Classic Smashed Burger

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs. Certified Angus Beef® ground beef, 20% lean
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1 Tbsp. grated yellow onion
• 2 tsp. hot sauce
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 4 white hamburger buns
• 2 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
• 1½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 4 slices American cheese
• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 8 slices vine-ripe tomatoes

Directions:

  Prep Time: 10 min. • Cook Time: 4 min.

Divide ground beef into 8 equal balls about the size of a ping-pong ball (3-ounces each); refrigerate.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk mayonnaise, mustard, grated onion, hot sauce and Worcestershire to create a special sauce; refrigerate.

Using either a large cast iron griddle or 2 large cast iron pans heated to high, toast buns with butter; reserve to plates.

Space beef balls on hot cooking surface. Using a large metal spatula, smash each ball to ¼-inch-thick patties. (Tips: using the handle of a second spatula to push down on the top of the spatula adds leverage. Using parchment helps avoid spatula sticking to beef.)

Season patties with 1 teaspoon of reserved special sauce per patty; salt and pepper. Sear 2-3 minutes or until some fat begins to bubble up in center of patty. Quickly flip and top 4 of the patties with a slice of cheese. Sear another minute and place a plain patty atop a cheese patty; remove from cooking surface.

Build burgers with a smear of special sauce on bottom bun followed by shredded lettuce, tomato, double burgers and top bun.