Savory Dinner Ideas for Grilling in 2026

I make smashburgers on steel typically. They are bad ass and when you attempt it in this manner, you'll never go back. I invented the Baking Steel back in 2012 for pizza however honestly, smashburgers may be the important things I cook on steel more than anything else nowadays. The work is getting your burger bar together: chopped pickles, onions, cheese, unique sauce.

Get your frying pan or steel ripping hot. You need to work quickly. We're cooking these for 30-60 seconds per side, and you desire it shrieking hot for that Maillard reaction, the sear that makes smashburgers legendary. I like to smash for good friends. Many of the time, they've currently had our Baking Steel pizza, and I like to mix up the menu.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I've made smash burgers on this thing that people still talk about. Smashing the beef thin maximizes contact with the hot steel, setting off the Maillard reaction, the chemical process that produces that deep, tasty, browned flavor we all crave.

Your first burger and your fourth get the very same incredible edge-to-edge crust without the temperature dropping. I 'd understand my family has actually been in the steel business for over 50 years at our shop in Hanover, MA. I understand this product, and I constructed these griddles specifically to resolve the heat retention issue that cast iron can't.

Perfecting Restaurant-Quality Sides at Home

Let it pre-heat for 10-15 minutes until it's ripping hot (around 500-550F). This is the exact same principle behind our pizza steels pack the steel with heat, and it does the work for you. Gently divide the ground beef into 4 x 4 oz (115g) balls. Do not overwork the meat; just form it into a loose ball.

Season the smashed patties kindly with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Prepare for 60-90 seconds.

Utilize a bench scraper or stiff spatula to get under the patty, guaranteeing you scrape up all the crispy, browned bits. Flip it over. Right away put a slice 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 griddle for 15-20 seconds.

How to Cook a High-Quality Flat-Top Burger

Cheese melting completely on the Mini Griddle Cast iron is the traditional option for smashburgers, and it works. I used cast iron for several years. However after testing both side-by-side for over a years, I switched to steel. And appearance, I'm not simply a guy with a viewpoint. My household has actually run given that the 1960s.

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

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

You get the very same screaming-hot crust on your first hamburger and your 4th. Just cook, scrape, wipe tidy. I have actually tested cast iron, stainless steel, and every frying pan on the market.

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

The Complete Guide to Flat-Top Grilling Excellence

They stroll up expecting routine grilled hamburgers and rather they see me smashing patties on a slab of American-made steel on the grill. Perfect smash hamburgers made on the Baking Steel Original on an outside grill I designed each of these for a specific usage case.

It fits on a single burner and is ideal for families or burger night with friends. Very same heat retention, smaller footprint. Utilize it in the oven for pizza, or take it outside and location it on your grill for smashburgers, steaks, and more.