Thin and with a crispy bite: the trendiest burger is the smash burger Chef Ferrarini: “Quick cooking and light accompaniments are the secret to a perfect dish”
28 May marks World Burger Day, celebrating one of the most beloved sandwiches; in Italy alone, we consume around 250 million of them every year. To mark the occasion, Carni Sostenibili has produced a guide to making its trendiest version: the smash burger. Their exceptional partner is Sergio Ferrarini, a chef who has been dedicated to the protection and promotion of traditional Italian produce for over 40 years. It seemed impossible to reinvent a classic, yet here we are. Born in American diners and perfected on the grills of street food stalls, the smash burger is a revolution in simplicity: a patty pressed flat on the spot, becoming crispy around the edges and incredibly juicy inside. From popular tradition to the forefront of gourmet establishments, it has won over palates with its immediacy and authenticity.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Cooking. The smash burger is easy to make at home. You don’t need any special equipment: a griddle or frying pan will do. A round spatula is recommended, but not essential; if you don’t have one, any spatula will do. The secret to a good dish is the cooking: «The distinctive feature of this type of burger is that it is very thin with a crispy crust on the outside» explains chef Sergio Ferrarini. For a perfect smash burger, it must be cooked quickly to ensure the meat is well done on the outside yet juicy on the inside, avoiding that ‘boiled’ effect. «A griddle greased with a drizzle of oil or lard at the right temperature, around 230 degrees — explains Ferrarini — will ensure a perfect Maillard reaction, the process that causes the meat to caramelise on the surface; one minute of cooking per side is enough, compared to the six minutes required for a traditional 180-gram burger».
Choosing the meat. «A smash burger doesn’t require meat that’s too fatty: for a perfect dish, you can choose cuts such as rump or veal round, finely minced» says Ferrarini. «In fact, fat is usually needed in traditional burgers to keep the meat tender even after longer cooking times». This is another reason why the smash burger is a favourite among those who want something tasty yet light, and those who prefer a more delicate flavour. «Veal has a milder flavour compared to other meats, such as those with a firmer texture, high in fat, or grain-fed varieties used for more sophisticated, gourmet-style burgers».
Combinations that
work. Due to its delicate flavour, the smash burger calls for accompaniments that do not overpower the taste of the meat and that enhance its crisp texture. «It’s best to steer clear of caramelised onions and ginger; go for lettuce, tomato and bacon, which must be very thinly sliced so as not to overpower the meat. Pay particular attention to the choice of cheese – preferably mild and lightly matured» says Ferrarini. When it comes to the bread, however, you can be as creative as you like; the chef recommends brioche for a more sophisticated pairing. «The important thing — he points out — is to toast it without adding any herbs or butter so as not to alter the final flavour of the dish.” A delicate yet successful pairing? “My favourite,” says the chef, “is shavings of Parmesan, mushrooms and thin slices of truffle.”
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