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Blackstone Smash Burgers are the smoky, crispy edged, BBQ and bacon loaded burgers that turn our backyard griddle into the best burger joint in town. We fire up the Blackstone almost every weekend all summer, and the kids line up while I smash patties thin and pile on melty cheddar, crispy bacon, and buttery onions, just like the lineup we get for our cheeseburger sliders.
Once you make smash burgers on the griddle with that lacey, crispy crust, you will never go back to thick pub burgers.
Blackstone Smash Burgers Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 24 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 44 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 937kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Smoky, savory, and rich with crispy edges, BBQ, bacon, and melty cheddar
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our cheeseburger sliders
Quick Answer
Roll ground beef into balls, then cook bacon and caramelize onions on a hot Blackstone griddle. Smash the seasoned beef balls thin against the flat top, cook until lacey and browned, flip, brush with BBQ sauce, and top with cheddar. Stack the patties with bacon and onions on a bun and serve hot.
Jump to:
- Blackstone Smash Burgers Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Blackstone Smash Burgers
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Blackstone Smash Burgers FAQs
- Other Recommended Cookout and Burger Recipes
- BBQ Bacon Blackstone Smash Burgers Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A screaming hot griddle makes the crust. Smashing the beef onto a high heat flat top creates a deeply browned, lacey, crispy crust through the Maillard reaction, which is the whole magic of a smash burger.
- Smashing thin maximizes the crust. Pressing the beef ball as thin as you can means more surface area touching the hot griddle, so you get more of those crispy, craveable edges in every bite.
- Eighty twenty beef keeps them juicy. Using 80/20 ground beef gives you enough fat to stay juicy and flavorful even when the patties are smashed thin and cooked fast.
- BBQ sauce and bacon layer in smoky flavor. Brushing on BBQ sauce and stacking crispy bacon adds sweet, smoky, savory depth that takes these way past a basic cheeseburger.
- Buttery griddled onions tie it together. Cooking the onions in butter on the same flat top picks up all the beefy fond and adds sweet, savory richness under the cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They cook in minutes on the griddle, perfect for feeding a hungry crowd fast.
- That crispy lacey crust plus BBQ, bacon, and cheddar is pure burger heaven.
- They are endlessly customizable and a guaranteed cookout hit, like our cheeseburger sliders.
Key Ingredients
A handful of simple ingredients make these loaded griddle burgers. Here is what each one brings.
- Ground Beef: Use 80/20 for the juiciest smash burgers. The fat is what gives you that crispy, flavorful crust.
- Bacon: Cooked crispy on the griddle and stacked on top for smoky crunch.
- Onions: Thinly sliced and caramelized in butter on the flat top for sweet, savory flavor.
- BBQ Sauce: Brushed onto the patties for sweet, smoky tang. Use your favorite.
- Cheddar Cheese: Melts into the hot patty for classic cheesy richness.
- Seasoning Blend: A simple mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika seasons the beef and onions.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make these smash burgers your own with these easy ideas.
- Switch the cheese: Try American, pepper jack, or smoked gouda.
- Add heat: Use a spicy BBQ sauce or add sliced jalapenos.
- Go classic: Skip the BBQ and bacon for a simple cheeseburger with pickles and special sauce.
- Make doubles: Stack two thin patties for a true double smash burger.
- No griddle? Use a large cast iron skillet, the same way we do for our cheeseburger sliders.
How to Make Blackstone Smash Burgers
- Stir together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, and roll the beef into eight balls.
- Cook the bacon on the hot griddle until crispy, then set it aside.
- Melt butter on the griddle and caramelize the sliced onions, seasoning them as they cook.
- Place the seasoned beef balls on the high heat griddle and smash each one thin with a weight.
- Cook until lacey and browned, flip with a scraper, then brush with BBQ sauce.
- Top each patty with cheddar, let it melt, then stack with bacon and onions on a bun.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Get the griddle screaming hot before smashing for the crispiest crust.
- Use parchment paper between your weight and the beef so it does not stick.
- Smash within 30 seconds of the beef hitting the griddle, then do not press again.
- Use 80/20 beef so the thin patties stay juicy.
