A crispy, lacy-edged beef patty piled with your freshly made pickles, special sauce, and melted cheese — the best possible way to show off your pickling skills!
Serves 4 | Total cook time: 25 mins | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
The Patties:
- 600 g beef mince, 20% fat (the fat is key for crispy edges)
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, for the pan
The Special Sauce
- 3 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp American-style mustard
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
- 1 tbsp finely diced homemade pickles
- 1 tsp pickle brine (from your jar)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
To Build:
- 4 brioche burger buns, split and toasted
- 4–6 slices American or mild cheddar cheese
- Your homemade pickles, sliced 3–4 mm thick (as many as you like)
- ½ white onion, very finely diced
- Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1 ripe tomato, thinly sliced
Method
1. Make the Special Sauce
Mix together the mayo, mustard, ketchup, diced pickles, pickle brine, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Taste and adjust; more brine for tang, more mayo for creaminess. Set aside. This can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge.
2. Portion the beef
Divide the mince into 4 loose balls (about 150 g each). Don’t compact or season them yet — you want the beef lightly packed so it smashes flat easily. Season the tops generously with salt and pepper just before cooking.
3. Get the pan hot!
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or flat griddle over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add the oil and swirl to coat. This high heat is what gives the smash burger its signature crispy, caramelised crust — don’t rush it.
4. Smash and Cook
Place a beef ball onto the hot griddle. Using a heavy spatula (and a piece of baking paper between the spatula and beef), press down firmly and hold for 10 seconds, you want the patty about 1 cm thick with ragged, lacy edges. Cook for 2 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Do not move it.
5. Flip and Cheese
Flip the patty. The crust should release cleanly. Immediately lay a slice of cheese over the top and cook for 1 more minute. The cheese should melt fully over the edges. Remove and rest on a wire rack while you toast the buns.
6. Toast the Buns
Place the buns cut-side down in the leftover beef fat in the pan for 30–60 seconds until deeply golden. Keep an eye on them, they catch quickly.
7. Build your Burger
Spread special sauce generously on both bun halves. Bottom bun: lettuce, tomato, patty with cheese. Then pile on your homemade pickles — don’t be shy, this is their moment. Top with diced raw onion, an extra drizzle of sauce, and the top bun. Serve immediately.
Smash Burger Tips!
Don’t overcrowd the pan — cook 2 patties at a time maximum so the temperature stays high. If the pan cools down, the beef steams instead of searing and you lose that crust. For a double smash burger, use two 75 g balls per bun instead of one 150 g ball.
Recipe inspired by Natasha’s Kitchen
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