Ultimate Smash Burger with Secret Spicy Sauce

True story. I could eat an ultimate smash burger with secret spicy sauce, turn around, and eat another. Oh gosh, please don’t tell my doc. He’s already on me about chicken wings. I don’t want him to take away my delicious, juicy, nice-and-lightly-charred burgers! Oh, and that spicy sauce! It’s as if the special sauce from McDonald’s grew up and got some kick! Man is it ever good! So heck, make yourself two of these crazy good burgers and get to eatin’ and enjoyin’!

Ultimate Smash Burger with Secret Spicy Sauce

You can load up your ultimate smash burger with secret spicy sauce with whatever toppings you like. Sometimes I like mine piled high. Sometimes just some cheese and sauce will do. No matter what, they’re going to be fantastic!

The equipment

Here’s the equipment I use. You can get by using two cast iron skillets. Use a larger skillet for cooking the burgers, and a smaller one to smash the burgers and keep them flat. Since I’m a cooking gadget collector, I prefer to use a few more tools.

The griddle

First, a griddle. You can buy griddles that sit on top of your grill grates or ones that replace them. Just about every grill I have has a griddle on it. I use them for a lot of things, not just smash burgers. You want one that can be placed over the hottest part of your grill so it gets screaming hot.

A burger press

Next, you need a burger press. You can use a heavy cast iron skillet, like I mentioned. Or get a burger press. For easy cleanup I wrap mine in foil first. When I’m done, just peel off the foil and toss. Super easy. Get a press that’s at least big enough to cover two burgers. You only smash one at a time, but if you want to keep them flat, you want to rest the press on top so bigger (and heavier) is better. Plus I’ve found that a bigger, heavier press tends to stay on the burgers whereas a smaller, lighter one is hard to keep centered on the burgers, specially if you have a bunch of them cooking at once.

A dome

Next up, a dome. While not 100% required, it does speed the time it takes to melt the cheese and it does it in a nice even fashion. In my opinion you don’t really need one if you’re using a super melty cheese, such as American, but for thicker slices like say a deli pepper jack, you want the cheese to melt before you over-cook the burger and that’s where a dome comes in handy.

Cleaning time!

Lastly, you need something to clean your griddle. I like to clean mine when I’m done cooking, but you can do it at the start instead. I use one of these pad holders with a griddle cleaning pad. Then I add a bit of water to my griddle then use the pad (connected to the holder) to scrub off any big chunks and get up some of the grease. I don’t go crazy with it, I always heat the heck out of my griddle before cooking, but I get the worst. The long arm on the pad holder makes it perfect for scrubbing a hot griddle, too.

Also try my Juicy Smash Burgers!

Ultimate Smash Burger with Secret Spicy Sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Ultimate Smash Burger with Secret Spicy Sauce

A classic burger with a spicy twist on a classic sauce.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burgers, spicy
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 646kcal

Ingredients

For the secret spicy sauce

For the smash burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • additional toppings sliced onion dill pickle slices, ketchup, etc, optional

Instructions

For the secret spicy sauce

  • In small bowl, stir together the salad dressing, hot sauce and jalapenos.
  • Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the smash burgers

  • Fire up your grill for high heat. Place a griddle or a large cast iron pan over the highest heat.
  • Season the ground beef and form into four 4 ounce balls (not patties!).
  • Place the balls of beef on the griddle and let cook for one minute. Just let them cook, don't mess with them.
  • Take your press and flatten out the patties. I like to use the point of the press and work my way around the ball first, doing a little section at a time and then finally I press down on the entire patty to flatten it out. You can also just flatten out the ball all at once. At this point I also like to season the patties some more.
  • Let the patties cook until you start to notice a little char along the edges. Flip, season again if desired, and continue cooking another minute or so until the other side is charred. The burgers are thin so they will cook very quickly so watch out.
  • Add the cheese slices. If desired, cover in a dome to help the cheese melt.
  • Toast the buns. Remove, add the patties and serve with plenty of the secret spicy sauce and desired toppings. Devour immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 646kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 1295mg | Potassium: 450mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 382IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 311mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Meatloaf Smash Burgers

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!

Meatloaf Smash Burgers

So Good. And Messy.

