The taste and flavor of Smash Burgers is what's so great about smash burgers.
When a burger patty hits a hot cooking surface a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction takes place.
This Maillard reaction is what then creates a crispy crust as well as dozens of complex flavor compounds.
And those flavor compounds are what make a smashed burger so delicious.
The best meat for burgers is ground chuck.
Ground chuck is a cut of beef that is ground from the shoulder of the cow and has the ideal lean to fat ratio of 80/20 which means it's not too lean.
This allows for a super flavorful and juicy burger.
Ground round also comes from the back of the cow and near the tail, upper leg and rump.
Other best cuts of meat for burgers include.
Chuck steak. Chuck is the most commonly used cut of beef in burger blends.
Sirloin or Tri-Tip. Sirloin is a relatively lean cut of steak, but has a good amount of flavor.
Round. Round is extremely lean and very cheap.
Brisket.
Boneless Short Rib.
Plate (Skirt and Hanger Steak).
Gordon commonly combines Chuck, Brisket, Short Rib, Sirloin, or TriTip for burger blends.
Ground chuck is usually a better burger option if you want a traditional, juicy, fatty burger.
It has a higher fat content, which gives the ground chuck burgers more flavor and juiciness.
Ground beef, on the other hand, can be leaner.
Most cookbooks and burger aficionados say the ideal choice is 80/20 beef chuck.
This means it's 80 percent lean and has 20 percent fat.
You can go somewhat leaner if you like with ground beef labeled 85/15.
Any leaner be sure to add some moisture like Worcestershire sauce or wine to prevent the burger from drying out.