Oct 7, 2025
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Gordon Ramsay’s Essential Tip For Making The Perfect Smash Burger

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Any trend will have its fair share of haters. Smash burgers are no exception. Fans love the lacy edges, crisp crust, and complex flavor of the browned meat. Haters counter that smashing a burger is a surefire way to end up with dry, overcooked beef.

The haters have a point. Smash burgers can definitely be dry. But, as star chef Gordon Ramsay tells The Takeout in an exclusive interview, they don’t have to be. According to Ramsay, it’s all about technique. “You just have to be careful,” he explains. “The essence of a smash burger is a caramelization instantly. Too many people cook the burger, then they smash it two minutes in … It’s late.”

Ramsay says you should slam down your spatula as soon as the burger hits the heat. “When you smash that burger, it’s got to be done instantly,” he explains. The crust is the easy part: It’s what’s inside that counts. The goal, Ramsay says, is to caramelize the burger. “But then don’t caramelize in a way that it turns it dry,” he notes. You’ll still get that crunchy crust, but crust is nothing without a soft, juicy center to provide flavor and textural contrast.

Read more: 7 Fast Food Chains That Never Use Frozen Burger Patties & 5 That Do

How Gordon Ramsay cooks smash burgers

A hand flipping a smash burger with a spatula

A hand flipping a smash burger with a spatula – Sergio caballero Lozano/Shutterstock

You can’t approach smash burgers like regular burgers. After all, pressing down on your patties is typically a major faux pas. When done right, smash burgers are quick and easy: It’s part of the burger’s appeal. But if you’re used to cooking thicker patties, you might not realize just how fast you need to be.

Skillful cooks know to avoid one of the many smash burger mistakes you might be making: Skip grills or nonstick pans in favor of an ultra-hot, ungreased pan or griddle when making smash burgers. That way, you’ll maximize the Maillard reaction, or browning, which occurs at high temperatures; it’s how you get that beautifully browned crust and full flavor. Those skinny patties cook quickly, though, so Ramsay says you’ll need to be ready with your spatula.

According to Ramsay, smash burgers should be flipped in a fraction of the time you’d take for a regular burger. “It needs to be pressed instantly and then flipped literally 90 seconds later,” he explains. “Otherwise, you may be coloring it beautifully, but nine times out of 10, it’s dry as anything.” So keep on your toes — you wouldn’t want to disappoint Gordon Ramsay.

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Read the original article on The Takeout.



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