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From Luke's Camp Kitchen
Easy Smash Burgers.
Crispy, Cheesy & Properly Messy.
A proper smash burger doesn't need a mountain of ingredients or some complicated cooking technique. Just good beef mince, a seriously hot cooking plate, melted cheese and a soft toasted bun.
This time we're cooking beside a salt lake in Western Australia, with a sunset, a couple of cold drinks and a portable BBQ. On the menu? Double smash burgers with crispy beef patties, American cheese, bacon jam and all the good stuff.
The trick is keeping things simple. Get everything ready before the meat hits the heat, give those patties one good smash, and let the hot plate do its thing.
Keep It Simple
What You'll Need.
Makes 2 double smash burgers. Tick off your ingredients as you go.
For the Burgers
For the Toppings
You'll also need a flat BBQ plate or heavy pan, a burger press, spatula and a few small pieces of baking paper.
Let's Get Cooking
How to Make Smash Burgers.
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Get all your toppings ready
Finely shred the iceberg lettuce and thinly slice the brown onion. Get your relish, mustard, bacon jam, cheese and pickles ready to go. Once the burgers start cooking, everything happens quickly.
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Portion your beef
Divide the beef mince into four portions of around 70–80g each. Roll each portion into a loose, smooth ball. You want mince with roughly 20% fat to help develop those crispy edges. Don't flatten the patties yet.
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Butter and toast the buns
Cut the buns in half and butter the cut sides. Toast them on the hot BBQ plate until golden. This adds flavour and helps prevent the burger juices from turning the bread soggy. Set them aside ready for assembly.
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Get the cooking plate seriously hot
Heat your flat BBQ plate or heavy pan until it's properly hot. Add just a little oil and spread it around. The fat in the beef will do most of the work.
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Smash those patties
Place the beef balls onto the hot plate, leaving enough room between them. Put a small piece of baking paper over each ball and use a Wildfire Touring Burger Press to press firmly into a thin patty. One good, forceful press is all you need. Remove the paper and let the beef sear.
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Build that crispy crust
Leave the patties undisturbed until the undersides develop a deep golden-brown crust and crispy, lacy edges. Use a firm spatula to scrape underneath and flip each patty, keeping that delicious crust intact.
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Add the cheese
As soon as you flip the patties, add a slice of American-style burger cheese to each one. Let it melt while the second side finishes cooking. Make sure the beef is cooked through to 75°C internally.
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Build your burgers
Spread tomato relish over the bottom bun, then add the shredded lettuce, mustard and thinly sliced raw onion. Stack two cheesy patties on top. Finish with bacon jam and pickles, then put the lid on.
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Get stuck in
Serve straight away while the beef is hot, the cheese is melted and the edges are still crispy. Don't worry about making them pretty. They're smash burgers. They're supposed to be messy.
Luke's Pro Tip
The secret to a proper smash burger is the fat content, the heat and getting everything prepped beforehand. Use mince with around 20% fat, smash it thin onto a hot cooking surface and let the crust develop. Don't keep pressing the meat while it's cooking.
And don't get carried away with fancy cheese. Good old American burger cheese melts beautifully. Sometimes simple really is better.
Gear From Luke's Camp Kitchen
Cook Better.
Camp Smarter.
Good food doesn't need a complicated setup. Here's the gear Luke uses to make smash burgers out on the road.
Wildfire Touring Burger Press
A solid burger smasher designed to press mince into thin patties for those crispy smash burger edges. A handy bit of kit for the camp kitchen or home BBQ.
Explore the Burger PressiKsplor Adventure BBQ
Luke cooks these burgers on the iKsplor Adventure BBQ, a compact portable BBQ that packs into a backpack. It's a practical option when you want a proper hot plate without hauling a full-sized BBQ around.
Explore the Adventure BBQ