Bacon-Onion Smash Burgers with Special Sauce

Steps

1. Step 1

   Stir the mayonnaise, ketchup, chopped pickles, mustard, pickle brine, onion powder and smoked paprika together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until you need it.

   5 min

   • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
   • 3 tbsp ketchup
   • 3 tbsp dill pickles
   • 2 tsp yellow mustard
   • 1 tsp pickle brine (from the jar)
   • 1/2 tsp onion powder
   • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2. Step 2

   Divide the ground beef into 8 loose balls, about 3 oz each. Roll them just enough to hold together — do not pack or knead them, or the burgers will turn out tough. Set them on a plate and keep them cold until you cook.

   5 min

   • 1 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20)
3. Step 3

   Set a large cast-iron pan or griddle on the grill grate and heat the grill to high with the lid closed, about 10 minutes, until the pan is smoking-hot. (No grill? Heat the pan over medium-high on the stovetop instead.)

   10 min, hands-off

4. Step 4

   Lay the bacon in the hot pan and cook, turning once, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Move it to a paper towel–lined plate and pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat.

   8 min

   • 8 slices bacon
5. Step 5

   Add the sliced onion to the bacon fat with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and browned at the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Scrape them into a bowl and set aside.

   8 min

   • 1 large yellow onion
   • kosher salt
6. Step 6

   Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast them in the pan, buttered side down, until golden, about 1 minute. Set aside.

   2 min

   • 4 potato hamburger buns
   • 2 tbsp butter
7. Step 7

   Working in batches of 3 or 4, set the beef balls in the dry hot pan and immediately smash each one flat with a sturdy spatula until it's about 1/4 inch thick and wider than the bun — press hard for 10 seconds. Season the tops with salt and pepper and cook, untouched, until the edges are lacy and dark brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

   4 min

   • 1 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20)
   • kosher salt
   • black pepper
8. Step 8

   Scrape under each patty with the spatula edge so the crust comes up with it, flip, and lay a slice of American cheese on each. Cook 30 seconds more, then stack two patties together. Repeat with the rest of the beef.

   4 min

   • 8 slices American cheese
9. Step 9

   Spread special sauce on both halves of each toasted bun. Add a double stack of cheesy patties, a pile of griddled onions and two slices of bacon, broken to fit. Close and serve right away.

   3 min

   • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
   • 8 slices bacon
   • 1 large yellow onion
   • 4 potato hamburger buns

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026