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Smash Burgers with Caramelized Onions

Makes about 5 servings
Smash burgers are everywhere right now for good reason. But this is my version, built the way I actually cook on a weeknight.

 

I like cooking the beef directly on top of the onion while it's still in the pan, instead of caramelizing the onion separately and adding it later. You get a sear on one side of the onion, flip it, and then smash the beef right on top of it. The onion keeps cooking underneath the patty the whole time, so by the time the burger's done, the onion soft, but crispy, and some of that onion flavor has worked its way into the crust of the beef itself.

 

I don't own a real smash burger press, and I wasn't about to buy one for something I don't make all the time, so I used a small pot with a piece of parchment paper laid across the bottom, and just pressed straight down with that. It worked completely fine. If you have a sturdy metal spatula or the bottom of another heavy pan, that'll work too.  You're just trying to get enough pressure to flatten the beef into a thin, wide patty that gets maximum contact with the hot pan. 

 

I served my burgers with a little of that sauce, a thick tomato slice, and a side salad. I skipped the bun because I'm gluten-free, but a toasted bun would be great here if that's your thing.

Burger Ingredients (makes about 5)
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced into rounds
  • Avocado oil
  • 1 lb ground beef, divided into 5 balls
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder
  • 5 slices cheese
  • Any other burger toppings

Sauce Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp mayo
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • Splash of pickle juice
  • Dash of garlic powder

Directions
  • Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat with avocado oil, add onion rounds, let brown on one side (~3 min).
  • Flip onions, turn heat down to medium-low
  • Place a beef ball on each onion round and smash flat. I used a small pot with parchment paper on the bottom.
  • Season the top of of each burger, then cook for ~2-3 min.
  • Flip, cook another minute, then add a slice of cheese. Let melt and finish cooking. I check for 160°F in the center. 
  • Serve with burger sauce and any other toppings.