Homemade Smashburger Showdown – Is Smashing Actually Better?
I’d never had a smashburger before filming this. Ever. Not in a restaurant, not homemade, not even by accident. So I figured it was finally time to see what the fuss is about – and, in true fashion, I didn’t stop at just one.
I started by ordering a smashburger kit online – one with a proper press and a dome lid to help melt the cheese quickly and evenly. If you fancy grabbing one, I’ll leave a link here.
To keep it fair, I made a regular burger first using the same amount of mince – just shaped into one thick patty – and then a double smashburger with the same weight split across two patties. Both got the full build treatment with lettuce, cheese, onion, sauces, and gherkins. The results? Very different – and surprisingly close.
But of course, I didn’t stop there…
Smashing a Big Mac? Why Not.
I’d picked up a Big Mac earlier in the day and let it go cold on purpose (very professional). I wanted to see if I could take the classic and bring it back to life using the smashburger method – flattening the McDonald’s patties onto a hot griddle, steaming the bun under the dome, and rebuilding it from the ground up.
Did it work? Sort of. Was it better than the original? Also sort of. It was definitely crispier, and weirdly satisfying to make – even if it did feel a little wrong.
Homemade McRib Smashburger – The Finale
Right when I thought I was done, I remembered something: my favourite McDonald’s item isn’t the Big Mac – it’s the McRib. And, fun fact, I had one tucked away in the freezer. I didn’t eat it (saving that for another day), but I did use it as inspiration.
I made a homemade McRib-style smashburger using pork mince, a couple of thin patties, smoky BBQ sauce, sliced gherkins, chopped onion, and a long soft bun.
And I’ll be honest – it came out better than expected.
How to Make a Smashburger at Home
If you’ve never made one before, it’s surprisingly quick and simple. You don’t need a proper kit, though it helps – a hot frying pan, a sturdy spatula, and a lid will get you very close.
Here’s how I did it:
1. Prep everything first.
Smash burgers cook fast, so get all your toppings sliced and ready – lettuce shredded, onions chopped, sauces to hand, buns prepped for toasting.
2. Toast the buns.
Butter or oil the inside of the buns and toast them in a pan or on a griddle until golden. Don’t skip this – it keeps the whole thing from going soggy once the sauce and meat hit.
3. Shape the beef.
Split your mince into loose, equal-sized balls. Don’t pack them tightly – the looser they are, the better the crust.
4. Smash and season.
Heat your pan until it’s properly hot. Add a little oil, then place the beef balls in and press them flat straight away with a smash press or spatula – hold it down for about 10 seconds. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
5. Flip and melt the cheese.
Once the bottom is crispy (about 45–60 seconds), flip each patty, add a slice of cheese, and cover with a dome or lid to melt it quickly. Stack two patties per burger.
6. Build the burger.
From bottom to top:
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Toasted bun
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Burger sauce
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Shredded lettuce
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Double cheese-covered patties
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Raw onion
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Relish
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Gherkins
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A squiggle of mustard and ketchup
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Top bun
That’s it – your homemade smashburger is ready. Messy, melty, and packed with flavour.
Whether you’re trying a smashburger for the first time or looking to revive a sad leftover Big Mac, I can definitely say this was worth doing. Here’s my McRib recipe normally if you fancy it too.
Let me know if you give it a go – and if you’ve got any wild burger experiments I should try next, I’m all ears.