Any Tips for making Smash Burgers? Using Campchef SG30 Griddle on Genesis


 
John K BBQ

John K BBQ

TVWBB All-Star
My 17 year old son has been after me for forever to start making smashburgers. So, I checked out my options and decided to give the Campchef SG30 griddle a try on my Genesis. First crack at it, I left the flavorizor bars in place and put the griddle on top of the grill grates. I could only get the griddle surface up to about 320F or so max. I used 4 oz 80/20 balls and smashed them pretty good with a big ole's spatula. They turned out OK.... 8 outta 10. Had some crispy edges... which is the whole point of smashburgers right??

2nd go around (tonight) I took the flavorizor bars off and was able to get the griddle much hotter (up to 450/500). I used 3 oz balls for smashing this time and started with a hotter griddle. But no crispy edges this time.... I was a little worried about the griddle getting too hot, and maybe I didn't smash the patty's as hard as I should have..... On my next go, I'll keep the heat cranked and smash a little harder.

Here's a picture of my set up. If you have any tips on getting smashed burgers with crispy edges, let me know!

IMG-3549.jpg
 
Bring up the heat baby....as hot as you can get it. I make "large" smashburgers (a Costco Organic 600g pack cut into 4 - about 5oz) fairly often, and you need a minimum of 500 degrees, and the heat underneath to hold it there after the burgers hit. Just before dropping on the meat, I pre-grease with a bit of ghee, place the ball of meat on, and leave it untouched for about 1 minute or so, then smash and season. Then...walk away for 3-4 minutes. Flip, season again, add cheese and leave it again.

I use 80/20 when I can find it, but even the Costco leaner works OK.

Just sounds like you are still too low on the heat or the griddle is not retaining it enough....get that griddle smokin hot and heat soak it for a long time.
 
GrantT said:
Bring up the heat baby....as hot as you can get it. I make "large" smashburgers (a Costco Organic 600g pack cut into 4 - about 5oz) fairlyI wi often, and you need a minimum of 500 degrees, and the heat underneath to hold it there after the burgers hit. Just before dropping on the meat, I pre-grease with a bit of ghee, place the ball of meat on, and leave it untouched for about 1 minute or so, then smash and season. Then...walk away for 3-4 minutes. Flip, season again, add cheese and leave it again.

I use 80/20 when I can find it, but even the Costco leaner works OK.

Just sounds like you are still too low on the heat or the griddle is not retaining it enough....get that griddle smokin hot and heat soak it for a long time.
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Thanks for the tips - I'm going to use your method here for the next go around. The CF SG30 was really designed to go onto a CF circle burner but seems to be working on the genesis. Hopefully I'll nail it using your tips and be able to recommend to others. It's a really nice griddle at a good price point and if one can avoid buying the "purpose built" griddle it's a really good value.

Once I get my regular smashburgers down pat, I'm going to try the Oklahoma Onion burger.... that one looks right up my alley.
 
I have seen a lot of this smash burger trend lately. I need someone to explain to me why? I always thought the whole purpose of making burgers at home was to have a nice juicy medium to medium rare burger. Smash burgers look like what you get at 5 guys or something. Thanks
 
I prefer making two 2oz patties for my smashburgers. Maximizes surface area and obviously cooks extremely fast. There's no wrong size to make them though! It's nearly impossible to go too hot for smashburgers on a conventional grill, get that thing ripping hot.

Joe Anshien said:
I have seen a lot of this smash burger trend lately. I need someone to explain to me why? I always thought the whole purpose of making burgers at home was to have a nice juicy medium to medium rare burger. Smash burgers look like what you get at 5 guys or something. Thanks
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They stay juicy because you cook them so fast, and they're intensely flavorful because so much surface area gets browned. If your goal is keeping a big burger pink in the middle, then it's definitely a recipe to avoid.

https://aht.seriouseats.com/2012/09/the-burger-lab-smashed-burgers-vs-smashing-burgers.html
 
I have to find a stainless steel griddle and try them again. When I tried this going that hot on my CI griddle it messed up the seasoning and turned it to a sticky mess I have never really been able to recover it from
 
JK --

1. Higher heat. My GrillGrates flat side up get screaming hot. Just right for this job.

2. Two handed aggressive smashing with one hand on the blade. Really lean into it. Some people use two spatulas. Or a drywall trowel.