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
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5 from 1 vote

Meatloaf Smash Burgers

Flavor-packed juicy smash burgers!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burger
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 2193kcal

Equipment

  • 2 grill press You might need 2 to fully cover the burgers while they cook

Ingredients

For the Glaze

For the Burgers

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

Calories: 2193kcal | Carbohydrates: 152g | Protein: 175g | Fat: 114g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 662mg | Sodium: 3817mg | Potassium: 896mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 66g | Vitamin A: 1174IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 355mg | Iron: 22mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Swamp Sauce Smash Burgers

Oh man did these Swamp Sauce smash burgers ever hit the spot. Juicy patties. Crisp fresh toppings. All with a wonderful creamy sauce that is a combination of just about every good burger sauce you can think of. It’s got a little heat. It’s got a little sweet. A little tang. This will solve your problem if you find yourself opening the fridge, looking at the condiment bottles, and trying to decide what to use. These burgers are proof that even the simplest sauce can make a ‘plain’ burger something special. Sure, there are a few ingredients, but nothing fancy and nothing complicated.

Swamp Sauce Smash Burgers

I Dream About These Burgers

Making Swamp Sauce smash burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a burger 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 Thousand Island BBQ smash burgers and my meatloaf smash burgers (yum!).

Swamp Sauce Smash Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Swamp Sauce Smash Burgers

Get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burger
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 572kcal

Ingredients

For the sauce

For the burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef formed into four 4-ounce patties
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 burger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese or American cheese
  • 4 slices onion
  • 1 pieces iceberg lettuce torn or chopped
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 6 slices dill pickle

Instructions

For the sauce

  • In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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.
  • Season the burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Don’t be shy with the seasoning.
  • Place the patties on grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with cheese and grill until they’ve reached your desired doneness and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Make the burgers by first spreading some of the sauce on the bun bottoms.
  • Add a burger patty.
  • Add onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle slices.
  • Slather the top bun with more of the sauce and serve.

Notes

Patties 4-5 ounces in weight work best.

Nutrition

Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 2450mg | Potassium: 761mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 920IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Thousand Island BBQ Smash Burgers

Oh man did these Thousand Island BBQ smash burgers ever hit the spot. Juicy patties. Crisp fresh toppings. All with a wonderful creamy sauce that makes you think of you-know-who’s Special Sauce but with a definite twist. Chili sauce adds a bit of heat and a tad bit of sweetness. Worcestershire makes you think steak sauce. And of course, there’s the BBQ sauce. I used a nice smoky hickory BBQ sauce because I wanted to make sure I got that wonderful BBQ flavor in my burgers. And I did. These burgers are proof that even the simplest sauce can make a ‘plain’ burger something special.

Thousand Island BBQ Smash Burgers

Easy And So Delicious

Making Thousand Island BBQ smash burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a burger 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 Cowboy Big Mac Smash burgers and my Swamp sauce Smash burgers. And you’ll love my go-to burger sauce.

Thousand Island BBQ Smash Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Thousand Island BBQ Smash Burgers

Get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burgers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 633kcal

Ingredients

For the sauce

For the burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef formed into four 4-ounce patties
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese or American cheese
  • 4 pieces iceberg lettuce torn or chopped
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 4 slices onion
  • 6 slices dill pickle

Instructions

For the sauce

  • Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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.
  • Season the burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Don’t be shy with the seasoning.
  • Place the patties on grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with cheese and grill until they’ve reached your desired doneness and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Make the burgers by first spreading some of the sauce on the bun bottoms.
  • Add a burger patty.
  • Add onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle slices.
  • Slather the top bun with more of the sauce and serve.

Notes

Patties 4-5 ounces in weight work best.

Nutrition

Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 2491mg | Potassium: 829mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1169IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 348mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smash Burgers with Zesty Sauce

Oh me. This is why today was a happy day. A very happy day. I made smash burgers with zesty sauce. Nothing could make me happier. Perfectly cooked patties with that awesome smash burger crust. Lettuce. Onion. And then there’s the sauce. The amazing sauce. Everything good is in the sauce. Including soy sauce. That’s where this sauce went from fantastic to amazing.

Smash Burgers with Zesty Sauce

The Best Burger Sauce?

I can’t say enough how great these smash burgers with zesty sauce 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.

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 burger press. Any griddle will do, whether it’s on a grill (I use my Weber), 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 steakhouse smash burgers.

Smash Burgers with Zesty Sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Smash Burgers with Zesty Sauce

The perfect burgers with the perfect sauce.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burgers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 721kcal

Ingredients

For the sauce (makes extra)

For the burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef formed into four 4-ounce patties
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese or American cheese
  • 4 pieces iceberg lettuce torn or chopped
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 4 slices onion
  • 6 slices dill pickle

Instructions

For the sauce

  • Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

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.
  • Season the burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Don’t be shy with the seasoning.
  • Place the patties on grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with cheese and grill until they’ve reached your desired doneness and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Make the burgers by first spreading some of the sauce on the bun bottoms.
  • Add a burger patty.
  • Add onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle slices.
  • Slather the top bun with more of the sauce and serve.