- Scrape, do not flip, using a sturdy metal scraper to keep the crispy crust intact.
- Toast the buns on the buttery griddle for extra flavor.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Blackstone smash burgers are the star of any cookout. Pile them high with bacon and onions and serve them with classic sides like our fried red potato wedges or classic potato salad.
Round out the burger bar with more griddle favorites and finger foods. They are fantastic next to cheeseburger sliders for a crowd, plus a big bowl of firecracker chex mix for snacking.
Do not forget the drinks. An ice cold red wine spritzer or lemonade rounds out the spread. Set out extra BBQ sauce and let everyone build their own loaded burger.
Blackstone Smash Burgers FAQs
Use 80/20 ground beef for Blackstone Smash Burgers. The 20 percent fat content keeps the thin patties juicy and creates that crispy, craveable crust when smashed on the hot griddle. Leaner beef can turn out dry.
The secret is a screaming hot griddle and smashing the beef as thin as possible right after it hits the surface. The high heat and direct contact create a deeply browned, lacey crust. Use a metal scraper to flip so the crust stays intact.
A sturdy burger press or smasher works best, but a heavy metal spatula or even a second cast iron skillet works too. Place a piece of parchment paper between the weight and the beef so it does not stick.
Yes. A large, well preheated cast iron skillet works great for smash burgers. You may need to cook in batches, but you will get the same crispy crust as long as the surface is very hot.
Smash burgers are best served fresh and hot off the griddle. You can prep ahead by rolling the beef balls, cooking the bacon, and caramelizing the onions in advance, then smash and assemble just before serving.
Classic cookout sides like fries, potato wedges, potato salad, and coleslaw are perfect. Add a snack like firecracker Chex mix and a cold drink for a full backyard spread.
Feeding a crowd? Add a batch of our easy cheeseburger sliders to the cookout menu.
BBQ Bacon Blackstone Smash Burgers Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 24 ounces ground beef 80/20
- 8 strips bacon
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 small onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup bbq sauce
- 8 slices Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Portion the ground beef into 3-ounce sections and roll them into balls. You will have 8 portions.24 ounces ground beef
- Preheat your flat-top griddle surface to medium.
- Cook the bacon until crispy, 8-10 minutes. Place on a paper towel-lined plate.8 strips bacon
- Add a few tablespoons of butter to the grill and let it melt.3 tablespoons butter
- Add the onions and toss to coat in the butter.4 small onions
- Season with about ¼ of the seasoning mixture. Toss with a spatula frequently until they wilt and begin to brown 8-10 minutes. Take off the heat.
- Turn up the heat to high and grease the flattop with the oil.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Season the burger balls with some of the seasoning mixture on the top.
- Place the balls, seasoning side down onto the grill.
- Using a piece of parchment paper and a weight, smash each ball down as thin as you can, really concentrating on the edges.
- Season this side after smashing.
- Allow to cook until the meat looks lacey and browns around the edges, about 2-3 minutes.
- Using a scraper, scrape under the patty and flip it over.
- Brush this side with the BBQ sauce.1/4 cup bbq sauce
- Immediately add a slice of cheese.8 slices Cheddar Cheese
- Continue to cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
- For doubles, stack one patty on top of another.
- Take off the grill and serve immediately with the bacon, and onions on the buns of your choice.
Notes
- Preheat the Griddle: Make sure your griddle is preheated to high heat before you start cooking the burgers.
- Smash Hard: Use a heavy-duty spatula or burger press to smash the burgers as thin as possible for the best crispy edges.
- Season Well: Don’t skimp on the seasoning. It adds a lot of flavor to the burgers.
- Use Parchment Paper: Place a piece of parchment paper over the burger before smashing to prevent sticking.
- Rest the Patties: Let the smashed patties rest for a few minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Serve Hot: These burgers are best served hot off the griddle, so have your toppings and buns ready to go!
- Here are the tools I like to use for making juicy smash burgers:
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Hi, Dana.
Thanks for this recipe and many others. I think my dad made smash burgers in the early ’90s and they weren’t bad at all. I am willing to try this and lots more recipes in the future. You are not a Silly Girl, but you are smart. Thanks again and I hope you will respond to this message as soon as possible.