Ballpark Boom Smash Burgers

Smash burgers are the technique-iest 20-minute recipe you'll ever make. The whole game is heat and contact, a screaming-hot cast iron skillet, a ball of beef that gets pressed thin onto the metal in the first 10 seconds, and the lacy brown crust that forms on the bottom when fat hits hot iron. That crust is the whole reason you're here. The Ballpark Boom does double duty on the bun, sweet mustard, chive, garlic, fast habanero kick, so you don't need ketchup and you don't need mayo. Two patties per burger, because one feels rude.

What you need

Food:

1 lb fresh ground beef (80/20, not leaner. You need the fat for the crust. 85/15 will work but will be drier. Don't go leaner than that.)

4 brioche or potato buns (sesame is classic. Pretzel buns also pop with the mustard.)

5 tbsp TGCS Co Ballpark Boom (4 for the buns, 1 for spooning over the patties on the skillet)

4 slices sharp orange cheddar

Pickled jalapeños

Thinly shredded iceberg or butter lettuce

Diced white onion (optional but classic)

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Neutral oil or beef tallow

Equipment:

Cast iron skillet or flat-top griddle (the heaviest one you own)

Sturdy metal spatula (a stiff one, flimsy will fail you)

Square of parchment paper

A second smaller pan, lid, or weight for pressing

How to cook it

1. Take the beef out of the fridge 20 minutes before you cook. Cold beef doesn't sear, it steams.
2. Divide the beef into 8 loose balls. That's two patties per burger, about 2 oz each. Don't pack them tight. Loosely formed equals better crust. Set them on a plate, don't season yet. (Smash burger orthodoxy says double-stack 2-oz patties beats one 4-oz patty for the crust ratio. Want a single fat patty per bun, do you, it still works.)
3. Get the skillet screaming hot. Medium-high heat, 4 to 5 minutes, no oil. When you flick a drop of water and it skitters and evaporates instantly, you're there. The pan should be on the verge of smoking. (If your hood fan is weak, open a window. This recipe will smoke.)
4. Add a thin film of neutral oil or a teaspoon of tallow. Place 2 to 4 beef balls in the pan, spaced apart. Immediately lay a square of parchment over each one and SMASH them flat with your spatula. Hard. Like you mean it. About 1/4 inch thick. Hold for 5 seconds and peel the parchment off.
5. Season the tops aggressively with kosher salt and black pepper. Don't move them. Don't touch them. Let them cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until you see crisp brown lace creeping up the sides and the top is no longer raw-looking.
6. Slide the spatula UNDER the patty in one confident scrape. Get all the crust off the pan, that's the prize. Flip. Lay a slice of cheese on each patty. Cook 30 to 45 more seconds.
7. Stack two patties per burger while still in the pan so the second slice of cheese melts onto the first patty. Spoon a small puddle of Ballpark Boom over the top patty while it's still hot, let the heat warm the sauce. (This in-pan move is a personal touch I've seen at burger spots. If you'd rather just put the Boom on the bun and skip it, the burger still works.)
8. Meanwhile, toast the cut sides of the buns in the same skillet (or a second one) until golden, 30 seconds tops, they go fast.
9. Spread 1 tbsp of Ballpark Boom on the bottom bun. Stack: lettuce, double patty with melted cheese, pickled jalapeños, diced onion if you're using it, top bun. Press down lightly.
10. ENJOY!