A Smashing Taste

(WSJ gif)

Like most red-blooded Americans, I enjoy a thick, juicy hamburger--preferably medium rare--but occasionally I hanker for a burger that is "smashed." Apparently, so do a growing number of Americans. [bold added]

Today’s burger fans are snubbing the sky-high steakhouse hamburger for thinner, easier-to-bite alternatives.

Some fast-food chains and diners have long served smash-style burgers—Shake Shack and, yes, Smashburger among them. But higher-end restaurants have started posting smashed-down patties on social media to draw in crowds in recent years.

Consumers brave lines or show up to one-off smash-burger pop-ups. Gone are the traditional lettuce and tomato, with grilled onions taking their place. Devotees love the seared sides, textured edges, simple toppings and manageable portions...

A smash burger is pressed down on a griddle until it is thin, while a plump burger is seared and cooked through more gently. Single patties use less meat than a traditional burger, but smash burgers are often served as doubles, with four crispy sides.

Smashed burgers are a good change of pace. The seared taste is spread throughout because of the larger surface that touches the grill; they all turn out medium or well done, and the benefit in texture makes up for the loss of the medium-rare or rare option.

The closest Smashburger locations for us Peninsulans are in San Jose, which is too far for a retiree to make a special trip. So I only go there 2-3 times a year, a good thing for my waistline.