This is the best smash burger you will ever eat…
A bold claim? Maybe. But after hundreds of burgers cooked on the BBQ, not a single complaint – and plenty of people saying “best burger I’ve ever had”. I’m really not scared... Fire up the grill, grab a drink, and you be the judge.
🕒 Prep Time:
- Burger mix: 5 mins
- Sauce: 5 mins
- Toppings/dressing: 5 mins
🔥 Cook Time:
- 15–20 mins total
- ~5 mins per burger
🍔 Serves:
Adjust ingredients based on how many burgers you want — single, double, triple, dare a quad??... It’s your call.
🔥 Grill Setup:
BBQ with flat skillet, plancha or half-moon griddle.
Direct heat at 180–200°C (340–390°F).
Ingredients
For the Smash Burgers
- 500g beef steak mince (10% fat) – Get local, support your butcher!
- 1 tbsp onion granules
- 1 tbsp garlic granules
- ½ tbsp English mustard powder (e.g. Coleman’s)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A good glug of high-heat oil (rapeseed or vegetable)
- Brioche burger buns
For the Homemade Burger Sauce (Makes ~¾ cup)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp finely chopped gherkins (or pickle relish)
- 1 tsp pickle juice (from the jar)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: Dash of hot sauce or chilli flakes
To Dress the Burger
- Diced gherkins
- American cheese slices (nothing else quite hits the same)
- Iceberg lettuce leaves
- 1 large onion, sliced horizontally
- 2 slices of streaky bacon per burger (grilled until crispy)
Method
🔥 1. Fire Up the Grill
Set up your BBQ with a flat skillet or plancha. Heat to around 200°C (390°F). Allow the grill surface to get nice and hot.
🍖 2. Make the Burger Patties
- In a mixing bowl, combine the beef mince, onion granules, garlic granules, mustard powder, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and a large glug of oil.
- Mix thoroughly by hand until evenly combined.
- Roll into balls — somewhere between golf ball and tennis ball size, depending on how thin you want your patties.
- Set aside on a tray.
🧅 3. Prep the Toppings
- Lightly oil the hot griddle and cook the streaky bacon until golden and crisp. This fat is what gives the onions and the burgers that irresistible flavour. “I never said this was good for you!”
- Add the sliced onions to the bacon fat and cook until soft and caramelised (adding a large pinch of sugar really helps).
- Pro tip: Don’t clean the skillet — that bacon fat is where the magic happens.
🍔 4. Smash Those Burgers
- Place the beef balls onto the hot skillet. Let sit for 1 minute to form a crust.
- Using a burger press, weight, or a spatula + greaseproof paper, smash the patties flat.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side until crisped and cooked through.
- Add a slice of American cheese to each patty during the last 30 seconds. Cover with a cloche if you have one to melt.
🍞 5. Toast the Buns
- Lightly toast your brioche buns on the grill until just golden.
🧱 6. Build the Ultimate Burger
- Bottom of bun: Spread a layer of homemade burger sauce and add a leaf of iceberg lettuce.
- Add your cheesy patties — single, double, triple, go big.
- Top with diced gherkins, caramelised onions, and crispy bacon.
- Finish with another smear of burger sauce on the top bun.
✅ You’re Done
That’s it. Big Dave’s Smash Burgers – Simple, crispy, juicy, saucy, and dangerously good. The kind of burger you’ll crave the next day. And the next.
💡 Pro Tips
- Use a meat-to-fat ratio of around 90/10 — lean enough to smash, fatty enough to flavour.
- Smash once, and only once. Don’t flip or press again or you’ll lose the juiciness.
- Don’t skip the sauce — it ties everything together. Make extra and thank us later. Its just as good with fries, chips, veg, well anything…
📸 Share Your Smash!
Tried Big Dave’s Smash Burgers? Tag us @eggandember or use #BigDavesSmashBurger – We’d love to see your creations on the grill.