Costlier than a hamburger but solid and crispier on the inside, the smashburger is trending in London and New York.
In London, select food joints are selling them by the pound, halves and quarter of pound measures to satiate the population.
With a pounder costing below £15 in the UK, the smashburger is relatively accessible for a beef roll, hence its popularity.
After all, the typical smashburger is just a very thin beef patty with cheese topping smashed between two buns.
Fast and Hot Dinner
It’s not just the choice price range that is making the patties appetizing but the simple ingredient knock up, too. The single or double patty with mince, salt and a spicy condiment comes hot and ready to eat.
New York’s cooking aficionados have even classified them into meaty types, the in-between (s) and the flat saucy smashburgers.
All these diverse options have one thing in common, however: they are fast to eat. Some require just a few bites to finish.
Where did Smashburgers Begin?
The term “smashburger” explains the way of making it. It is about speed pressing of fatty beef on the grill. This spreads the patty thin but still keeps a bit of its juiciness inside. Bakers then smash other ingredients on top of the patties and sandwich them in buns.
The trendy patties began in the post-Depression years in the United States, around the mid-1930s. Though other popular fast foods overtook them down the road, they have never lost appeal.
Six or seven years ago (2016 or thereabouts), smashburgers made their comeback to California.
Likewise, food gourmets say that their debuting in London promises to be for the long-term.
Where are the Smash Patties Available in London?
While out and about in London, one might want to pop in at Honest Burgers, one of the brand’s 40 outlets.
The fast food chain opines that the smashburger has been on its menu for 12 months, to date. It is still sometimes the most requested menu item for weeks.
The social media is also alight with the trendy patties and can help choose between London or Manchester smashburger spots. TikTok chefs are also showcasing their beef patty-making skill and are luring people to go eat smashburgers.
Smashburgers Spots in New York
Smashburger shops in the Big Apple with clout include Long Island Bar and New Jersey’s White Mana Diner, among others.
A survey of New York food joints shows that a plain whole cheeseburger is the cheapest at around $4. A one-patty Knockout Burger, a classic plain smashburger and a ShackBurger cost medium. The costliest is a Double cheeseburger, at as much as $18.
What is the Ingredient range?
If satiating hunger is the only intention for buying one, then the smash of hunger-killing pepper and mince in beef patties are straightforward buying points.
There are also the single-or double-patty garden smashburgers with American cheese or fruit pickle topping.
Others include beef patties with ketchup or mustard and butter topping. The official smashburger at London’s Honest Burgers, for instance, comes with brown butter-mustard mayo topping.
Look out for Pretender Smashburgers Out There
While a smashburger is currently a preserve of a few London joints, food analysts foresee an oncoming wave of smashburger restaurants.
They also warn that there will be fake burgers that will be copying this classic burger. However, the thin smashburger remains a healthier choice over fat sandwich burgers, despite the copycats.