Notes

Patties 4-5 ounces in weight work best.

Nutrition

Calories: 721kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 2660mg | Potassium: 823mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1348IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 349mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Steakhouse Smash Burgers

Oh man did these steakhouse smash burgers ever hit the spot. Juicy patties. Crisp fresh toppings. All with a wonderful creamy sauce that has a little tang that’s not so strong it hides all the great burger flavors. These burgers are proof that even the simplest sauce can make a ‘plain’ burger something special. I love smash burgers and this right here is exactly why. You can’t beat them, from ease-of-cooking to fantastic flavor, they’re always a winner.

Steakhouse Smash  Burgers

The Perfect Smash Burgers

Making steakhouse smash burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a burger press. Any griddle will do, whether it’s on a grill (I use my Weber), cooktop, stove or even a standalone outdoor flattop. Just get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings. And a great sauce. Once you have the steps down you’ll be cranking out smash burgers all day long with ease.

Of course you can use any toppings you want. Sometimes I just go with cheese. These burgers don’t have to be all fancy fru-fru. They just have to be great (and they are!).

Also try my smash burgers with zesty sauce.

Steakhouse Smash Burgers
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Steakhouse Smash Burgers

Get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burger
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 572kcal

Ingredients

For the sauce

For the burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef formed into four 4-ounce patties
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 burger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese or American cheese
  • 4 slices onion
  • 1 pieces iceberg lettuce torn or chopped
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 6 slices dill pickle

Instructions

For the sauce

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and steak sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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.
  • Season the burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Don’t be shy with the seasoning.
  • Place the patties on grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with cheese and grill until they’ve reached your desired doneness and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Make the burgers by first spreading some of the sauce on the bun bottoms.
  • Add a burger patty.
  • Add onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle slices.
  • Slather the top bun with more of the sauce and serve.

Notes

Patties 4-5 ounces in weight work best.

Nutrition

Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 2450mg | Potassium: 761mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 920IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smash Burgers using the Cuisinart Griddler

I’m a huge fan of hamburgers. Although I can enjoy a big thick-ole pub burger too, I’m always craving that thin diner-style patty with lightly crusty edges. No fancy toppings for me either. I’ll take ketchup, mustard and pickle, thank you very much. Yeah, sure, if I’m feeling adventurous I might add some onion or lettuce, but that’s where the craziness ends. Just give me that juicy, thin, hot patty topped with melted cheese and I’m one happy guy! And though I often cook my hamburgers on a grill, these Smash Burgers using the Cuisinart Griddler are outstanding too!

Smash Burgers using the Cuisinart Griddler

The Keys To Success

For me there are just a few things to keep in mind when making smash burgers using the Cuisinart Griddler. They’re easy, so no need to over-complicate them. First, get that Griddler flat plate hot. I mean hot hot. Screaming hot. Second, season the meat well and do not over-work it. Just loosely form it into balls. Don’t pack them. And last, smash! Smash! Push down on the top lid to smash them as flat as you can! That’s it! Enjoy!

Step your smash burgers up and slather them with some smash burger sauce.

The Griddler also makes tremendous steak sandwiches.

Smash Burgers using the Cuisinart Griddler
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4.17 from 6 votes

Smash Burgers using the Cuisinart Griddler

The Cuisinart Griddler makes outstandingly good Smash Burgers!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers, Griddler
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 486kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the flat plates on your Griddler. Do not use the ridged sides. Heat your Griddler by turning the Selector to 'Grill-Panini' and the Grill-Panini knob to 'Sear'.
  • While your Griddler is heating up, place the ground beef in a medium bowl. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Don't be shy with it!
  • Divide the beef in half and form into 2 balls. Do not pack them tightly, just shape them enough so they are ball-like. They don't have to be perfect.
  • Place the meat onto the griddle and close the top. Press down until the top cannot go any further. Smash them burgers!
  • Cook the burgers for 4-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Toast your hamburger buns, if desired, while the burgers are cooking.
  • Open the griddle and top the patties with the cheese. Let melt slightly then remove to the buns.
  • Top patties with pickles, squirt the ketchup and mustard on top. Add any desired other toppings and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 199IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.