Smash Burgers with Caramelized Beef and Tangy Burger Sauce
By Liam Carter
These smash burgers make a warm summer meal for two. Thin 80/20 beef patties are pressed between parchment, seared on a hot cast-iron skillet or griddle, and stacked with cheddar for juicy beef, browned caramelization, tangy sauce, and a buttery toasted brioche bun.
The beef is divided into 3-ounce portions, rolled into balls, then flattened into thin rounds between parchment squares with a mallet. That parchment step keeps the patties easy to transfer without making a mess. The sauce combines mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, mustard, and black pepper, while cheddar, pickles, lettuce, onion, and tomato give the finished burgers familiar contrast.
Start with a thoroughly hot skillet or griddle and season both sides as the patties go into the pan. The beef should cook quickly, developing browned caramelization before it is flipped. The main thing to avoid is losing the thin patties during transfer; forming them between parchment squares and keeping them on a tray helps them reach the hot surface neatly.
Serve the double patties right away on toasted brioche buns with extra sauce. Sweet potato fries, traditional fries, potato salad, fruit salad, or a veggie salad are all suggested sides. The prepared burger sauce stays fresh in the refrigerator for days, so it can be made before burger night.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Feeds two with double patties on each bun, making it a practical warm-weather dinner when a smaller household wants burgers without leftovers.
- Families get familiar burger toppings—cheddar, pickles, lettuce, onion, and tomato—so each bun has recognizable layers alongside the tangy homemade sauce.
- Parchment makes the thin patties easier to form and move, which helps home cooks keep the burger-making process tidy before the skillet heats.
- Quick skillet cooking suits busy dinners because each patty cooks for just minutes, while the buns need only a brief toast on the grill.
- The sauce can be mixed ahead and kept refrigerated for days, giving later burgers, buns, and toppings a ready-made creamy layer.
- Serving ideas include fries, potato salad, fruit salad, or veggie salad, so the burgers can anchor either a simple family plate or outdoor spread.
Ingredients
- •12 oz ground beef (80/20) (340 g)
- •salt (to taste)
- •freshly cracked black pepper (to taste, for patties and sauce)
- •0.5 cup mayonnaise
- •0.25 cup sour cream
- •1 tbsp ketchup (1-2 tablespoons)
- •1 tbsp mustard
- •brioche buns
- •2 slices cheddar cheese
- •pickles
- •lettuce
- •onion (thinly sliced)
- •tomato slices
Instructions
- 1
Divide the ground beef into 3-ounce (85 g) portions.
- 2
Roll each portion into a ball.
- 3
Place each ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper.
- 4
Use the flat side of a mallet to flatten the balls into thin rounds.
- 5
Combine the burger sauce ingredients and mix well.
- 6
Refrigerate the sauce until ready to use.
- 7
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
- 8
Season one side of the patties with salt and black pepper.
- 9
Place the patties seasoned-side down onto the hot pan.
- 10
Season the other side with salt and black pepper.
- 11
Cook for 1-2 minutes and flip.
- 12
Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute and top one patty with cheese.
- 13
Place the other patty on top and remove the double patty from the pan.
- 14
Toast the buns on the grill for about 30 seconds and transfer them to a plate.
- 15
Place a spoonful of sauce on the bottom bun, then top with lettuce, tomato, and onion.
- 16
Add the double patties, then top with pickles, more sauce, and the bun top.
- 17
Serve.
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