Savory Dinner Ideas for Grilling in 2026

I make smashburgers on steel typically. They are bad ass and when you try it this method, you'll never ever go back. I developed the Baking Steel back in 2012 for pizza however truthfully, smashburgers may be the thing I prepare on steel more than anything else nowadays. The work is getting your hamburger bar together: chopped pickles, onions, cheese, unique sauce.

Get your frying pan or steel ripping hot. You need to work quickly. We're preparing these for 30-60 seconds per side, and you want it shrieking hot for that Maillard response, the sear that makes smashburgers famous. I love to smash for buddies. Most of the time, they have actually currently had our Baking Steel pizza, and I like to blend the menu.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

I have actually made smash hamburgers on this thing that individuals still talk about. Smashing the beef thin optimizes contact with the hot steel, triggering the Maillard response, the chemical procedure that produces that deep, savory, browned flavor we all crave.

Your first hamburger and your fourth get the same amazing edge-to-edge crust without the temperature dropping. I 'd know my family has been in the steel service for over 50 years at our store in Hanover, MA. I understand this material, and I constructed these frying pans particularly to fix the heat retention issue that cast iron can't.

Comparing Flat-Top versus Outdoor Grill Methods

Let it pre-heat for 10-15 minutes until it's ripping hot (around 500-550F). This is the very same concept behind our pizza steels fill the steel with heat, and it does the work for you.

Immediately smash them really thin (about 1/4 inch) with a stiff spatula or press. To avoid sticking, you can place a small piece of parchment paper in between the meat and the spatula. Season the smashed patties generously with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Prepare for 60-90 seconds. You'll see the edges turn a deep, crispy brown.

Utilize a bench scraper or stiff spatula to get under the patty, guaranteeing you scrape up all the crispy, browned bits. Turn it over. Instantly position a slice of cheese on the turned patty. Cook for another 30-45 seconds to melt the cheese. Quickly toast your buns on a cooler part of the frying pan for 15-20 seconds.

Advanced Flat-Top Methods for Upcoming Summer Grilling

Cheese melting completely on the Mini Frying pan Cast iron is the conventional choice for smashburgers, and it works. After evaluating both side-by-side for over a decade, I switched to steel.

I comprehend how it shops and transfers heat in a method many people never ever consider. That understanding is exactly what led me to develop the Baking Steel in 2012, and it's why I created the Skinny Griddle particularly for stovetop cooking like this. Here's the distinction: That suggests it recuperates temperature faster in between burgers.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

You get the very same screaming-hot crust on your first burger and your 4th. Simply cook, scrape, wipe clean. I've checked cast iron, stainless steel, and every griddle on the market.

Preheat the grill and steel for 15-20 minutes on high heat, then smash your burgers right on the steel. You get the same unbelievable crust with the added benefit of outdoor cooking and that subtle smoky taste from the grill.

Exploring Flat-Top vs Outdoor Grilling Techniques

Friends lose their minds when they see it. They walk up expecting routine grilled burgers and instead they see me smashing patties on a slab of American-made steel on the grill. It's an entire thing. Perfect smash burgers made on the Baking Steel Original on an outdoor grill I developed each of these for a particular use case.

It fits on a single burner and is perfect for families or hamburger night with friends. is compact and ideal for 1-2 hamburgers. It's fantastic for small cooking areas, apartments, or solo cooking. Exact same heat retention, smaller sized footprint. is the one that started it all. Utilize it in the oven for pizza, or take it outside and location it on your grill for smashburgers, steaks, and more.