Burgers is one of America’s favorite food. We love them rare and juicy. However, there is another trending type of burger, the Smash Burger. Instead of a thick patty, its a thin patty smashed so that you get a thick carmelization. It maximizes flavor and brings in a different depth of flavor. However, to get that result, you need a Burger Smasher. The Best Burger Smasher Tool should be heavy and easy to control. This lets you flatten any burger into a thin patty with a deep crust.

How Does Smashing Burger Work?

The method of Smashing Burger works by converting protein into caramelize sugar compound. This process is known as the Maillard Reaction. As sugar reaches temperature of 300 degree Fahrenheit, the sugar starts to caramelize and develop new flavor compound. When Chef tells you to brown food, this is what they mean.

What Does Smashing Burger Do?

If there is liquid or the pan is simply not hot enough, food cannot reach the temperature require for browning food. By smashing the burger, you increase the contact point of the meat with the pan. Subsequently, the liquid pooled in the meat will also be driven out. This reduces the amount of moisture and promote the caramelization of the meat.

How to Use a Burger Smashing Tool

To Use a Burger Smasher put a ball of beef paddy on the griddle, grab the tool and press down then smear. The goal is to make it as flat as possible. I like to keep the tool on it so that it wont curl and keep pressure on the patty. After a minute or two, the burger should develop a nice brown crust. While you can flip it, I found that the patty is already well cooked by then. Flipping it will only turn it to a charred piece of meat.

Anatomy of the Perfect Tool

There are a few things to look for in this tool. One of the most important thing for me is the stay cool handle. We dont always wear gloves and this tool will get hot. Models with plastic or a silicone sleeve works best.

The second thing to look for is a nice wide surface. Go on google and a lot of these smashing tool is round and small. Large rectangular ones are better. They give you more room to smash and smear. Round one will often time move out of place. Its hard to get a good contact with the patty.

Finally weight, while its nice to have a heavy weight for things like steaks and bacon. For Smashing Burger, you want something in between. It should be nimble enough so that you can easily pick up and bear down on the burger. However, not too heavy that it become cumbersome.

Best Burger Smasher Tool List

Below, you will find a list of some of the Best Burger Smasher Tool on the market. They come in a few different models, choose one that best suits you.

Winco SWS-74 Silicone Sleeve, Patty Meat Grill, Steak Weight Press, 4L X 7-1/2W-Inch, Silver (Best Overall)

Winco is a large manufacturer of Commercial Kitchen Appliance. Their products are durable and effective. This Weight Press is no different. Its heavy enough to weigh down food yet light enough to be nimble. Its wide surface area means you can really press down on the burger. Silicone sleeve also means that it wont burn your hand when you grab it. Best of all, the stainless steel construction means that it wont rust and its easy to clean.

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Press With Cool-grip Spiral Handle, 4.5 inch X 6.75 inch (Best Cast Iron Model)

For some, nothing beats cast iron. Its heavy and last a lifetime. While I personally think stainless steel is better in this option. Lodge does make a pretty good alternative. Its not as nimble as the Winco Model but it does weigh down the patty. Just press down and it should give it the perfect contact with the griddle. While the loop handle does dissipate heat, it still gets hot. I recommend you wear a glove.

Cuisinart Smashed Burger Press, Cast Iron CISB-111 (Best Round Burger Smasher)

Sometimes the round burger press are better. This ensure that the burger looks uniform and perfectly round. No weird meat pieces sticking out. This model by cuisinart features a wooden handle so that it will stay cool to the touch. The cast iron construction means that it will keep perfect contact with the griddle. Plus the seasoning will prevent the burger from sticking.

Thoughts

Smashing Burger is the new way of cooking burger. It creates an intense and different flavor from the traditional burger. However, to properly do it, you need the right tool. The model by Winco is the Best Example of a Smash Burger Tool. It has wide surface area, nimble construction and it stays cool to the touch. However, cast iron models like those from Lodge is a good choice. If you want a traditional round one, then cuisinart makes a pretty good model.

Looking to up your seasoning game, check out our article on the Best Salt Shaker for Cooking.