Burger legend George Motz shares favorite smashburger recipes, cooking tips

When it comes to burgers, George Motz is the foremost culinary authority on perfect patty blends, cooking techniques, flavor and execution.

The chef, author and James Beard Award-nominated documentary producer joined “Good Morning America” on Friday to cook up his famed burgers.

Motz, who has traveled the world spreading his knowledge of burgers through pop-ups and workshops, opened Hamburger America in New York City, which was awarded two stars by restaurant critic Pete Wells in the New York Times.

Check out his full recipes below to recreate a taste of these burgers at home.

George Motz’s Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger

VIDEO: George Motz shares his famous Oklahoma fried onion burger recipe

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Servings: 8 single burgers (4 doubles)

Ingredients
2 pounds fine ground 75/25 chuck (75% lean/25% fat)
2 large Vidalia onions, sliced as thin as possible and translucent
8 slices American cheese
8 Martin’s Potato Rolls
Beef tallow
Salt

Optional
Pickle slices
Secret Special Sauce

Directions
Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, or a flat-top to medium, until it reaches 375 F / 190 C, and then add some beef tallow — spread the tallow with the flat side of the spatula to coat the surface.
Place the ground beef into a mixing bowl, and using a salad scoop, form 2.7 to 3-ounce balls of beef. Do not season yet.
When ready to cook, place or release the balls onto the pan or flattop, placing each burger at least 2-3 inches (5-7 centimeters) apart, and then season each ball with salt.
Grab a handful of the thinly sliced onions and push them onto the center of each ball of beef so they stick.
Using the stiff metal spatula, forcefully smash each ball to make a patty, tapering the edges to allow for lacey edges — don’t worry about smashing the patties too thin, as they’ll shrink as they cook. Avoid making holes while smashing. Once they’re smashed, do not touch again until they are ready to be flipped (once some liquid begins to form on the top of the patties).
Flip the beef-and-onion-fused patties and place a slice of American cheese atop each burger. Separate the top and bottom of the bun, and then place the top bun atop the American cheese. Place the top side of the bottom bun (the heel) atop the top bun (the crown) — this is referred to by Motz as “letting it ride.”
Cook for an additional 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. If making a double, place the patty and bun stack on top of another patty. Lift the burger and bun combination off the grill using the spatula. Remove the bottom bun (heel) from the stack and place it onto a plate, and transfer the patties and top bun from the spatula onto the bottom bun.
Dress with pickles and/or special sauce as desired and serve immediately.

The Guberburger

3.5-ounce ball of ground chuck
Kosher salt
Martin’s Potato Roll, toasted with butter
Warmed peanut butter

Directions
Take the 3.5-ounce ball of ground chuck and smash it on a hot flat-top, then sprinkle with a small amount of salt. Flipped after a few minutes, cook for 1 minute more, then add a tablespoon of the warmed peanut butter.
Transfer to toasted bun and serve with 2 dill pickle chips on the side.

Classic Smashburger ‘All the Way’

Ingredients
3.5-ounce ball of ground chuck
Lawry’s seasoning
Martin’s Potato Roll, toasted with butter
Slice American cheese
Diced sweet onion
French’s yellow mustard
2 dill pickle chips

Directions
Take the 3.5-ounce ball of ground chuck and smash it on a hot flat-top, then sprinkle with a small amount of Lawry’s. Flip after a few minutes, then add cheese, covering it with a metal bowl or large pot lid to melt. The finished patty is then transferred to a toasted bun that has been set up with the mustard, pickle chips and onion (on the heel).

The Green Chile Cheeseburger

According to Motz, no other toppings are necessary for this burger beyond the sautéed chiles and cheese.

Makes: 6 cheeseburgers

Ingredients

For the green chiles
3 cups (450 grams) roasted, peeled and chopped New Mexican green chiles
Splash of water or beef stock

For the burger
2 pounds (about 1 kilogram) fresh-ground 80/20 chuck
Peanut oil or other neutral oil
Salt and black pepper for seasoning
White cheddar cheese, sliced
6 seeded soft white buns, toasted

Directions
Add the green chiles to the small saucepan with a splash of water or beef stock (just enough to let the chiles steam slightly, but not so much it turns into soup). Cover and heat over medium heat until hot. Remove from the heat, keep covered and set aside.
Divide the beef into 6 even portions (a little over 5 1/2 ounces or 155 grams each).
Line a clean surface or cutting board with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Working with the food ring, gently press one portion of the beef into the ring to create a perfectly round patty. Don’t over press — you want it to maintain a somewhat loose grind. Repeat with the remaining beef.
Add a few drops of peanut oil to a cast-iron skillet, using the spatula to spread the oil, and crank it up to medium-high heat. When the pan just starts to smoke, it’s ready.
At this point, and not before, season both sides of the patties with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Salting too early will bind the muscle fibers together and make the burgers tough (not good).
Place the patties in the hot skillet — the beef should sizzle loudly when it hits the pan — and cook for 4 minutes without disturbing them. The goal here is to sear your burgers, sealing in the juices. When you see red liquid start to form on the top of the patties, it’s time to flip them.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook the second side of the patties (without disturbing them) for an additional 6 1/2 minutes. After 4 minutes, add a healthy pile of the green chiles to the top of each patty followed by a slice of cheese. To help melt the cheese, cover the burgers with a metal bowl or large pot lid for the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking.

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