Cycle 15 – Item 135

19 (Sun) May 2024

Oklahoma Onion Smashburgers

3.5

by me

at home

-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with the Family

Following my first take on the smashburger a few weeks back (see most recently 15.117 Oklahoma Onion Smashburgers), I was eager for another shot.

A few changes.

Whereas the previous burgers had consisted of single patties each weighing 50 grams (precooked), I went this time with double patties each weighing 35 grams, for a total of 70 grams per burger (precooked).

With enough muenster for only 4 burgers, I used processed “cheddar” for the other 4 burgers.

Rather than steaming the buns over the onions while cooking, I grilled them in advance, just to speed things up.

I made a sauce, consisting primarily of yellow mustard + a dollop of mayo + a dash of Tabasco.

I was pleased to find that the parchment paper worked as it should, leaving the smashed patty intact, nothing sticking to the press.  Even better, the paper is so durable that I needed only 1 piece for all 16 patties – if I continue to make smashburgers at a rate of twice per month, the box of 300 pieces (now 299 pieces) would last 149.5 months (about 12.5 years).

Unfortunately, the press was a fail.  For starters, the handle was too springy (designed to keep it from getting hot while on heat) to facilitate immediate/direct control in the smashing process.  Moreover, the cast iron was too thick to get a feel for how much the patty was being smashed underneath.  And finally, measuring 19 cm across, it was too wide, especially in the current application involving smaller 35-gram patties.  Clearly, the press is intended to be placed on a piece of meat (e.g., a steak) and just left there to increase contact with the cooking surface through its sheer weight – not to smash burger patties.

The double patties worked.  First, the diameter of each patty fit perfectly in the bun.  Next, the double layer boosted the beefiness in every bite, just the right amount.  Also, the two patties provided twice the amount of crispy edges.  The only downside was the extended time to grill 16 patties on a relatively small cooking surface, requiring 4 consecutive batches, leaving the initial 2 burgers cold by the time the final 8 burgers were complete – however, I can accelerate this next time by (a) grilling 8 patties per batch, which I should be able to manage with a smaller press (already ordered and on the way); and (b) eliminating the onions, which take several minutes to caramelize, while the patty itself needs only a minute or so.

Everybody preferred the muenster, which had a more balanced flavor.  Unsurprisingly, the processed “cheddar” tasted artificial, and it was too salty.

The sauce was good, adding just the right amount of kick to accentuate the beef and cheese.

Next time, I won’t be making Oklahoma Onion Smashburgers.  Partly to reduce cooking time, as well as prep and cleanup time (the mandolin).  They’re also kinda messy in the end and increase the oiliness of the flavor profile – better to go with something that contributes freshness to offset all that heaviness, like tomato.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)