Smash Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

Everyone wants to make a great burger. We try so hard we make it complicated. For me there is no better burger than an old fashioned smash burger. Uncomplicated - beef and or pork, salt, pepper, heat. The rest is how you dress the bun. Pick your favourite toppings: cheese, bacon, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, relish, hot peppers, bbq sauce, secret sauce - anything goes. Toasting the buns is an underrated step that gets skipped way too often. Wedges of seasoned sweet potatoes are a nice change from the expected fries. Use the garlic mayo for dipping or on your buns. For vegetarian burgers use your favourite vegetarian burger recipe, grilled portobello mushrooms. Fans of ‘Beyond’ will find a good fit here.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Mix dip ingredients together. Let it sit for 20 minutes and mix again. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 450F

Step 3

Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper

Step 4

Mix cornstarch and chili powder

Step 5

Toss wedges of sweet potato with oil, sprinkle with seasoned cornstarch and toss to coat.

Step 6

Spread seasoned wedges onto baking sheets, leaving space between wedges

Step 7

Bake for 10 minutes, turn wedges over and bake for 10-15 minutes more

Step 8

Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper.

Step 9

The trick to making great smash burgers is to handle the ground meat as little as possible. Literally I portion it right from the package by cutting it into 6 equal portions. Season each pile liberally with salt and pepper evenly all around.

Step 10

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. (turn on your range hood, things could get a little smokey) drop one or two mounds of ground meat onto the pan and use a spatula to ‘smash’ the burgers as flat as possible. Cook until well browned then gently flip to cook the other side.

Step 11

Remove to a plate and cook the next round, cover with foil to keep warm while they rest. Or transfer cooked burgers to a 200F oven on a baking sheet fitted with a rack. Drain the fat from the pan between batches.

Step 12

Split buns and butter, heat in the oven for a few minutes until warm and toasty.

Step 13

Assemble burgers and serve with sweet potato wedges and garlic dip.