rfoodies

Form the Meat Balls: Take 85-gram portions of the meat mixture. With lightly oiled hands so that it doesn&#x27;t stick, roll the meat gently, without applying too much pressure. It&#x27;s crucial to keep meat balls very cold in the refrigerator until ready to cook them.
Cure the Iron: Heat a steel griddle over high heat. Pour in a few drops of oil and spread it with a paper towel to remove the excess and create a non-stick layer.
Check the Temperature: Spray a few drops of water on the iron. If the water forms small pearls that “dance” on the surface, the iron has reached the ideal temperature for smash.

This lesson focuses on the technique of “Smash Burger” or crushed hamburger, a style that the chef identifies as a New Yorker and that is his specialty. Unlike traditional grill hamburgers, this technique seeks to maximize the Maillard reaction to create a unique flavor and texture experience.

The dish consists of two thin hamburgers weighing 85 grams each, formed from the 80/20 meat mix prepared in the previous lesson. The meat balls are crushed directly on a very hot griddle, creating an irregular, crisp and extremely tasty crust, which the chef calls the “scab”. Each burger is topped with American cheese and served on a toasted sweet potato brioche, along with a mayonnaise sauce, pickles and the house's secret touch: a bacon jam.