Diner-Style Burgers
Updated Aug. 2, 2024
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½teaspoon neutral oil, like canola, or a pat of unsalted butter
- 2pounds ground chuck, at least 20 percent fat
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 8slices cheese (optional)
- 8soft hamburger buns, lightly toasted
- Lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and condiments, as desired
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Preparation
- Step 1
Add oil or butter to a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet and place over medium heat. Gently divide ground beef into 8 small piles of around 4 ounces each, and even more gently gather them together into orbs that are about 2 inches in height. Do not form patties.
- Step 2
Increase heat under skillet to high. Put half the orbs into the skillet with plenty of distance between them and, using a stiff metal spatula, press down on each one to form a burger that is around 4 inches in diameter and about ½ inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Cook without moving until patties have achieved a deep, burnished crust, a little less than 2 minutes. Use the spatula to scrape free and carefully turn burgers over. If using cheese, lay slices on meat.
- Step 4
Continue to cook until meat is cooked through, approximately a minute or so longer. Remove burgers from skillet, place on buns and top as desired. Repeat process with remaining burgers. Serving two hamburgers on a single bun is not an outrageous option.
Private Notes
Comments
I love this burger but a way to achieve the same result without any splatter from oil or butter is the Mark Bittman steak technique where you heat the cast iron pan on high for 3 minutes or so until very hot, even smoking, add some salt to the bottom of the pan, lower the heat to med high and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. No splatter and a crisp, perfectly done burger. Add cheese as Sam suggests if you like.
One issue.
If you like cheeseburgers, and I do, the cheese won't melt sufficiently unless you overcook the meat, which is no good. So I put a cover over the pan as soon as I flip and put the cheese on.
To keep the burger from sticking to your spatula when you smash, place a small piece of parchment paper on the burger before pressing down.
Can't imagine a less interesting recipe for the meat! Blech! I add a little chopped red onion, generous amount of Dill Weed and several dashes of Worchestershire Sauce and a quarter cup of Panko for two patties - all gently blended together. Four ounces of meat per serving is plenty. Then form patties - intentionally making the edges substantially thicker than the middle. As they cook, they form uniformly flat patties - not small footballs.
Sounds delicious, but let's be honest: what you've got there are meatloaf patties. I just made Sam's as directed with good-quality ground beef from a local butcher and can confirm it's plenty interesting.
If you’re comparing the Diner-Style Burger and the Ranchers Café Burger, they’re both winners in their own way. The diner burger is all about that crispy, smashed patty with classic toppings like cheese, lettuce, and tomato, tucked in a soft sesame bun. On the other hand, the Ranchers Café Burger gives you a juicy, flame-grilled patty with gourmet toppings like caramelized onions and our signature ranch sauce, all on a buttery brioche bun. Hungry yet? Check out the Ranchers Café Menu to see.
I saw a t-shirt on a guy some time ago, the text of which was "Make burgers wider, not taller". I agree wholeheartedly. Though I do appreciate the grandeur of the overstated "bro' burger", griddled burgers take me to a humbler, homier, less judgmental culinary space. This recipe comports with my own prep (I add a dash of garlic powder to the beef), and particular kudos for avoiding the horrific error of placing the garnishes on the bottom bun. Every time my burger arrives like that it strikes me as a crime against humanity.
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