The Ultimate Guide to Griddle Grilling Excellence thumbnail

The Ultimate Guide to Griddle Grilling Excellence

Published en
3 min read


I make smashburgers on steel frequently. The work is getting your hamburger bar together: sliced pickles, onions, cheese, special sauce.

Advanced Flat-Top Strategies for 2026 Summer Grilling

Get your griddle or steel ripping hot. You need to work quickly. We're preparing these for 30-60 seconds per side, and you desire it shrieking hot for that Maillard response, the sear that makes smashburgers famous. I enjoy to smash for buddies. Many of the time, they have actually currently had our Baking Steel pizza, and I like to blend up the menu.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & SteakburgersFreddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers


I've made smash burgers on this thing that people still speak about. Smashburgers in the house are off the charts. Here's how I do it. More area equals more taste. Smashing the beef thin maximizes contact with the hot steel, activating the Maillard reaction, the chemical procedure that creates that deep, mouthwatering, browned flavor we all crave.

Your first hamburger and your 4th get the same incredible edge-to-edge crust without the temperature dropping. I 'd know my household has actually been in the steel organization for over 50 years at our store in Hanover, MA. I comprehend this material, and I developed these griddles particularly to solve the heat retention issue that cast iron can't.

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Let it pre-heat for 10-15 minutes till it's ripping hot (around 500-550F). This is the very same concept behind our pizza steels load the steel with heat, and it does the work for you. Gently divide the ground beef into 4 x 4 oz (115g) balls. Do not overwork the meat; just form it into a loose ball.

Right away smash them extremely thin (about 1/4 inch) with a stiff spatula or press. To prevent sticking, you can place a small piece of parchment paper in between the meat and the spatula. Season the smashed patties kindly with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Cook for 60-90 seconds. You'll see the edges turn a deep, crispy brown.

Prepare for another 30-45 seconds to melt the cheese. Briefly toast your buns on a cooler part of the frying pan for 15-20 seconds.

Comparing Flat-Top versus Traditional Grilling Techniques

Cheese melting perfectly on the Mini Griddle Cast iron is the standard choice for smashburgers, and it works. After testing both side-by-side for over a decade, I changed to steel.

I understand how it shops and transfers heat in such a way the majority of people never ever consider. That understanding is precisely what led me to develop the Baking Steel in 2012, and it's why I created the Skinny Frying pan specifically for stovetop cooking like this. Here's the distinction: That implies it recuperates temperature level much faster in between hamburgers.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & SteakburgersFreddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers


You get the same screaming-hot crust on your very first burger and your 4th. Simply cook, scrape, wipe tidy. I've checked cast iron, stainless steel, and every griddle on the market.

Desire to take your smashburger game outside? Place your Baking Steel Original straight on your outdoor grill grates. Preheat the grill and steel for 15-20 minutes on high heat, then smash your burgers right on the steel. You get the same unbelievable crust with the included benefit of outside cooking and that subtle smoky taste from the grill.

Understanding Flat-Top vs Outdoor Grill Techniques

Friends lose their minds when they see it. They walk up expecting regular grilled burgers and instead they see me smashing patties on a piece of American-made steel on the grill. It's an entire thing. Perfect smash burgers made on the Baking Steel Original on an outdoor grill I designed each of these for a particular usage case.

It fits on a single burner and is perfect for families or hamburger night with buddies. Very same heat retention, smaller footprint. Utilize it in the oven for pizza, or take it outdoors and place it on your grill for smashburgers, steaks, and more.

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