Ingredients
For backyard barbecue-style burgers
- 1½ pounds (680g) 80-20 ground beef
- 3 tablespoons Everything Grill Seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon Surya Salt
- 4 slices American cheese or the cheese of your choice, optional
- 4 sesame burger buns
- Iceberg lettuce, tomato & white onion
- Burger sauce (recipe below) or condiments of your choice
For smash burgers
- 1½ pounds (680g) ground beef (either 80-20 or 75-25, see headnote)
- 2 tablespoons Everything Grill Seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon Surya Salt
- 8 slices American cheese
- 4 burger buns
- Iceberg lettuce, tomato & white onion
- Burger sauce (recipe below) or condiments of your choice
For the burger sauce
- ¼ cup (60g) store-bought mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons (20g) chopped pickled jalapeños or pickles, plus 1 teaspoon brine from the jar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dehydrated onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon Everything Grill Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- A couple dashes of your favorite vinegar-based hot sauce
- Pinch of MSG, optional
- Surya Salt, to taste
Methods
To make the backyard barbecue-style burgers
- Combine the ground beef, Everything Grill Seasoning, and salt in a bowl and gently mix to combine, being careful not to overmix. Divide the meat into four portions, then take one portion at a time and form into a patty slightly bigger than the buns you’re going to put them on. Make a slight indentation in the center of each burger so the middle is a little thinner than outside (this will prevent the burger from turning into a UFO-shape when cooking). Cover and refrigerate until 30 minutes before ready to grill.
- If grilling right away, prepare a charcoal grill to medium-high heat or heat a gas grill to medium-high heat. While the grill is preheating, make the burger sauce (method below).
- Place the burgers on the grill and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Flip and cook the burgers until they reach your desired doneness—now is the time to add the cheese, if using, too—2 to 3 minutes more for medium-rare and 3 to 4 minutes for medium. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes while you toast the buns. (Alternatively, you can cook these indoors on a grill pan over medium-high heat, using the same timings.)
- To assemble, place the burgers on each toasted bun bottom, layer with your desired toppings, like iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and onions. Spread a thick layer of burger sauce on the top bun and close each burger. Enjoy immediately.
To make the smash burgers
- If you’re making the burger sauce, prepare it 15 minutes before starting to cook the smash burgers. The burgers come together quite quickly.
- To form the burgers, divide the meat into eight 3-ounce portions and gently roll each into a ball. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
- To make the burger seasoning, mix the Everything Grill Seasoning and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- To cook the burgers, heat a large cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Place one of the ground beef balls on one side of the skillet and press down with a burger press, smashing it into a very thin burger patty. Do the same with another ball of ground beef on the other side of the skillet, then sprinkle both patties with a scant teaspoon of the reserved burger seasoning. Cook until deeply browned on the bottom and almost all the way cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the burgers, top each patty with a slice of American cheese and cook until the cheese is just melted and the burger is cooked through, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Stack one burger on top of the other and then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining patties until you have four stacks. Reduce the heat to medium-low and toast the buns, working in stages, if necessary.
- To assemble, place one burger stack on each toasted bun bottom, layer with your desired toppings, like iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and onions. Spread a thick layer of burger sauce on the top bun and close each burger. Enjoy immediately.
To make the sauce
- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, taste, and season with more salt and/or sugar, if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors marry and the onions rehydrate. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.