Cheddar smash burgers
Thin patties smashed into a hot pan get crackly, lacy edges, and melted cheddar holds them together with no bun needed.
- 25 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 2
- About $3.63 a serving
- 660 calories
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 1 lb ground beef (85/15), cold from the fridge
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
From your pantry
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 660 calories, 52 g protein, 1 g carbs and 48 g fat, and costs about $3.63 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No ground beef? Lean ground beef works.
- No cheddar cheese? Shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese or mexican blend cheese works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Divide the beef into 4 loose balls about the size of a lemon, without packing them tight, and keep them in the fridge until the pan is hot.
Dolly’s tip: Cold beef and a light touch are what give you the lacy edges.Heat a large , cast iron if you have one, over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, until a drop of water sizzles away at once.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Medium-high heatTimer: 3 min
Put 2 balls in the pan, lay a square of on top, and press down hard with a sturdy spatula until each is about ¼ inch thick.
Parchment paper. Parchment paper is a nonstick, oven-safe paper for lining pans. Food lifts right off and cleanup is easy, but don’t swap in wax paper or put parchment under the broiler.
How you’ll know: It lies flat in the pan, and the food slides off when you lift it.
Medium-high heat
Dolly’s tip: Lean your weight into it for 10 seconds, then peel the paper off. Smash once, early, and never again.the tops with salt and pepper and let them , untouched, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges are deep and .
Season. Seasoning means adding salt, pepper or spices to bring out a food’s flavor. A little at a few stages tastes better than a lot all at the end.
How you’ll know: When you taste it, it tastes bright and like itself, not flat and not salty.
Sear. Searing means cooking the outside of meat or fish in a hot pan, without moving it, until a deep brown crust forms. The crust is packed with flavor, and it only forms on a dry surface.
How you’ll know: It sizzles loudly the moment it goes in, and it lets go of the pan on its own when the crust is ready.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
Medium-high heatTimer: 2 min 30 sec
Scrape under each patty with the spatula, flip it, and lay a cheddar slice on top.
Medium-high heat
Dolly’s tip: Scrape, don’t lift. The crust is stuck to the pan, and you want it on the burger.Cook 1 minute more, until the cheese and no pink is left in the patties, then move them to a plate.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Medium-high heatTimer: 1 min
Food safety: Ground beef, pork and lamb are done at 160°F. When it’s cooked through there’s no pink left anywhere in the pan.
Repeat with the last 2 balls, then stack the patties in pairs and serve hot.
Medium-high heat
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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