Pork Smash Burgers

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Steps

1. 1
   Cut pork belly and pork collar into cubes. Trim most of the hard back fat from the bondiola, leaving only a few streaks. Season the meat with salt, dried oregano, and dehydrated garlic powder. Chill everything in the freezer until very cold (nearly frozen) — this is essential for clean grinding.

   Tip: Pork fat is more distinct from the muscle than beef fat, which gives you more control over the fat ratio. Target around 28–35% total fat (including natural fat in the meat).

   ~15 min
2. 2
   Set up the meat grinder with the coarse grinding disk (large holes). Before grinding, run ice through the grinder to chill it completely and clean any residue inside. Grind the pork belly, pork collar, and kidney fat together, alternating meat and fat as you feed it through.

   Tip: Use the coarser disk for smash burgers — it leaves larger meat chunks that create air pockets when smashed, giving a crispier, more caramelized crust from the Maillard reaction. Save the fine disk for steakhouse-style thick patties.

   ~10 min
3. 3
   Gently mix the ground meat just enough to make it homogeneous — no white fat streaks visible. Do not over-mix or the patties will become dense and tough.

   ~2 min
4. 4
   Weigh your brioche bun — aim for double the bun weight in meat per burger. For a 90g bun, make two 90g meatballs per burger (180g total). Roll the ground meat into smooth, compact balls without overworking them.

   Tip: Two thin smash patties per burger give you more crust surface area and better coverage of the bun than a single thick patty.

   ~5 min
5. 5
   Make the smash sauce: combine ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, finely diced pickles, finely diced onion (drained from ice water), and pisco. Mix well and adjust to taste.

   Tip: The pisco gives the sauce a cóctel-sauce character. You can substitute brandy or any spirit you enjoy. The onion soaked in ice water loses its harsh sulfur bite and becomes pleasantly crunchy.

   ~5 min
6. 6
   Heat a griddle or flat cast-iron surface over very high heat (or use a well-lit charcoal grill). Brush the cut sides of the brioche buns with butter and toast cut-side down on the hot surface for just a few seconds until golden. The buttered crust waterproofs the bun so it won't get soggy.

   ~2 min
7. 7
   Place a meatball on the very hot griddle. Immediately press it flat using a wide spatula, a lightly oiled steel plate, or a cast-iron weight — smash it as thin as possible. Repeat for all balls. Cook until the edges are fully browned and fat is rendering out, then flip once. Cook pork through completely (no pink).

   Tip: Pork must be cooked through. The smash burger format is ideal for pork precisely because the thin patty cooks quickly and evenly without drying out. Rest the cooked patties briefly on paper towel/food-safe cloth to drain excess fat and keep the bun dry.

   ~4 min
8. 8
   Assemble the burgers: spread smash sauce generously on both sides of the toasted bun (more on the bottom). Place lettuce on the bottom bun, then add sliced tomato (seasoned with a pinch of salt). Stack both smash patties on top and close with the top bun. Serve immediately.

   Tip: Optionally add onion rings on top — the sauce already contains onion but a few raw rings add extra crunch and flavor.

   ~3 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Giacomo Bocchio

TE ENSEÑO A PREPARAR UNAS DELICIOSAS SMASH BURGERS DE CERDO

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