Description
Culinary magic meets comfort with this Smash Burger Grilled Cheese, blending crispy beef patties and melted cheese between golden-brown bread slices. Crisp edges, rich flavors, and irresistible textures promise a mouthwatering experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound (1 lb) ground beef
Cheese:
- 8 slices American cheese
- 2 cups Havarti cheese, shredded
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 8 slices hearty white bread
- 1/3 cup sliced dill pickle chips
- 1/2 cup smashburger sauce
- 2 tablespoons (2 tbsp) salted butter
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Freshly cracked pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare ground beef into 4 uniform spheres while heating a cast iron skillet until extremely hot, approximately 450-500°F.
- Position beef balls onto the scorching skillet, immediately seasoning with salt, pepper, and smashburger sauce. Strategically place sliced onions atop each ball.
- Using parchment paper and a sturdy spatula, forcefully compress beef balls into ultra-thin, crispy-edged patties. Allow caramelization to develop, creating signature golden-brown surfaces.
- Carefully flip patties and immediately crown each with American cheese slices. Continue cooking until cheese melts completely and meat reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- Spread smashburger sauce across bread slices, creating a flavor foundation for the sandwich construction.
- Layer each bread slice with a cheese-covered patty, sprinkle pickle chips strategically, and generously distribute shredded Havarti cheese.
- Complete sandwich assembly by adding a complementary bread slice on top, creating a robust flavor profile.
- Melt butter in a separate skillet over medium heat, around 325°F, preparing for grilling.
- Carefully transfer sandwiches into the buttered skillet, grilling until achieving a golden-brown exterior and ensuring complete cheese melting.
- Rotate sandwiches once midway through cooking to guarantee uniform browning and optimal texture.
- Remove from heat, allowing sandwiches to rest briefly for 60 seconds, enabling cheese to stabilize.
- Slice diagonally and serve immediately, accompanied by additional smashburger sauce for enhanced dipping experience.
Notes
- Choose high-fat ground beef with 80/20 ratio for juicier, more flavorful patties that caramelize beautifully.
- Avoid overworking meat when forming balls to prevent tough, dense texture and maintain tender, loose consistency.
- Press patties extremely thin using parchment paper for maximum crispy edges and delicious caramelized surface.
- Preheat skillet until smoking hot to achieve signature smash burger crust and lock in meat’s natural juices.
- Try cheese varieties like sharp cheddar or pepper jack for different flavor profiles while maintaining melty texture.
- Add crispy bacon or caramelized mushrooms as optional mix-ins to elevate sandwich complexity and richness.
- For gluten-free version, swap bread with lettuce wraps or gluten-free bread and ensure sauce ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 750 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 55 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 27 g
- Trans Fat: 1.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg