Dreaming of that juicy, flavour-packed burger but fancy making it yourself at home? At Off The Planet Burgers, we pride ourselves on shaking up the Aussie burger market with our take on the smashed burger – a simple process that makes everything you love about fast food classics even better. If you do not want to head to a burger restaurant and do something a bit different you can use the directions below to assemble your own ultimate burger at home, with inspiration from our smashed burger secrets and killer topping combinations.
Step 1: Choose the Right Beef
The patty is the foundation of any great burger. Qualified beef with the content of fat being just right to about 20% is used so as to be juicy and tasty. When making your patties:
- Use freshly ground beef if you can.
- Break your beef into balls of 100-120g (approximately the size of a tennis ball).
- Try not to overmix otherwise they will be tough.
Pro tip: Do not let your beef warm up before it goes into its hot encounter. This will help maintain juiciness.
Stage 2: Learn How to Smashed-Burger, Bro
A smashed patty, thin, crispy edges and soft in the middle is what Off The Planet Burgers is all about. Here’s how to crush it at home:
- Heat a large skillet (I use cast iron) over medium high to high. It has to be extremely hot when you start.
- Now add your beef ball to the pan.
- Smash the beef into a thin patty (about 1 cm thick) with either a good quality spatula or burger press.
- Though you may be tempted, resist the urge to nudge it for a little while—letting it sear undisturbed allows for a delicious crust to form.
- Turn, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Why this works: There’s a large surface area for the Maillard reaction (that golden-brown crisp without all the extra fat) and you’ve maximized juiciness inside.
Step 3: Toast Your Bun
A good bun isn’t just a delivery system, it contributes another layer of texture and flavour and serves as a vessel that allows you to eat with your hands. We especially love them on soft, but sturdy buns like both brioche and potato buns. To toast your bun:
- Spread a little butter inside each half.
- Toast in a pan or on a grill until golden and a bit crisp.
- The faint crunch from the bun balances perfectly with the juicy patty and prevents sogginess when adding wet toppings.
Step 4: Pick Your Cheese
The cheese provides a creamy richness that complements the savory patty well. Traditional picks are American, cheddar or Swiss. Off The Planet’s melt now should be served with a melty cheddar slice on top.
If desired, add cheese to your patties for the last 30 seconds of cooking, and cover the pan for a bit, to get the cheese nicely melted.
Step 5: Create Flavourful Sauce
An awesome sauce holds everything together. Off The Planet Burgers employs secret, house-made sauces, all of which you can make variations of at home.
Simple Special Sauce Recipe:
- 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup
- 1 tablespoon of mustard
- A sprinkle of smoked paprika or chipotle to add a little heat
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Combine all ingredients and spread on your bun nice and thick!
Step 6: Think Through Your Toppings
Toppings provide crunch, freshness and bursts of flavor — select ones that will balance and accent your burger without drowning out the patty.
Traditional Off The Planet Topping Combination:
- Iceberg lettuce or cos lettuce, chilled and crisp from the fridge
- Thinly sliced pickles for tanginess
- Sliced tomato for juiciness
- White onion rings for tangy crunch
Tip: Put lettuce on the bottom, so it creates a barrier from the moisture in ingredients that tend to make buns soggy.
Step 7: Assemble Like a Pro
With all of our burgers ingredients prepared it’s header to compose your ultimate burger that has the best texture and flavor in every bite:
Bottom bun
- Lettuce leaf (moisture barrier)
- Smashed cheeseburger patty
- Tomato slice
- Pickles
- Onion rings
- Sauce on the bottom portion of the bun, The sauce smears spread inside the top bun
Top bun
Gently press to keep everything intact but without smooshing your masterpiece.
Stage 8: Plate and Serve Immediately!
Smashed burgers are best consumed hot off the (literally) fresh-from-the-griddle plane. Serve right away with crispy fries or your favorite accompaniments. Nothing beats the first bite of a perfectly smashed, cheesy and rightly-dressed burger.
Bonus Tips for Burger Perfection:
- Use a scale for uniform patties as it helps cook evenly.
- Don’t pass up resting: Let patties rest on a minute before assembling so juices can redistribute.
- Play around with toppings: Caramelised onions, jalapeños or smoky bacon are fun twists.
- Keep your tools close: You really need a heavy duty spatula for smashing and flipping.
You don’t need any fancy equipment to make the ultimate burger at home, just good ingredients and a passion for great burgers. From Off The Planet Burgers’ smashed burger mastery, this is a recipe-style guide to locking the magic down at home. From a fast weeknight indulgence to a weekend cook-up with friends, if your homemade smashed burgers don’t take you out of this world I honestly can’t do anything about that!
Ready to try? Go ahead and grab your beef, heat up that pan, and start smashing! Off The Planet-worthy burgers are just a few short steps away.