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Smash Burger Sliders – Easy Labor Day Backyard Bites

Diner-style smash burger sliders with onions smashed into a lacy, caramelized crust and buns toasted in beef fat.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 sliders 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground chuck (80/20)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, sliced paper-thin
  • 12 slider buns (potato or Hawaiian)
  • 12 slices American cheese (or sharp cheddar)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp dill pickle relish
  • Sliced dill pickles, for topping
  • Butter or neutral oil, for the griddle (as needed)

Instructions

  1. Portion the beef into 24 loose, golf-ball-sized rounds (about 1 oz each) — do not pack or compress them.
  2. Heat a griddle or large cast-iron skillet over high heat until it’s smoking hot. Add a thin film of oil.
  3. Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and relish for the burger sauce; set aside.
  4. Scatter a small handful of sliced onions where each patty will go. Place a beef ball on top of the onions, then smash hard and flat with a heavy spatula lined with parchment paper, pressing for about 10 seconds only. Repeat in batches to fit your griddle.
  5. Season the exposed (raw) side with salt and pepper immediately.
  6. Sear undisturbed for 60-90 seconds until deeply browned and the edges look lacy and crisp. Flip — the patty should release easily; if it resists, give it a few more seconds.
  7. Top half the patties with cheese right after flipping so it melts while the second side sears, about 30-45 seconds more.
  8. Split slider buns and toast them cut-side down in the rendered fat on the griddle until golden, about 30 seconds.
  9. Spread burger sauce on both cut sides of each bun. Stack a cheese patty and a plain patty per slider, top with pickles, and close.
  10. Serve immediately while the crust is still crisp.

Notes

Slice the onion as thin as you can manage — a mandoline helps — since thick pieces won’t fuse into the crust and will just burn. Keep the beef cold until the moment it hits the griddle so it holds its shape long enough to smash properly. For a crowd, pre-portion the beef balls on a sheet tray ahead of time and keep chilled; the griddle work then takes minutes. Swap American cheese for pepper jack if you want heat, or skip the sauce and use a smear of garlic aioli instead.

  • Author: Ella Whitley
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Method: Griddle
  • Cuisine: American