Cheesy Onion Smash Burgers
This post may contain affiliate links. Short rib burgers?! Yes, please! Today we’re prepping for summer with a Cheesy Onion Smash Burger Recipe that will rival your favorite burger joint. Short rib patties with sliced onions smashed on top made the perfect cornerstone for this great recipe. Then I added some spicy pepper jam to my toasted buns and topped it all with some bacon. Delicious is an understatement. Let me tell you how it all went down. How to Make Cheesy Onion Smash Burgers Get ready for the best smash burger recipe ever. Short rib patties with smashed onions make for the perfect juicy burger. Ingredients Burger Patty: 2 lbs of Short Rib cubed or already ground1/2 of a White Onions Finely Sliced1 tsp of Kosher Salt1 tsp of Black Pepper1 tsp of Garlic Powder 2 lbs of Short Rib cubed or already ground 1/2 of a White Onions Finely Sliced 1 tsp of Kosher Salt 1 tsp of Black Pepper 1 tsp of Garlic Powder Toppings: 6 Slices of Bacon cut in half6 Slices of American Cheese2 tbsp of Spicy Pepper Jam2 tbsp of MayonnaiseBurger Buns toasted 6 Slices of Bacon cut in half 6 Slices of American Cheese 2 tbsp of Spicy Pepper Jam 2 tbsp of Mayonnaise Burger Buns toasted Prep the Meat for Homemade Smash Burgers (If grinding your own meat, start here): Cube up your short rib meat and then place in a bowl into the freezer for 15 minutes. Keep your meat cold as much as possible in order to prevent contamination. Set up your meat grinder to a medium size grind, and when ready, pull the short rib out of the freezer. It should be cold and firm, but not frozen. If it is frozen, then let it thaw till it is firm. Add your meat to the grinder hopper and carefully push it in. Place a cold bowl at the end of the grinder for the meat to fall into. Now, throw it back into the grinder for a second grind. This will help to get it finer and less gritty. Once it is ground the second time, place the meat in a bowl and add to your freezer for 20 minutes. For more meat grinder recipes, check out Steakhouse Smash Burgers and Elvis Smash Burger. Preheat Your Grill (If you are not grinding your meat, start here:): Preheat your fire to a medium-high heat (around 375-400F). Add a cast iron pan or plancha over the fire about 2 minutes before cooking. Now, add your bacon to the skillet and cook until it is done to your liking. Once done, pull it off and set aside, and drain the bacon grease. If you prefer a toasted bun, melt a tablespoon of butter into the pan and put each soft hamburger bun face-down in the pan. Let them sizzle until they are toasted with crisp edges, then set them aside. Cook the Burgers Pull the ground meat out of the fridge and let thaw for a minute if needed. Grab a handful of meat (around 1/4 lbs… ish) and gently roll it into a ball, then place it on a baking sheet, plate, or other room temperature surface. Repeat this for 6-8 beef balls or until you’re out of meat, placing the balls of ground beef on a sanitary surface as they wait. Add the burger balls to the skillet, top each with a small handful of sliced onions, then season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. As the meat sizzles in the hot pan, get out a small piece of parchment paper and a larger metal spatula or burger smasher. Place the parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” into a thin patty on the cast iron skillet. Repeat this for each burger and let cook for another 1-2 minutes. Carefully flip each burger over and then season the new side with salt, pepper and garlic. Top each burger with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once melted, pull each delicious burger off and rest for 3-4 minutes. Build Your Burgers Now let’s start assembling the burgers. Spread the spicy pepper jam on the base hamburger bun to add lots of flavor, then add a single or double patty burger on top of each smashed burger. A brioche bun or a potato bun are both great options for a good smash burger. Next, add the bacon slices and then mayo to the top bun. Serve and enjoy! For other fun sandwich recipes, check out BBQ Steak Sandwich, Cheese Stuffed Choripan and Crispy Korean Pork Belly Sandwiches. FAQ: Cheesy Onion Smash Burger Why did you run the short rib through the grinder twice? Like any burger, the meat for the patty is the cornerstone. By cubing the meat and running it though the grinder twice I obtain a finer grind and ensure a less gritty burger. Why did you put the patties for the Cheesy Onion Smash Burgers into the freezer? First, it helps the patty stay intact when you cook it. Secondly, and more importantly, it slows and prevents the spread of any possible bacteria within the meat. If meat is contaminated while you’re grinding it, the bacteria will spread throughout all the ground meat. This makes it much more difficult and unlikely that it will all get cooked out. If the meat is cold when you grind it, the bacteria is more likely to stay localized. For more information on this, you can check out what the USDA has to say. Burger Patty: ▢ 2 lbs of Short Rib cubed or already ground▢ 1/2 of a White Onions Finely Sliced▢ 1 tsp of Kosher Salt▢ 1 tsp of Black Pepper▢ 1 tsp of Garlic Powder ▢ 2 lbs of Short Rib cubed or already ground ▢ 1/2 of a White Onions Finely Sliced ▢ 1 tsp of Kosher Salt ▢ 1 tsp of Black Pepper ▢ 1 tsp of Garlic Powder Toppings: ▢ 6 Slices of Bacon cut in half▢ 6 Slices of American Cheese▢ 2 tbsp of Spicy Pepper Jam▢ 2 tbsp of Mayonnaise▢ Burger Buns toasted ▢ 6 Slices of Bacon cut in half ▢ 6 Slices of American Cheese ▢ 2 tbsp of Spicy Pepper Jam ▢ 2 tbsp of Mayonnaise ▢ Burger Buns toasted Grind the meat Cube up your short rib meat and then place in a bowl into the freezer for 15 minutes. Keep your meat cold as much as possible in order to prevent contamination. Set up your meat grinder to a medium size grind, and when ready, pull the short rib out of the freezer. It should be cold and firm, but not frozen. If it is frozen, then let is thaw till it is firm.Add your meat to the grinder hopper and carefully push it in. Place a cold bowl at the end of the grinder for the meat to fall into. Once the meat is ground, throw it back into the grinder for a second grind. This will help to get it finer and less gritty. Once it is ground the second time, place the meat in a bowl and add to your freezer for 20 minutes. Cube up your short rib meat and then place in a bowl into the freezer for 15 minutes. Keep your meat cold as much as possible in order to prevent contamination. Cube up your short