Smash burger choices: Kenji or Grant?

[WayneT]

I’ve looked at two different ‘ultimate’ smash burger recipes, one by Kenji Lopez-Alt (Serious Eats) and one by Grant Crilly (ChefSteps). I plan on making some for tomorrow nights dinner and want recommendations and feedback on which is best or is a combination of the two recipes in order?

https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/the-ultimate-smash-burger

ChefSteps
Grind your own brisket to 60/40 ratio
Add egg yolk per pound
Add gelatin
One 4 oz patty

https://www.seriouseats.com/ultra-smashed-cheeseburger-recipe-food-lab

Serious Eats
Buy 75/25 ground chuck
No binders added
Two 2 oz Pattie’s with cheese in between

Cooking methods are pretty much the same.

What say you?

[Huskee]

Well since you asked "What say you?", I'll say me. Smash burgers, done right as far as quick, hot cook, brown crust, still juicy.... are amazing. There's a near zero chance I'd ever go through the extra work to grind my own, add egg yolk, and add gelatin, just to get a still-amazing smash burger. At some point the ends can no longer justify the means. Granted I/we don't know what we don't know, but I'm making an educated guess that ChefSteps' way is not for me. End of the day it's still just a burger.

[Steve R.]

The term "smash burger" is practically the recipe, as far as I'm concerned. I agree, keep it simple.

[barelfly]

I’ve only done Kenji’s method as well as Cooks Illustrated (and if I remember, they are basically the same) and they were excellent! I’ve experimented with the grind a bit, choosing some different cuts but the two, 2oz patties with cheese - and shake shack sauce and onions, is really good!

as for the meats - chuck, brisket, ribeye, short rib - a combination of these are the various cuts I’ve used when I’ve made my mix.

[Michael_in_TX]

This reminded me of a video Kenji did three years ago in which he shows how he makes his smashburger at the restaurant he owns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwgn5k_TzKM (4 minutes)

He does use brisket and chuck in the video, but does not give the ratio.

Best line of the video: "American cheese fixes all sins." (Which is apt, if you watch closely, he forgets to flip the second patty on the flattop....although that could because he realized it was about to just crumble on him.)

[Santamarina]

While I am a fan of grinding your own (I use either brisket point or chuck) those fat ratios are too high. 80/20 is the standard for a reason…more fat just makes a bigger mess with grease splattering everywhere.

I don’t add anything to it…just ground beef in 3-4 oz balls. As soon as I smash’em I hit’em with 50/50 Morton’s coarse coaster salt and coarse ground black pepper.

Wait until crust is set, flip, add cheese (if using), done.

[Rob whatever]

Only one true way to tell: try them both side by side.

[WayneT]

I like your style. It takes the choice out of the equation and makes it an order issue. Many times my wife will ask me, “would you like X or Y?”, and my reply is, “yes, in that order.”

[Mosca]

Don’t combine recipes, that will get you the worst of both worlds. Plus then you have to think about it.

I have incredible respect for both of those men, but without watching the videos at all, I would go for the simpler one. I mean, they’re both claiming ultimate status, right? And they both come from guys who know what they’re doing, right? So what you got is two different versions of ultimate, where one is quick and easy, and the other is detailed and involved.

LOL. Give me the easy one, and pass me a beer.

[58limited]

I'm too lazy to use additives. I grind a blend of brisket, chuck, and short rib meat in bulk every year. I season the top as I'm cooking and that is all.

The only time I use additives is every few years I make the burgers like my sister did in the 70s and 80s: add pepper, garlic/ onion/celery powder, salt, and BBQ sauce (KC Masterpiece). I have to add an egg to bind it all. This is actually really good, I need to make them more often.

[WayneT]

Since I do not have a brisket but do have a 4 lb chuck in the freezer, I think my first attempt will be Kenji’s method. That will give me enough leftover ground chuck to use when I do get a brisket and do the side-by-side comparison that Rob whatever advised about so eloquently.

[FireMan]

Don’t know either of those ways, then again maybe I do. Watched some one do em many moons ago. Never looked back, just developed FireMan style if there be such a thing. I go with chuck or whatever is available. I many times have done it at “their place” so I’ll request a 75/25 & sometime come up with a mixture of ground round & hamburger. If at home I have a Lodge griddle that I slip in my kettle. I create my own little assembly line. My hands make normal 7oz balls, squeezy balls but not to tight. Then I cut em in half, yessir. Start plopping those halves & smashin em. 3 on top row of griddle & apply some salt, only one side, then flip em to a bottom row & put the cheese on em. Usually do at least 3 lbs cuz I’ll be feedin a gang. All the bun prep, a light grill toast & any other fixins have to be done afore time, cuz when the train gets a rollin there’s no stoppin, no sir.
Which ever way you pick yer peeps are goin to love em. Happy cookin,

[WayneT]

Thanks for sharing your method!

[jfmorris]

Yeah... egg and ESPECIALLY gelatin doesn't need to be in there. I wouldn't go with the Chef Steps. Give me pure 80/20 beef, and salt, pepper, garlic, onion.

I follow the Diner smash burger recipe from the free side of AR, and mix in 1/4 tsp each pepper, granulated onion and granulated garlic per pound in a bowl, before making my smash burger balls with a scoop. Salt the burgers after smashing, and that's it. Cheese, if used, on the flip. My wife doesn't like cheese, so I do about half with, half without.

I imagine I could do it without mixing in the spices, but do so since that is what Meathead said to do! . The pepper on the surface would likely burn I am thinking.

[WayneT]

Sounds good and I agree about the pepper burning.

[shify]

Can't say I've tried it but not sure i'd want egg, gelatin and mixing salt into the patty. Might make a super juicy patty but that is not the texture I'm looking for in a smashburger.

It also watched the video and looked like ChefSteps did a thicker patty, so less "standard" smashburger which I view as thin and lacy and more or a diner style with smash elements to get a thicker/better crust than a normal griddle burger. That might explain the gelatin/egg.

I typically like the smaller, thinner patties and double stack them, so that means 2-3 oz patties (depending how hungry I am). That size ball smashes to just larger than a typical burger bun and takes less than 2 min to cook (primarily on one side to maximize crust)

[02ebz06]

If you have a recipe you like for burgers, use it.
Make 2oz patties and smash 'em.

[Michael_in_TX]

I know for me, smash burgers need to be simple. If it is all about that crust, then I don't want anything to take away from it, bury it, or threaten it, like a lot of toppings.

A little bit of mayo, small diced onions....and that's it. I'll leave the toppings for a smoked 1/2 lb burger.

[MBMorgan]

For me, the good'ol KISS principle applies especially well to smash burgers ... so it's Kenji for the win! Keep'em simple, keep'em thin, keep'em quick, keep seasonings on (not in) the meat and toppings to a minimum. About the only thing I'd do differently is replace the American cheese with Swiss (specifically Jarlsberg).