3. Aggressive scraping. Stiff spatula turned upside down to get a higher effective scrape angle (aka "HESA"). Or use a paint scraper -- kinda required if you are using the drywall tool for #2.

P.S. I'd never heard of the OK onion burger before. Will have to give that one a try
 
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Steve Haack said:
I prefer making two 2oz patties for my smashburgers. Maximizes surface area and obviously cooks extremely fast. There's no wrong size to make them though! It's nearly impossible to go too hot for smashburgers on a conventional grill, get that thing ripping hot.


They stay juicy because you cook them so fast, and they're intensely flavorful because so much surface area gets browned. If your goal is keeping a big burger pink in the middle, then it's definitely a recipe to avoid.

https://aht.seriouseats.com/2012/09/the-burger-lab-smashed-burgers-vs-smashing-burgers.html
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I will have to give this a go. I will throw the cast iron or carbon steel pan on the Q one day shortly.
 
Joe Anshien said:
I have seen a lot of this smash burger trend lately. I need someone to explain to me why? I always thought the whole purpose of making burgers at home was to have a nice juicy medium to medium rare burger. Smash burgers look like what you get at 5 guys or something. Thanks
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I've made a thousand burgers over the years, and only in the last couple years starting doing smash burgers. I just don't know what it really is...the dark crust from the seared burger just gives it a flavor that I do not get from any other way of cooking them. We've had friends and family over, and almost every time, the response (between mouth fulls) is "OMG these are so good....." And the thing is, they are barely seasoned...I use a sprinkle of Lawry's Seasoned Salt and that is it...but they just taste frick'n amazing when you get that sear down! My family will not go back to a traditional burger. It's just one of those things...
 
When you smash them on the griddle hold the spatula on the patty for about ten seconds with pressure. That should give you the crispy patties you want.
 
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Joe Anshien said:
I have seen a lot of this smash burger trend lately. I need someone to explain to me why? I always thought the whole purpose of making burgers at home was to have a nice juicy medium to medium rare burger. Smash burgers look like what you get at 5 guys or something. Thanks
Click to expand...
The only right answer to smash burger vs thickburger is "Yes, both please!" 🤣
 
Like they've already stated, get the griddle HOT. I like 500°-ish to start. I guess where I differ is I use a round bacon press to flatten my burgers. I drop the 3oz ball on the griddle, place a piece of wax paper on top and press down almost as hard as I can on the meat for 10 seconds. I reuse the 10" square piece of wax paper for almost all of the burgers. If I do it correctly, and get them thin enough with the press, I'm only able to press/smash about 4-6 burgers before its time to put a quick seasoning of SPG on and then flip. I don't think from start to finish, a burger takes more than 4-5 minutes to cook.
Get the griddle hot, smash'em thin with wax paper and a bacon press, and have everything (you'll need) ready and waiting because once you start, these things move/cook fast.
Good luck,
Tim
 
Jim C in Denver said:
JK --

1. Higher heat. My GrillGrates flat side up get screaming hot. Just right for this job.

2. Two handed aggressive smashing with one hand on the blade. Really lean into it. Some people use two spatulas. Or a drywall trowel.

3. Aggressive scraping. Stiff spatula turned upside down to get a higher effective scrape angle (aka "HESA"). Or use a paint scraper -- kinda required if you are using the drywall tool for #2.

P.S. I'd never heard of the OK onion burger before. Will have to give that one a try
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Hey Jim!

I have GrillGrates on a few of my grills too. (Love 'em!)

In regards to #3. What are you scraping? The patty off of the grate?
 
GGs work great for smash burgers. Do them a lot. Unless you are trying to make pancakes or scrambled eggs, the holes don’t matter — the GGs reversed are my flat top. Although GG does make true griddle plates, I don’t see any reason to get them.

For smashers, you want the burgers to stick and get crusty. Then scrape hard so the crust stays with the patty and not the grill top.

Shake Shack uses paint scrapers instead of spatulas for flipping.
 
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