Smash burgers with deeply caramelized onions and melty American cheese

• 2 yellow onionhalved and thinly sliced
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp granulated sugar
• 450 g ground beef (80/20)
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbs avocado oil
• 8 American cheese slices
• 4 brioche burger bunssplit

1. 1

   Start the onions first — they need a head start. Melt the butter in the 25cm skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, 1 tsp of the salt, and the sugar. Stir to coat, then cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes. The onions will go from sharp and crunchy to soft, deeply golden, and jammy. If they start to stick, add a splash of water and scrape the bottom — that's flavor.

   Tip: Low and slow is the secret. Don't crank the heat to rush them — patience turns onions into candy.

2. 2

   While the onions cook, divide the ground beef into 8 equal portions (about 55g each). Roll each into a loose ball — don't pack them tight. You want them to smash easily. Season the outside of each ball with the remaining 1 tsp salt and the black pepper.

   Tip: Loose balls smash flatter and develop more crust. If you compress them now, you'll fight the meat later.

3. 3

   When the onions are about 5 minutes from done, heat the 30cm skillet over high heat for 2 full minutes — it needs to be screaming hot. Add the avocado oil and swirl to coat.

   Tip: Hold your hand a few inches above the skillet — you should feel intense heat radiating off it. That's when you're ready.

4. 4

   Place 4 beef balls onto the hot skillet, spacing them apart. Immediately press each one down hard with the back of the wide spatula — lean your body weight into it. You want them paper-thin, roughly 10cm wide. Cook without moving for 2 minutes until the bottom is deeply browned and the edges are lacey and crispy.

   Tip: Press once and commit. Don't touch them again until you flip. The crust forms from undisturbed contact with the screaming hot metal.

5. 5

   Flip each patty. Immediately lay a slice of American cheese on each one. Cook for another 45-60 seconds — just enough to melt the cheese and finish cooking through. The patties are thin enough that they cook almost instantly after the flip. Transfer to a plate and loosely tent with foil.

6. 6

   Repeat with the remaining 4 beef balls, pressing, searing for 2 minutes, flipping, and adding cheese. If the skillet looks dry before the second batch, add another small drizzle of avocado oil.

   Tip: Scrape any crusty bits off the skillet between batches with the spatula — you want clean contact for maximum crust.

7. 7

   While the second batch finishes, place the split brioche buns cut-side down in the onion skillet (move the onions aside) for about 30-45 seconds until lightly toasted and buttery from the onion fond.

   Tip: This step is sneaky good — the buns pick up all that sweet onion butter flavor.

8. 8

   Stack two cheese-covered patties on each toasted bun bottom. Pile a generous spoonful of caramelized onions on top. Close with the bun tops and serve immediately.

   Tip: Leftover patties reheat well in a skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute per side. Store onions separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

• skillet (30cm (12-inch))
• skillet (25cm (10-inch))
• wide spatula
• cutting board

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.