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MAINS

Griddle Smash Burgers

Double-smashed patties with a lace-crisp crust, griddle-charred onions, toasted potato buns, and a tangy cilantro burger sauce, cooked on a Blackstone-style griddle top set on a Solo Stove -- flat-top technique, not a live-fire grill cook.

See also Cilantro Burger Sauce

OriginAmerican diner, smash-burger technique
Active40 min
Total55 min
EquipmentBlackstone-style griddle on a Solo Stove
Griddle surface
450°F
Medium-high and steady
Smash window
10sec
Press immediately, don't linger
Sear
90sec/side
Flip once crust is set and lacy
Bun toast
60-90sec
Cut side down, butter first
1 · ONIONS 2 · SMASH 3 · SEAR 4 · BUILD
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced Spread onto an oiled section of the griddle1
1 1/2 lb, 8 balls (~3 oz each) ≈ 680 g ground beef (80/20) Press flat immediately with a smash press or spatula plus parchment, 8-10 sec2 Sear 90 sec, flip once, sear 90 sec more.3
to taste kosher salt Season the crust the instant it's smashed.
to taste, coarse black pepper Season the crust the instant it's smashed.
8 slices american cheese Lay on 4 of the 8 patties in the last 20 sec, tent to melt.
4 potato buns (Martin's or similar) Split and butter; toast cut side down on a clear section of the griddle4 Build: lettuce, two patties per burger, tomato, charred onions, sauced top bun.
2 tbsp ≈ 30 mL unsalted butter, softened Butter the cut faces before toasting.
4 leaves lettuce (bibb or iceberg) Layer on the bottom bun as a moisture barrier.
1 large, sliced 1/4 in thick tomato Salt lightly, rest on a paper towel while everything else cooks, then layer on.
3/4 cup ≈ 177 mL cilantro burger sauce, made ahead Spread on both cut faces of every bun. Made ahead -- see the notes.
  1. yellow onion, thinly sliced · ONIONS Cook 4-5 min until deeply charred and softened. Push to a cooler zone, keep warm.
  2. ground beef (80/20) · SMASH Until lacy edges form. Season the crust the instant it's smashed, not before.
  3. ground beef (80/20) · SEAR Cheese on 4 of 8 patties in the last 20 sec, tented to melt.
  4. potato buns (Martin's or similar) · SEAR 60-90 sec, until deep golden.
Protein
Produce
Dairy & Egg
Pantry & Grain
Spice & Seasoning
Liquid & Fat

Notes

Make the sauce first. It is a two-minute whisk that wants at least fifteen minutes in the fridge, so start it before the griddle goes on -- or make it days ahead, since it keeps five days. Full recipe: Cilantro Burger Sauce.
Don't skip the parchment or wax paper under the smash press. Bare metal on raw beef will stick and tear the crust instead of releasing it; a greased spatula works if you don't have a press.
Smash once, hard, and walk away. Re-pressing after the initial smash squeezes out juice and gives you a dry patty.
American cheese isn't optional if you want the drape. It's the only cheese that melts into that classic smash-burger blanket without breaking or clumping; sharp cheddar is a fine substitute if you want more flavor and don't mind a firmer melt.
Griddle real estate matters more than recipe steps here. A Blackstone-style top on the Solo Stove gives enough surface to run onions, patties, and buns in different zones at once -- use that instead of doing everything sequentially.
Leftovers. Store patties, buns, and toppings separately -- sauce-soaked buns go soft fast. Reheat patties in a hot dry skillet 60-90 sec/side and toast buns fresh.
Original Developed in the Grilling/Cooking/Recipes project, August 2026. Technique follows the standard American diner smash-burger method (thin-smash for maximum crust, dual patties per burger).