Smash Burgers with American Cheese and Pickles

The Story

A smash burger is about maximizing contact. Thin beef pressed hard into hot steel creates more crust, more browned fat, and more texture than a thick burger ever can. Uncommon Flavor belongs inside this format because its smoke and pepper settle into the fat as it renders, while the citrus-floral finish keeps the burger from tasting like one heavy note from first bite to last.

Instructions

1. Mix Lightly and Work Cold. Mix the beef gently with Uncommon Flavor and portion into 8 cold balls. Do not compact them too tightly. Cold fat gives you the best smash and the most contrast between the crisp edge and the juicy center.
2. Smash, Flip, Cheese, Stack. Heat cast iron or a flat-top until butter browns on contact. Drop the beef, smash immediately, and leave it alone long enough to form a real crust. Flip once, add cheese, then stack two patties per burger. Toast the buns in the rendered fat and build with the sauce while everything is still hot.
3. Serve Immediately. This is a burger built for the first five minutes after it leaves the griddle. The crust softens as it sits, so eat it when the cheese is molten and the bun is still warm from the fat.

Pro Tips

• If you miss the first 30 seconds, you miss the smash. After that the protein has already set, and you are pressing out juice instead of building crust.