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Smash Burgers on a Small Charcoal Griddle
Smash burgers might be the perfect small-grill food. They cook in minutes, they need a ripping hot flat surface (which a carbon steel griddle over charcoal is), and you can turn out a stack of them in waves from a 146 sq in grill. The method is simple: a ball of cold beef hits a very hot griddle, you smash it thin immediately, and the wide contact makes a lacy, deeply browned crust. Here's how to do it on the Slot Grill Compact with a Slot Grill griddle (plancha).
Serves: 2–3 (6 patties) · Total time: About 25 minutes · Grill: Slot Grill Compact
Why this works on the Compact
- The griddle is the same thick carbon steel as the grill and holds heat when cold meat hits it.
- The Compact's two-piece top lets you run a griddle on one side for patties and a grate on the other for toasting buns.
- A small grill heats up fast and runs hot, which is exactly what a smash burger needs.
Ingredients
- 1 lb 80/20 ground beef, kept cold, divided into six 2½–3 oz loose balls
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 slices American cheese (melts best)
- 3–6 soft buns (potato buns are classic)
- 1 onion, sliced paper thin (optional)
- Pickles, mustard, ketchup or your sauce
- Butter for toasting buns (optional)
- A little high-smoke-point oil
- Parchment squares (optional, to stop sticking)
Gear
- Slot Grill Compact, seasoned (how)
- Chimney starter, charcoal or cooking wood, newspaper or natural fire starters, a lighter
- Long tongs and a sturdy spatula
- Heat-safe gloves
- Instant-read thermometer
- Metal can with a lid for cold ash
- Sheet pan or foil pan for raw-to-grill and a clean one for cooked food
Fire setup on the Compact
The Compact's cooking area is 16.25" × 9" (146 sq in). That is plenty for one to three people, but it means coal placement does most of the work a dial does on other cookers. Use a two-zone fire: lit coals banked across about two-thirds of the length, the last third thin or empty. The hot side sears; the cool side finishes, holds and rescues food from flare-ups. Light with a chimney or one of the no-lighter-fluid methods.
Step by step
- Prep everything first. Smash burgers move fast. Have buns opened, cheese unwrapped, sauce made and the spatula ready before the beef hits the steel.
- Light a full chimney and spread the coals in a fairly even bed under the griddle side, with a little cool area under the grate side.
- Preheat the griddle thoroughly over the coals. A drop of water should skitter and evaporate almost instantly.
- Oil lightly and wipe to a thin film.
- Place 2–3 beef balls on the hottest part, spaced well apart.
- Smash immediately and hard with a sturdy metal spatula (lay parchment on top to prevent sticking), to about ¼" thick. Hold a few seconds. Smash only once, in the first 30 seconds; after that you squeeze out juice.
- Season the top with salt and pepper. Add thin onions on top if using, pressing them in.
- Cook without moving until the edges are deep brown and lacy, about 1½–2 minutes.
- Scrape under the patty with the spatula edge, keeping the crust on the meat, and flip.
- Add cheese immediately, and stack two patties if you like doubles. Cook about 30 seconds more.
- Toast buns on the grate side or the cool part of the griddle while the patties cook.
- Build and serve right away. Scrape the griddle, re-oil, and run the next wave. Ground beef should reach 160°F.
Variations
- Oklahoma-style onion burger: pile a big handful of paper-thin onions onto the ball and smash through it.
- Breakfast smash: top with a fried egg from the same griddle.
- Spicy: add sliced jalapeños to the griddle and press them into the patty.
- Patty melt: serve on buttered griddled bread with grilled onions.
- Crowd mode: cook in waves; see cooking for a crowd.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Patties stick and tear | Griddle not hot or not seasoned; smash with parchment; scrape firmly under the crust |
| No crust | Griddle not hot enough or beef too warm. More coals under the griddle; keep beef cold. |
| Dry burgers | Smashed too late or pressed again. Smash once, early. |
| Griddle cools after first batch | Add lit coals under it between waves; scrape off grease. |
Serving, leftovers and cleanup
Burgers are best eaten straight off the griddle. Between waves, scrape grease into a heat-safe container (not onto the coals, which causes flare-ups). When the griddle is cool, scrape, wipe and oil it lightly to keep its seasoning.
