METHOD

BURGER PREP

One of the many great things about smashburgers is how quickly they cook – each patty is ready to go in under 5 minutes! However, this can cause some slight logistical complications – you’re going to want to serve up those amazing, craggy-edged burgers pretty much immediately, so prep is key.  

– The Pancetta will need to be cooked just  before you start the burger cooking. 

– Toasted buns are a non-negotiable component to the smashburger so make sure you have a second pan ready and hot to toast up those buns whilst your patty is cooking. 

– Slice your shallots and quick pickle in a small bowl with some vinegar and slice the pickles (if you’re a fan) in advance as well.   

Ideally your Smashburger journey wants to look something like the following: 

1. Add your beef mince to the very hot pan and smash. 
2. Add your burger buns to a hot pan cut side down and leave to toast.
3. Flip your smashburger patty and top with cheese.
4. Remove your toasted bun and add ketchup, mustard, pickled shallots and pickles to the bottom half of the bun and a generous smear of the smoked aioli to the top half. 
5. Remove the burger patty from the hot pan and transfer directly onto the bottom half of the burger bun followed by the pancetta, the top half of the bun and enjoy what is certain to be the best bacon cheeseburger you’ve ever made.    

In total it’s about 5 minutes of juggling spatulas, buns and condiments – but trust me, the end result will be well worth it. 

TIP – Once you’ve finished cooking the patty you can transfer it to a plate whilst you assemble all the remaining components, but you don’t want to leave it for any longer than 1-2 minutes MAX. Ideally you want to be transferring

THE PANCETTA

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (Fan).
2. Line a baking tray with the pancetta and transfer to the oven and cook for between 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. You want the pancetta to be cooked and slightly crispy whilst still having a bit of flex. 

SMASHING THE BURGERS

1. Place a large, heavy pan (cast iron is ideal) over a very high heat and leave for a couple of minutes to really up heat.
2. Loosely form your minced beef into a ball, do not be tempted to pack this together as it will result in a less juicy burger. Add a very light drizzle of oil to the now smoking hot pan and place your ball of beef into the centre. Using a spatula or burger press, smash down on the burger as evenly as possible until you reach a depth of about 1cm. Leave to sizzle away for about 2 minutes. DO NOT TOUCH THE PATTY DURING THIS TIME! This is where the magic happens.
3. Salt the top of the patty and possibly add a slight drizzle of oil. Then, using a stiff, metal spatula, pry your way under the smashed patty and flip. You should be greeted with a glorious, caramelised crust packed with flavour. Top with the gruyere cheese and then cover with a lid (this will help melt the cheese). Cook for a further 2 minutes.
4. Once cooked, remove from the pan and build your burger. 

BUILDING THE BURGER

1. To the bottom half of your toasted burger bun, zig zag on ketchup and mustard. Add a good portion of the pickled shallots and the ever divisive pickles. Add a generous smear of the smoked aioli to the top half of the bun.
2. Top with the smashburger patty followed by a small mountain of the pancetta and lastly the top half of the bun.
3. Lastly, enjoy your bacon cheeseburger – I guarantee you will!