When I do smashburgers, there are two choices: put down the onions first, then smash the burger into the onion; or put the onions on top of the burger, then smash.
Both of these have issues, IMO. The first way, the initial smash doesn’t get enough meat into close contact with the griddle. The second way doesn’t cook the onions enough, and also prevents a good crust on the second side.
But what if we could address these issues, and also possibly open up the smashburger to more than onions? Could it be done?
Read on!
The onion part is problematic in a couple ways. First, it is hard to get consistent thin slices without a slicer or a mandoline. It can be done, but it takes some skill. Second, the onion pieces themselves are large. That is what gets in the way of getting that crust on both sides.
Solution? Dice that onion really fine, like 1/8”. By doing this, you’re going to break more cell walls, release more onion stuff, and you can use less onion.
But what if you want onions, and you also want something else? Mushrooms? Hatch chiles? Bacon? Peppers… HOT peppers? Solution! Dice all those up really fine, too! Then smash your burger into the dice!
In this case, I diced onions and serrano peppers. Follow along in pictures.
That’s about 1/8” dice on those onions, they’re just sticking together. The peppers are between 1/8” and 1/4”. I am set on lettuce and tomato on my burgers. I’ve enjoyed them many ways, but lettuce and tomato is how I enjoy them most.
Grill up those peppers and onions, or mushrooms and bacon, or carrots and corn if that’s what you want:
Then place the burger, smash, wait a little, and flip!
See how you still get that nice crust, even though you smashed the meat onto the peppers and onions? The condiments just kind of move around and make space for the meat. All that stuff that spread beyond the circumference, just scrape it up and put it on top! I put it all on the closer patty, the farther patty is as flipped. (Mrs Mosca goes plain.)
Of course make sure everything gets on there.
ORDER UP! Brisket beans and mac & cheese, a perfect bbq meal for a day that looked like it was going to be a rainout!
Both of these have issues, IMO. The first way, the initial smash doesn’t get enough meat into close contact with the griddle. The second way doesn’t cook the onions enough, and also prevents a good crust on the second side.
But what if we could address these issues, and also possibly open up the smashburger to more than onions? Could it be done?
Read on!
The onion part is problematic in a couple ways. First, it is hard to get consistent thin slices without a slicer or a mandoline. It can be done, but it takes some skill. Second, the onion pieces themselves are large. That is what gets in the way of getting that crust on both sides.
Solution? Dice that onion really fine, like 1/8”. By doing this, you’re going to break more cell walls, release more onion stuff, and you can use less onion.
But what if you want onions, and you also want something else? Mushrooms? Hatch chiles? Bacon? Peppers… HOT peppers? Solution! Dice all those up really fine, too! Then smash your burger into the dice!
In this case, I diced onions and serrano peppers. Follow along in pictures.
That’s about 1/8” dice on those onions, they’re just sticking together. The peppers are between 1/8” and 1/4”. I am set on lettuce and tomato on my burgers. I’ve enjoyed them many ways, but lettuce and tomato is how I enjoy them most.
Grill up those peppers and onions, or mushrooms and bacon, or carrots and corn if that’s what you want:
Then place the burger, smash, wait a little, and flip!
See how you still get that nice crust, even though you smashed the meat onto the peppers and onions? The condiments just kind of move around and make space for the meat. All that stuff that spread beyond the circumference, just scrape it up and put it on top! I put it all on the closer patty, the farther patty is as flipped. (Mrs Mosca goes plain.)
Of course make sure everything gets on there.
ORDER UP! Brisket beans and mac & cheese, a perfect bbq meal for a day that looked like it was going to be a rainout!
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