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Burgers are better with crust. With a smash burger, you get crispy beef on the outside and a napkin-worthy juicy center.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. All opinions are my own.

6 hamburgers on slate with lettuce, cheese and mayo and fries

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Before we get to this sumptuous smash burger, I’d like to tell you a little bit about why I cook with Certified Angus Beef® brand.

Why should you care about the brand?

Among all of the different types of products out there, we all seem to latch onto our favorites. Why is that? Well, it usually comes down to quality, dependability and overall satisfaction. If you fall in love with a pair of jeans, you know you can get another pair from the same brand and you’ll be happy.

I feel the same way about beef.

Sure, we’ve all heard of USDA Choice and Prime, and we know about Angus beef.

Certified Angus Beef® brand logo

But Certified Angus Beef® brand is different.

The non-profit organization was started by Angus producers in the 1970s. The group of ranchers took great pride in the quality beef they were producing, but when it hit the shelves, it was packaged alongside average beef.

Even other Angus beef wasn’t the same, because only one in four Angus cattle meet the brand’s 10 exacting standards.

This left consumers confused.

Some days, consumers would take home an amazing steak, and other days, they’d get a steak that was hard to chew. Because it was all packaged the same, the level of consistency was lacking.

By establishing the Certified Angus Beef® brand, the ranchers could make their beef stand out on the shelves, so consumers would know that selecting a package with their brand label guaranteed a steak with generous marbling and flavor.

hamburger on slate with lettuce, cheese and mayo and basket of fries

Now that you know why I used Certified Angus Beef® brand for this smash burger, let’s get into the recipe.


Cows make bacon, too.

Say what? You betcha. You’ve gotta try smoked beef bacon on top of your next burger.

I’ve made a lot of fancy burgers in my life, but this one is all about that quality beef. From the 80 percent lean ground chuck to the crispy beef bacon, there’s not much else you need to sandwich between the bun.

package of beef bacon

Let’s start with the Schmacon™. It prides itself as “Beef’s Answer to Bacon™.” It’s made by the folks over at Schmaltz Deli, a classic Jewish deli near Chicago. They use a special cut of Certified Angus Beef® brand from the plate (underbelly) of the cow and cure it using natural seasonings – no nitrates.

3 strips beef bacon sizzling

You can cook it in a skillet or the oven…or my favorite…the grill. I flip a grill grate upside down, so the surface is flat like a griddle.

stack of cooked beef bacon and gray background

Heat your grill to 400-425F degrees. After 4-5 minutes on each side, you have crispy, smoky beef bacon.


Time to get smashed

smashing burger on griddle with spatula with flames

You’ll use that same griddle to cook the smash burger.

For a truly flavorful burger, I recommend using ground beef with higher fat content. Use at least an 80/20 meat to fat ratio.

Shape the beef into a ball, but keep it fairly loose. If you pack it too tight, your patty won’t be as tender.

When you place it on the griddle, you’ll need one spatula to smash it down, and the handle of another to apply pressure to help press it as flat as possible. (Yes my spatula has a beer opener on the end.) Always prepared!

cheese melting on burgers

After a few minutes, it will develop a nice crust. Flip it. Season with salt and pepper, and top with my favorite burger cheese – American cheese.

Sure you can use cheddar or pepper jack, but American cheese melts so well, I use it 95% of the time.


top bun to right, bottom bun to left with mayo, lettuce, red onion

Dress it

Skip the ketchup and mustard on this burger and go with horseradish mayo. Think about it. When you eat a beautiful slice of prime rib, there’s nothing better than a smear of creamy horseradish.

Since this smash burger is all about the beef, the horseradish mayo will accentuate that beefy flavor.

It’s easy to make. Just mix a little prepared horseradish with a little mayo.

Add some crisp green lettuce and red onion for crunch, and this burger is ready to be inhaled.

hamburger on slate with lettuce, cheese and mayo

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5 from 2 votes

Smash Burger with Beef Bacon and Horseradish Mayo

Burgers are better with crust. With a smash burger, you get crispy beef on the outside and a napkin-worthy juicy center. To make this burger even better, it’s topped with beef bacon and horseradish mayo.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 8 slices Schmacon beef bacon
  • 4 brioche buns
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
  • 4 leaves green leaf lettuce
  • 16 slices red onion
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1 lb Certified Angus Beef® brand 80/20 ground beef
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 slices American cheese

Instructions 

  • Heat the grill to 400F degrees with a griddle on the grill. Place the beef bacon slices on the griddle and cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
  • Clean the griddle. Toast the buns, cut-side-down for about 30 seconds.
  • Combine the mayonnaise and horseradish. Spread onto the bottom bun. Top with lettuce and onions.
  • Brush the griddle with oil. Portion the ground beef into four 4-ounce balls, packing loosely.
  • Place on the heated griddle. Using a large spatula, smash the burger. Use a second spatula to help, if needed. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Grill for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom is charred. Flip. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cheese. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted.
  • Place the burgers on the dressed buns. Spread the top buns with more horseradish mayo. Add to the top and enjoy.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 1193kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 43gFat: 90gSaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 296mgSodium: 1010mgPotassium: 453mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2010IUVitamin C: 6.4mgCalcium: 306mgIron: 3.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to rate it, leave a comment and save it so you can make it again. Show off your awesome results on social by tagging @girlscangrill
christie vanover standing against wood wall.

Hey BBQ Family

I’m Christie, the head cook and award-winning competitive pitmaster for Team Girls Can Grill. I have won multiple grand championships and top 10 category finishes. I’m an expert grill reviewer for BBQ Guys, and I have appeared on the Food Network and Ninja Woodfire Grill infomercials. I established this website in 2015 to share my BBQ tips and recipes.

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3 Comments

  1. I love everything about this burger! I need Schmacon in my life! I attended #BrandTheBarn 12 at Ulrich Farms. What a great experience!

  2. I have been keeping my eyes out for schmacon! I cannot find it. I wonder if I can order it at Weis. These smash burgers look SO GOOD!