentle attention while you prep everything else. This is summer cooking done right: unhurried, generous, worthy of a crowd gathered around the grill or a Tuesday night when you need something honest.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
ground beef (80/20 blend)
Quantity
1 1/2 pounds
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Quantity
to taste
American cheese
Quantity
8 slices
soft potato buns or brioche buns
Quantity
4
unsalted butter
Quantity
3 tablespoons
softened
yellow onions
Quantity
3 large
halved and thinly sliced
neutral oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons, plus more for griddle
sugar
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
mayonnaise
Quantity
1/2 cup
dill pickle brine
Quantity
3 tablespoons
dill pickles
Quantity
2 tablespoons
finely minced
yellow mustard
Quantity
1 teaspoon
garlic powder
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
smoked paprika
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
dill pickle slices (optional)
Quantity
for serving
iceberg lettuce (optional)
Quantity
for serving
shredded
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| ground beef (80/20 blend) | 1 1/2 pounds |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| American cheese | 8 slices |
| soft potato buns or brioche buns | 4 |
| unsalted buttersoftened | 3 tablespoons |
| yellow onionshalved and thinly sliced | 3 large |
| neutral oil | 2 tablespoons, plus more for griddle |
| sugar | 1/2 teaspoon |
| mayonnaise | 1/2 cup |
| dill pickle brine | 3 tablespoons |
| dill picklesfinely minced | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow mustard | 1 teaspoon |
| garlic powder | 1/2 teaspoon |
| smoked paprika | 1/4 teaspoon |
| dill pickle slices (optional) | for serving |
| iceberg lettuce (optional)shredded | for serving |
Equipment Needed
- •12-inch cast iron skillet or flat griddle
- •Stiff metal spatula or burger press
- •Large skillet for caramelizing onions
Instructions
- 1
Start the caramelized onions
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and a generous pinch of salt. Stir to coat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent. They'll release their liquid and reduce by half.
Don't rush this step. Low and slow transforms harsh raw onion into something sweet and jammy. - 2
Continue caramelizing
Reduce heat to medium-low and add the sugar. Continue cooking for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The onions will progress from golden to amber to deep mahogany. If they stick, add a splash of water and scrape up the fond. You want them deeply browned, sweet, and collapsed into silky strands. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- 3
Make the pickle sauce
While the onions cook, whisk together the mayonnaise, pickle brine, minced pickles, mustard, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Taste and adjust salt. The sauce should be tangy with a subtle smokiness. Refrigerate until needed.
This sauce improves after 30 minutes in the refrigerator as the flavors marry. - 4
Portion the beef
Divide the ground beef into 8 equal portions, roughly 3 ounces each. Roll each portion into a loose ball. Don't pack them tight. Overworking the meat creates dense, tough patties. You want them just cohesive enough to hold their shape until they hit the griddle.
- 5
Heat your cooking surface
Set a cast iron skillet or flat griddle over high heat. Let it get screaming hot. This takes 5 minutes at least, possibly longer. Hold your hand 6 inches above the surface. If the heat is unbearable after 2 seconds, you're ready. Add a thin film of oil and let it shimmer.
- 6
Smash the patties
Place 2 to 4 beef balls on the griddle, giving each plenty of room. Immediately press down firmly with a stiff spatula or burger press, flattening each ball into a thin patty roughly 4 inches across. Season the top generously with salt and pepper. Don't touch them again. Let them cook undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds.
The sizzle should be aggressive and sustained. If it's weak, your pan isn't hot enough. - 7
Flip and add cheese
The edges will turn brown and lacy, with rendered fat pooling around the patty. Scrape firmly under each patty to release the crust (don't leave it behind). Flip. Immediately lay a slice of American cheese on top of each patty. Cook 30 seconds more. The carryover heat will finish the center while the cheese melts.
- 8
Stack the doubles
Transfer one patty onto another to create your double stack, cheese sides meeting in the middle. This creates that molten cheese core. Repeat with remaining beef balls, working in batches to maintain high heat.
- 9
Toast the buns
Spread softened butter on the cut sides of each bun. Toast them on the griddle, cut side down, until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 45 seconds. Watch carefully. They go from perfect to burnt quickly.
- 10
Assemble and serve
Spread pickle sauce generously on both cut sides of each bun. Place shredded lettuce on the bottom bun. Set your double patty stack on the lettuce. Crown with a generous tangle of caramelized onions and several pickle slices. Press the top bun gently into place. Serve immediately while the cheese is still molten and the bun still warm.
Chef Tips
- •The 80/20 fat ratio is non-negotiable. Leaner beef produces dry, crumbly patties without the juiciness or the crust-forming fat needed for proper browning. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
- •American cheese melts better than any aged cheddar or fancy cheese ever will. Those emulsifying salts create the smooth, clingy melt that defines a great burger. This isn't the place for cheese snobbery.
- •If cooking for a crowd, keep finished patties warm on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven while you work through batches. They'll hold for 10 minutes without suffering.
- •A sturdy metal spatula with a stiff blade is essential. Flexible fish spatulas won't provide enough force to smash properly or scrape up that precious crust.
- •These burgers want a cold beer. A crisp American lager or pilsner, nothing hoppy or heavy, lets the beef and onions stay center stage.
Advance Preparation
- •Caramelized onions can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water.
- •Pickle sauce keeps refrigerated for 1 week and actually improves overnight.
- •Portion beef balls and refrigerate up to 4 hours ahead. Bring to cool room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 295g)
Calories
1000 calories
Total Fat
79 g
Saturated Fat
45 g
Trans Fat
1 g
Unsaturated Fat
22 g
Cholesterol
140 mg
Sodium
850 mg
Total Carbohydrates
27 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
3 g
Protein
46 g
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