Safe internal temperatures
Guessing is how small-grill cooks go wrong, because everything happens fast over a close fire. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone. USDA minimum internal temperatures:
| Food | Minimum internal temp |
|---|---|
| Beef, pork, veal and lamb steaks, chops and roasts | 145°F, then rest 3 minutes |
| Ground beef, pork, veal and lamb | 160°F |
| Poultry (whole, parts, ground) | 165°F |
| Fish and shellfish | 145°F, or flesh opaque and separates easily with a fork |
| Egg dishes | 160°F; cook eggs until yolk and white are firm |
| Leftovers and casseroles | 165°F |
Taking this recipe on the road
The Compact packs about 1" thick and weighs about 14 lb, so this recipe travels to a campsite, tailgate, river bank or job site as easily as it cooks on the patio. A few habits make it safer and easier away from a kitchen:
- Prep at home. Trim, season or marinate meat, chop vegetables and mix sauces in the kitchen. Pack each in a sealed bag or container labeled by cook order.
- Keep raw meat cold and separate. Pack it at the bottom of the cooler, sealed, below ready-to-eat food. Keep the cooler at 40°F or below with plenty of ice, and keep it in the shade.
- Two sets of tongs and platters: one for raw, one for cooked. Never put cooked food back on the tray that held raw meat.
- Bring water and soap for hands and tools, plus paper towels and a trash bag.
- Pack the thermometer. It matters more outdoors, where wind and cold change cook times.
- Plan for ash. Bring a metal can with a lid and follow the venue's disposal rules.
For more, see the camping, tailgate and river trip guides.
Quick-start checklist
- Grill seasoned and dry; old ash emptied
- Stable, level, non-combustible spot with clearance
- Charcoal lit in a chimney, ashed over
- Two-zone fire built, grates preheated and oiled
- Thermometer, tongs, spatula and gloves within reach
- Clean tray ready for cooked food
Common small-grill mistakes (and the fix)
- Cooking before the coals are ready. Black-topped coals give smoky, weak heat and sticking. Wait until they glow under a light coat of gray ash.
- Wall-to-wall coals. With no cool zone, every flare-up becomes a burn. Leave at least a third of the firebox thin or empty.
- Crowding the grate. 146 sq in fills fast. Leave space between pieces so you can move them, and cook in waves.
- Moving food too early. Let it sear and release on its own; it sticks until a crust forms.
- Cold, dirty grates. Preheat for a few minutes, scrape, and wipe with an oiled paper towel held in tongs.
- Wet food. Pat meat and vegetables dry before oiling and seasoning. Moisture steams instead of searing.
- Judging doneness by time or color. Small fires vary. Use a thermometer.
- Leaving ash in the firebox. Old ash chokes airflow. Empty it once cold before the next cook.
- Putting the grill away wet. Raw carbon steel needs to be dried and lightly oiled. See rust prevention.
After the cook: burn-down and pack-down
- Let the remaining coals burn down. Don't leave a fire unattended.
- When ash and steel are completely cold, dump the ash into a metal container with a lid, or dispose of it where the venue or campground allows.
- Scrape the grates, then wipe the cooking surfaces with a light coat of oil or Slot Grill Seasoning Balm.
- Lift off the grates, slide out the V side panels, pull the end pieces and stack. The Compact packs to about 1" thick.
- Store it dry. A bag or old box keeps soot off the rest of your gear.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a griddle for smash burgers on a charcoal grill?
Yes. Smash burgers need a solid flat surface. A Slot Grill griddle (plancha) fits the Compact and is made of the same thick carbon steel as the grill. A cast-iron skillet also works.
What size balls for smash burgers?
About 2½ to 3 ounces each. Two thin patties stacked make a classic double.
Why do my smash burgers stick?
Usually the griddle isn't hot enough or well seasoned. Preheat thoroughly, oil lightly, smash with parchment on top, and scrape firmly under the crust to flip.
What temperature should a smash burger reach?
USDA recommends 160°F for ground beef. Thin smash patties get there quickly.
Slot Grill Compact
12-gauge carbon steel · about 14 lb · 16.25" × 9" cooking area · packs about 1" thick · made in Texas · ★★★★★ 4.92 (77 reviews)
$89.97$99.97
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All specs and prices are from SlotGrill.com. Always grill outdoors on a stable, non-combustible surface and follow local fire rules.