Expert Flat-Top Methods for 2026 Summer Grilling thumbnail

Expert Flat-Top Methods for 2026 Summer Grilling

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I make smashburgers on steel often. The work is getting your burger bar together: chopped pickles, onions, cheese, special sauce.

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Get your griddle or steel ripping hot. You have to work fast. We're cooking these for 30-60 seconds per side, and you want it screaming hot for that Maillard reaction, the sear that makes smashburgers legendary. I enjoy to smash for buddies. The majority of the time, they have actually currently had our Baking Steel pizza, and I like to blend the menu.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & SteakburgersFreddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers


I have actually made smash hamburgers on this thing that individuals still talk about. Smashing the beef thin takes full advantage of contact with the hot steel, setting off the Maillard response, the chemical process that creates that deep, mouthwatering, browned taste we all long for.

Your first burger and your 4th get the exact same unbelievable edge-to-edge crust without the temperature level dropping. I 'd understand my family has been in the steel business for over 50 years at our store in Hanover, MA. I understand this material, and I built these griddles specifically to fix the heat retention problem that cast iron can't.

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Let it preheat for 10-15 minutes up until it's ripping hot (around 500-550F). This is the same principle behind our pizza steels load the steel with heat, and it does the work for you.

Right away smash them extremely thin (about 1/4 inch) with a stiff spatula or press. To prevent sticking, you can position a little piece of parchment paper between the meat and the spatula. Season the smashed patties kindly with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Cook for 60-90 seconds. You'll see the edges turn a deep, crispy brown.

Use a bench scraper or stiff spatula to get under the patty, guaranteeing you scrape up all the crispy, browned bits. Turn it over. Instantly position a piece of cheese on the turned patty. Cook for another 30-45 seconds to melt the cheese. Quickly toast your buns on a cooler part of the frying pan for 15-20 seconds.

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Cheese melting completely on the Mini Griddle Cast iron is the standard choice for smashburgers, and it works. I used cast iron for many years. However after testing both side-by-side for over a decade, I switched to steel. And look, I'm not simply a guy with an opinion. My household has run because the 1960s.

I comprehend how it stores and transfers heat in a method most individuals never ever believe about. Here's the distinction: That implies it recovers temperature level faster in between hamburgers.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & SteakburgersFreddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers


You get the very same screaming-hot crust on your first hamburger and your fourth. Simply cook, scrape, wipe clean. I've evaluated cast iron, stainless steel, and every griddle on the market.

Preheat the grill and steel for 15-20 minutes on high heat, then smash your hamburgers right on the steel. You get the very same incredible crust with the added benefit of outdoor cooking and that subtle smoky taste from the grill.

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Buddies lose their minds when they see it. They walk up anticipating regular grilled burgers and rather they see me smashing patties on a piece of American-made steel on the grill. It's a whole thing. Perfect smash hamburgers made on the Baking Steel Original on an outdoor grill I created each of these for a specific usage case.

It fits on a single burner and is perfect for households or hamburger night with good friends. is compact and best for 1-2 burgers. It's great for little cooking areas, apartments, or solo cooking. Very same heat retention, smaller sized footprint. is the one that started it all. Utilize it in the oven for pizza, or take it outside and location it on your grill for smashburgers, steaks, and more.