Ainsley Harriott Smashed Burger Recipe
Crispy-edged double beef patties smashed thin on a screaming-hot pan, layered with melted burger cheese and a tangy homemade sauce, all stacked in a toasted seeded bun.
Equipment
- Cast-Iron Skillet or Heavy-Based Frying Pan
- Thin Metal Spatula
- Small Saucepan or Meat Press
- Baking Paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For the Burgers
- 800 g good quality beef (chuck) steak mince (18-20% fat)
- 8 slices of burger cheese
For the Burger Sauce
- 6 tbsp mayonnaise plus extra for the buns
- 1 tbsp very finely diced gherkin plus 1 tsp pickling juice from the jar
- 2 tsp American yellow mustard
- 2 tsp ketchup
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.25 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To Serve
- 4 seeded burger buns
- iceberg lettuce shredded
- 0.25 white onion finely diced
- 1-2 dill pickles/gherkins sliced
Instructions
- Divide the mince into 8 equal portions and loosely form into balls. Do not overwork the meat. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.
- Mix the mayonnaise, finely diced gherkin, pickling juice, yellow mustard, ketchup, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Brush the cut sides of the burger buns with mayonnaise and toast cut-side down in a pan over medium heat until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Wipe the pan and reheat over the highest heat possible. Place 2–3 cold beef balls in the pan, spaced well apart.
- Cover each ball with a square of baking paper and press down hard and fast with the base of a small saucepan or meat press to smash into thin patties. Remove the paper.
- Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until the edges are deeply browned. Flip using a thin metal spatula, scraping up the full crust. Season again and lay a slice of cheese on each patty.
- Cook for a further 1–2 minutes until the cheese has melted. Repeat in batches until all patties are cooked.
- Spread burger sauce over both cut sides of each bun. Layer shredded lettuce on the base, stack two patties per burger cheese side up, then top with more lettuce, diced onion, and sliced pickles. Close and serve immediately.
Notes
Chuck mince at 18–20% fat is essential—do not substitute with lean mince.
Always chill the beef balls for 20–30 minutes before cooking—cold meat produces a better smash crust.
Use a thin, rigid metal spatula and scrape, never lift, when flipping the patties.