The Delicious Reason To Switch To Double-Patty Smash Burgers

Once upon a time, the common consensus was that when it came to burgers, bigger was better. In recent years however, the more diminutive smash burger has made a massive name for itself. You may have wondered whether these are just really thin beef patties, but when you consider the science, it's easy to understand why they're so satisfying despite being on the skimpier side. By crafting what is essentially a slice of meat and cooking it on a super hot griddle, you get a benefit that a beefier burger can never have — crust. That's because instead of a thick middle section that never touches the heat, almost all of your protein makes contact with the griddle, creating a crisp, caramelized surface on both sides. And this process isn't solely about achieving texture; by caramelizing your beef, its natural sweetness becomes more pronounced and also generates an irresistible aroma as it cooks. 

So with all that goodness built into the humble smash burger, why settle for a single patty? Making thinner patties means instead of a quarter or half-pounder, you're looking at a patty that's about 2 ounces. This more modest size frees up plenty of appetite for a second patty. By creating a smash burger stack, you get double the craveable crustiness. And the bonus for cheeseburger lovers? You can also slot in a slice of your favorite cheese, essentially stuffing your burger and ensuring supreme melty-ness.

Making this happen may be double the fun, but it's not twice the work. All you need are a pair of patties around 2 ounces each, preferably higher on the fat ratio. Somewhere between 20 to 25 percent will yield the most flavorful results, and be more likely to quickly crispify.

Set them both patties down on your hot cooking surface with a bit of space in between (as smashing will spread them out) — but refrain from greasing the griddle, since the slickness will interfere with that critical crust development. Contrary to other types of cooking, you're actually hoping for the burgers to stick here, which is what creates crispness. Then comes the really fun part — smashing. There are a number of tools that will work here; a burger press like this cast iron Cuisinart Smashed Burger Press is designed for the job, but a wide spatula or even a plate can get it done.

If you're seasoning, now's the time for salt, pepper, or your preference of additions, and then you can do the flip. You should have to scrape a bit to remove your meat from the surface, but that's a good sign. When you're ready, add the cheese to the top of one burger, then place the other patty on top and voila — a double decker, crusty and gooey, super savory stack fit for your best burger bun. There are mistakes everyone makes with ground beef, but trust us — this isn't one of them.