Tikka Twist Smash Burgers
A proper smash burger with lacy brown edges and paper-thin onion pressed into the crust. The blend goes into a cold mayo instead of the meat, so every bite gets tomato, cumin and amchur without a hint of bitterness.
Photography is illustrative. Every recipe is tested.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds ground chuck, 80/20
- 2 teaspoons Tikka Twist Signature Blend, Mild or Hot
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced paper thin
- 4 slices American cheese
- 4 potato buns
- 1 tablespoon softened butter, for the buns
- 8 dill pickle chips
- Kosher salt and black pepper, used lightly
Contains: Soy, Wheat.
Using the blend
2 teaspoons
Put the blend in the mayo, not the patty mix. A smash burger crust forms well above 400F, and the tomato powder, soy sauce powder and crystallized lime in the blend scorch and turn bitter at that heat. In cold mayo the blend hydrates instead, and the sauce carries the flavor to every bite.
Method
- 01
Make the sauce first. Whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons Tikka Twist Signature Blend, 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1 teaspoon honey in a small bowl. Let it sit at least 10 minutes. The tomato powder and fenugreek leaf need that time to hydrate, and the sauce tastes rounder and less dusty once they do. Taste it before adding salt: between the blend and the mayonnaise it is usually seasoned enough.
- 02
Divide the ground chuck into 8 loose balls, about 2 1/2 ounces each. Do not pack them tight. Keep them cold until the pan is hot.
- 03
Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast them buttered side down in a skillet over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes, until golden. The butter on the bun is the fat, so nothing else goes in the pan. Set aside.
- 04
Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes, until a drop of water skitters. Working in batches of two or three, set the balls down, top each with a small pinch of thin onion, then flatten hard with a stiff spatula to about 1/4 inch. Season the tops with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Go light, the sauce is already well seasoned.
- 05
Cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until the edges are dark and lacy. Scrape firmly under the patty so the crust comes with it, flip, add a slice of cheese to 4 of the 8 patties, one per finished burger, and cook 45 to 60 seconds more. Ground beef should reach 160F, so check the thickest patty with an instant-read thermometer. Hold finished patties on a warm plate while the rest cook.
- 06
Spread the mayo on both toasted bun halves. Stack two patties per bun, cheese side up, add pickles, and close. Serve right away while the crust is still crisp.