Mac's Local Eats
A triple cheeseburger and fries at Mac's
Why have flat-grilled “smashburgers” recently become so popular? Dan B., St. Louis
First off, devotees of places like Carl’s Drive-In and Steak 'n Shake would contend that diner-style burgers (i.e., smashed and sear-cooked on a flat-top griddle) have always been popular. True enough. But the same argument could be applied to hamburgers in general.
Burger variables include the composition of the meat, percentage of fat, spicing, cooking method, final temperature, and the toppings, condiments, and carrier. All are important, of course, but for this discussion, it comes down to which cooking method is better, a flat (closed) surface or an open grill?
The short answer is that neither cooking method is better; it’s strictly a matter of preference. Read on for the differences.
Open-grill burgers (gas or charcoal) tend to be thicker and develop a flavorful, charred crust. Excellent examples of half-pound burgers can be found at eateries like 5 Star Burgers, Annie Gunn’s, Cardwell’s at the Plaza/B.C’s Kitchen, Cleveland-Heath, Half & Half, J. Devoti Trattoria & Grocery, and Truffles. As any backyard griller knows, the downside is uniformity (as in nailing the temp) and dealing with a grill’s hot spots. Addressing the former, burger mecca Trainwreck Saloon eliminates possible send-backs by cooking its burgers to only three temps (rare, medium, and well) versus the traditional five.
The best local example of a consistently, uniformly-cooked burger is O’Connell’s Pub. There, due to a combination of proper meat and grill temperatures plus cooking skill, a burger ordered mid-rare almost always arrives at that temperature throughout, no easy feat.
Burgers smashed and cooked on a flat-top griddle have their advantages and disadvantages as well. While some contend that smashing adds more flavor (via the caramelization process called the Maillard Reaction), others say it produces a dry product. If properly smashed and seared, however, a flat-grilled burger will remain moist (alas, the majority are not). Regardless, more current iterations, evidenced at places like Sugarfire Smoke House, Hi-Pointe Drive-In, and Mac’s Local Eats (arguably the best smashburger in town currently), have raised the smashburger bar and hence their popularity.
Smashburgers can be stacked and piled to suit anyone’s taste, budget, and diet (at Mac’s, get The Classic triple cheese and thank me later). And due to the nature of the cooking surface, they cook more quickly and uniformly than their grilled counterparts, which appeals to the owners of places who sell them. Five Star Burgers, a concept based on the half-pound burger, recently added an asked-for smashburger option, which reduced cook time and negated the possibility of an under- or overcooked burger, a triple-win for owner Steve Gontram. Similarly, at EdgeWild’s new Edwardsville location (its third), managing partner Todd Wyatt offers 2, 4-ounce smashburgers served five ways, veering from the company's thickburger tradition.
In the end, I contend that for many of us, burgers are just like pizza…we get a craving for different styles at different times.
If you have a question for George, email him at gmahe@stlmag.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @stlmag_dining. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
