Smash burgers are by far my favorite things to grill. They always come out juicy and packed with flavor. And they get that great crusty edge, reminding me of the diner burgers of my childhood. These meatloaf smash burgers put all of the flavors of a delicious meatloaf in a convenient hand-held package that hits the spot. Add traditional glaze and simple toppings (just onion and lettuce!) and you’ve got a real winner of a burger!
I can’t say enough how great these meatloaf smash burgers were. And they checked one of my required boxes for burgers: messy. The messier, the better. If it isn’t messy it doesn’t have enough ‘stuff’ on it. These burgers have stuff and then some. And the glaze? Oh so good!
The patties on these burgers are larger than I usually use for smash burgers. They were close to 6 ounces a pieces. That’s not a bad thing. You can adjust the recipe if you’d prefer smaller, 4 ounce patties, instead and end up with 6 servings instead of 4.
Making these burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a grill press. Any griddle will do, whether it’s on a grill, cooktop, stove or even a standalone outdoor flattop. Just get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings. And a great sauce.
Also try my Swamp Sauce smash burgers and my Chophouse smash burgers.
Meatloaf Smash Burgers
Equipment
- 2 grill press You might need 2 to fully cover the burgers while they cook
Ingredients
For the Glaze
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
For the Burgers
- 1 ½ pounds meatloaf mix
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced. Or use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 hamburger buns toasted if desired
- 4 slices onion
- ½ cup iceberg lettuce shredded
Instructions
For the Glaze
- Whisk the ketchup, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl.
For the Burgers
- Fire up your grill for direct medium-high heat cooking. You can also use an outdoor or indoor griddle or a large skillet on a stove.
- Place the meatloaf into large bowl. Using your hands, break it into large pieces.
- Add the egg, Worcestershire sauce. thyme and pepper. Combine the ingredients into the meatloaf mix.
- Divide the meat into 4 equally-sized portions and shape into balls. Don't pack the meat, just loosely form into balls.
- Place the meat balls onto the grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press to form thin patties. Season well with salt.
- Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side. Keep the burger press on top of the burgers as they cook.
- Slather one side of the patties with the glaze. Flip and grill anther minute.
- Slather top side of the patties with more glaze. Flip and grill another minute or until they reach your desired doneness.
- Transfer cooked patties to bun bottoms. If you have more glaze, divide it between the patties.
- Top with onion and iceberg and bun tops and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
