Recipe: Smash Burgers and Smashed Potatoes
We're making a Smash Burger, served with air-fried Smashed Potatoes, a beautiful burger sauce and some home-made pickles. This recipe is from Chef James Renew, owner of The Little Lamb Gastropub in Clearwater and new restaurant Estuary in New Port Richey.
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Pickle Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1¼ cup white sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 English cucumber, sliced to preferred thickness
Directions
Combine all ingredients (except cucumber) in saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, then simmer for 20-30 minutes to infuse flavor.
Pour over sliced cucumber then cover. Chill pickles. Refrigerated pickles can keep in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Burger Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup Duke's mayonnaise (or your favorite)
- ¾ cup pickles, finely diced (see recipe above)
- ¼ cup tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup shallot or white onion, finely diced
- ½ lemon, zested (or juiced if you don’t have a rasp grater)
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Mix all ingredients together in bowl with small whisk.
Air-Fried Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs small marble potatoes
- vegetable oil, as needed
- salt and pepper, to taste
- toppings, as preferred
Directions
Boil potatoes in salted water for 10–12 minutes or until fork tender.
Drain potatoes and chill in fridge for at least an hour (or overnight works great).
Set air fryer to 400 °F. Smash potatoes with fork or by hand, just enough to break skin.
Toss potatoes in bowl with vegetable oil, salt and pepper.
Place in fryer for 18–20 minutes or until brown and crispy.
Toss and season again with salt and pepper.
Dress with your favorite potato toppings such chopped bacon, chives, sour cream, shredded cheese.
My favorite is lots of shredded parmesan, fresh chopped parsley, lemon and melted duck fat!
Smash Burgers (makes 2 doubles or 4 singles)
Ingredients
- 4 x 3 oz burger meat (77/23 burger blend or any other prime beef chuck or blend)
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- brioche buns as needed (or potato buns)
- 1 white onion, peeled and sliced into rounds for topping
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 slices of Kraft singles (or other favorite cheese)
- burger sauce (see recipe above)
- 4 oz iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1 ripe tomato, cut into 4 slices
- pickle slices (see recipe above)
Directions
Portion burger meat, and roll into balls.
Heat griddle or cast iron pan. While pan is heating, butter buns on both sides (like a grilled cheese sandwich).
Add to pan and weigh down with about 4 oz weight (use a small plate) to get an even crust. Very important!
Caramelize bread for 2–3 minutes or until a nice golden brown crust forms.
Remove from pan and set aside.
Reheat griddle/ pan and place burger balls onto hot surface. Add onion, salt and pepper and a piece of parchment paper on top. Smash down with weight, press, or a heavy bottom pan. Use enough force to flatten the burger to ¼" thickness. Slide press around until flat and even.
Cook for 2–3 minutes then flip over.
Top with salt and pepper, cheese and cook for 30 seconds more.
Add 1 tbsp burger sauce to inside of top and bottom of buns.
To bottom bun, add shredded lettuce, tomato slice, 3 very thin rings of white onion and season toppings with salt and pepper. Add 3 pickle slices.
When toppings are seasoned and ready, burgers will be ready, remove from heat and stack onto buns. Flip top bun on and serve immediately with potatoes (see recipe above).
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