rib meat and then place in a bowl into the freezer for 15 minutes. Keep your meat cold as much as possible in order to prevent contamination. Set up your meat grinder to a medium size grind, and when ready, pull the short rib out of the freezer. Set up your meat grinder to a medium size grind, and when ready, pull the short rib out of the freezer. It should be cold and firm, but not frozen. If it is frozen, then let is thaw till it is firm. It should be cold and firm, but not frozen. If it is frozen, then let is thaw till it is firm. Add your meat to the grinder hopper and carefully push it in. Place a cold bowl at the end of the grinder for the meat to fall into. Add your meat to the grinder hopper and carefully push it in. Place a cold bowl at the end of the grinder for the meat to fall into. Once the meat is ground, throw it back into the grinder for a second grind. This will help to get it finer and less gritty. Once the meat is ground, throw it back into the grinder for a second grind. This will help to get it finer and less gritty. Once it is ground the second time, place the meat in a bowl and add to your freezer for 20 minutes. Once it is ground the second time, place the meat in a bowl and add to your freezer for 20 minutes. Prep the fire Preheat your fire to a medium high temperature (around 375-400F). Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the fire about 2 minutes before cooking. Preheat your fire to a medium high temperature (around 375-400F). Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the fire about 2 minutes before cooking. Preheat your fire to a medium high temperature (around 375-400F). Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the fire about 2 minutes before cooking. Grill the smashburgers First, add you’re bacon to the skillet and cook until they are done to your liking. Once done, pull them off and set aside. Next, add your burger burgers and let crisp up for 1 minute. Once done, pull off and set aside.Pull the ground meat out of the fridge and let thaw for a minute if needed. Grab a handful of meat (around 1/4 lbs… ish) and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this for 6-8 balls or until your out of meat. Add the ground meat balls to the skillet, top each with a small handful of sliced onions, then season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.As the meat sizzles, get out a small piece of parchment paper and a larger spatula/burger smasher. Place the parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet. Repeat this for each burger and let cook for another 1-2 minutes. Carefully flip each burger over and then season the new side with salt, pepper and garlic. Top each burger with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once melted, pull each burger off and rest. First, add you’re bacon to the skillet and cook until they are done to your liking. First, add you’re bacon to the skillet and cook until they are done to your liking. Once done, pull them off and set aside. Once done, pull them off and set aside. Next, add your burger burgers and let crisp up for 1 minute. Once done, pull off and set aside. Next, add your burger burgers and let crisp up for 1 minute. Once done, pull off and set aside. Pull the ground meat out of the fridge and let thaw for a minute if needed. Pull the ground meat out of the fridge and let thaw for a minute if needed. Grab a handful of meat (around 1/4 lbs… ish) and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this for 6-8 balls or until your out of meat. Grab a handful of meat (around 1/4 lbs… ish) and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this for 6-8 balls or until your out of meat. Add the ground meat balls to the skillet, top each with a small handful of sliced onions, then season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the ground meat balls to the skillet, top each with a small handful of sliced onions, then season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. As the meat sizzles, get out a small piece of parchment paper and a larger spatula/burger smasher. As the meat sizzles, get out a small piece of parchment paper and a larger spatula/burger smasher. Place the parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet. Place the parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet. Repeat this for each burger and let cook for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat this for each burger and let cook for another 1-2 minutes. Carefully flip each burger over and then season the new side with salt, pepper and garlic. Carefully flip each burger over and then season the new side with salt, pepper and garlic. Top each burger with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once melted, pull each burger off and rest. Top each burger with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once melted, pull each burger off and rest. Build the burger & Serve Now let’s start building the burger. Add the spicy pepper jam to the base burger bun and then add a single or double patty burger on top. Next, add the bacon slices and then mayo to the top bun. Serve and enjoy! Now let’s start building the burger. Add the spicy pepper jam to the base burger bun and then add a single or double patty burger on top. Now let’s start building the burger. Add the spicy pepper jam to the base burger bun and then add a single or double patty burger on top. Next, add the bacon slices and then mayo to the top bun. Serve and enjoy! Next, add the bacon slices and then mayo to the top bun. Serve and enjoy! The trick to grinding your own meat is keeping everything chilled for safety and ease. Store the meat in the fridge up until you are ready to grind. If possible, also store the meat grinding attachments in the fridge too. Serving: 1g | Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 1483mg | Potassium: 743mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 317IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 353mg | Iron: 4mg Derek Wolf Derek is the driving force behind Over the Fire Cooking. He started cooking with live fire in 2016 and decided to start a social media page so his friends and family could follow the journey. Fast forward to today and Over the Fire Cooking has spread across multiple platforms with millions now following Derek's fire cooking journey. He's a southern fellow who enjoys everything from classic BBQ to Central and South American inspired dishes. Whatever he's cooking up, it's guaranteed to be so freakin' delicious!