Expert Flat-Top Strategies for 2026 Summer Grilling thumbnail

Expert Flat-Top Strategies for 2026 Summer Grilling

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

Get your frying pan or steel ripping hot. We're preparing these for 30-60 seconds per side, and you want it shrieking hot for that Maillard reaction, the sear that makes smashburgers famous.

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


I've made smash hamburgers on this thing that people still talk about. Smashing the beef thin takes full advantage of contact with the hot steel, activating the Maillard reaction, the chemical process that develops that deep, tasty, browned taste we all crave.

Your first hamburger and your fourth get the exact same incredible edge-to-edge crust without the temperature dropping. I 'd know my household has remained in the steel organization for over 50 years at our store in Hanover, MA. I understand this material, and I developed these frying pans particularly to fix the heat retention problem that cast iron can't.

Building Savory Menus with Top-Rated Burgers

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

Right away smash them really 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 generously with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Cook for 60-90 seconds. You'll see the edges turn a deep, crispy brown.

Prepare for another 30-45 seconds to melt the cheese. Briefly toast your buns on a cooler part of the frying pan for 15-20 seconds.

Expert Culinary Tips for Juicy Grilled Patties

Cheese melting perfectly on the Mini Frying pan Cast iron is the conventional option for smashburgers, and it works. I used cast iron for years. However after evaluating both side-by-side for over a decade, I switched to steel. And look, I'm not just a guy with a viewpoint. My family has run given that the 1960s.

I understand how it shops and transfers heat in a manner the majority of people never ever consider. That understanding is exactly what led me to invent the Baking Steel in 2012, and it's why I designed the Skinny Griddle particularly for stovetop cooking like this. Here's the difference: That implies it recovers temperature faster between burgers.

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


You get the exact same screaming-hot crust on your very first hamburger and your 4th. Simply cook, scrape, wipe tidy. I've 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 hamburgers right on the steel. You get the same unbelievable crust with the included advantage of outside cooking and that subtle smoky taste from the grill.

Special Ingredients for Premium 2026 Burgers

Friends lose their minds when they see it. They walk up anticipating routine 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 designed each of these for a specific usage case.

Perfecting Restaurant-Quality Sides in Your Kitchen

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