Frequently Asked Questions
The core kit is a heavy press to smash the patties, a thin rigid turner with a sharp edge to scrape up the crust, and a flat, well-preheated surface like a griddle or cast iron. A melting dome and a squeeze bottle help too. With those, you can turn out crispy-edged smash burgers that rival any diner.
A smash burger is pressed thin on a flat surface for maximum crust and cooks in a couple of minutes, while a thick grilled burger is shaped into a patty and cooked over grates for a juicy interior and grill marks. Smash burgers want a press and a flat top; thick burgers want a patty mold for even thickness and a good turner. Pick the gear for the style you crave.
Two fixes solve most of it: do not overwork the meat when forming patties, and press a shallow dimple into the center of each thick patty so it stays flat instead of doming as it cooks. Avoid pressing grilled burgers with a spatula, since that just squeezes out the juices. For smash burgers the rules differ, since the early smash is the whole point.
They do different jobs. A patty maker shapes raw beef into uniform patties before cooking so they cook evenly, while a burger press is the heavy weight you use to smash patties flat on the griddle for crust. If you only make thick grilled burgers, a patty maker is enough; if you love smash burgers, the press is the key tool.
For food safety, ground beef should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the center, checked with an instant-read in the thickest part. Because burgers are thin and cook fast, a quick-reading thermometer is the easiest way to hit that mark without drying them out. Let them rest a moment after cooking and add cheese in the last minute so it melts cleanly.
Recently viewed
Texas-Born. BBQ Bred.
With over 35 years of smoking experience, we started DDR BBQ Supply with a simple goal: to help others cook better barbecue. We've spent decades learning what works and what doesn't, and we apply that knowledge to every product we carry. From high-performance grills and smokers to carefully selected rubs, sauces, and tools, everything we offer is something we believe in and use ourselves. We don’t believe in cutting corners or selling gear we wouldn’t rely on during our own backyard cooks and when we compete in BBQ competitions.
