If you’re looking for a burger with an amazing crust and juicy interior, look no further than “smashburger” style! If you’ve never heard of a smashburger, you’re simply taking a ball of your meat and, rather than “pattying” it into burger form, you’re going to stick that ball of meat on a hot flat surface and then “smash it” into patty form with a spatula. This method not only locks in the juices within the burger but creates an amazing exterior; seared to absolute perfection. I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite methods to enjoy a burger and I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you’re cooking for a large crowd, this is a great way to feed them fast as this method cooks the burger fast. The best part about this method, is that you’re also enhancing your burger with a hint of smoke, too, by utilizing your pellet grill!

Ingredients

• Two pounds of 80/20 ground beef
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• Eight slices of sharp cheddar cheese
• Eight hamburger buns
• Your favorite burger toppings
  • We love using our homemade bacon, red onions, tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce

Instructions

We’ve made this into the EASIEST smashburger recipe possible! Follow along step by step to enjoy the best smashburger you’ve ever had!

• Preheat your pellet grill to HIGH (450F)
• Place a non-stick griddle on the center of your grill; make sure it can handle high heat
• Let all of that come up to temp and get your griddle sizzlin’ hot
• Remove your ground beef from your fridge and form into four ounce balls
  • With two pounds of meat, you should have eight balls formed
• Here’s where the fun really begins:
  • Place the balls of meat on the griddle; space them about two inches apart
    • If your griddle is too small for all eight, do this part in stages
    • Close lid
  • Let the ball get a nice sear for about 90 seconds
  • Flip each ball over and SMASH them into the griddle with your spatula
  • Close your lid
  • Generously season each patty with your salt, pepper, and garlic powder
  • Let this side sear for two minutes and flip
  • Place your favorite cheese on top of each patty
    • We prefer sharp cheddar cheese
  • Close your lid
  • Depending on how you like them cooked, these should be cooked to about medium
  • Remove from grill, place on your bun (toasted if you’d like), and top with your favorite toppings
  • Serve and enjoy!