“Smashed” burgers are nothing new in the world of taste. But it’s the new cult of Athenians who flock to new and old haunts, which willingly throw themselves into the smash burger arena, just to enjoy them.
Their origin is more or less unclear. However, according to the prevailing theory, it all started about fifty years ago, somewhere in the American South, when the cook at the “Dairy Cheer” burger joint in Ashland, Kentucky, accidentally smashed he burger patty he had been cooking with the bottom of a bean can. And just like that, the smashed burger was born. It turned out that this way the burger got a deliciously crispy exterior while remaining very juicy on the inside.
What was found empirically in Kentucky had been explained several years earlier by the Frenchman Louis Camille Maillard, since the famous Maillard reaction (1912) describes exactly this, namely the intense colour that food acquires when subjected to heat treatment and the characteristic aromas that it releases, especially that of animal protein when it comes into contact with high temperatures. Without going into specific details that have more to do with the chemistry of the food and less with its enjoyment, we will only mention that the sauté cooking method is based on exactly this reaction.
The goal is of course the same in every case, i.e. to shield food externally and preserve its juices internally, thus achieving the ideal taste result. In the case of smash burgers, the process is seemingly simple, as the burger is made with “balls” of ground beef that are smashed with a special spatula or similar tool on a very hot plate.
The success factor has to do with cooking on the one hand, as the flattened burger is particularly vulnerable to the hot fire and must be removed at the right time to keep its flavour and all its characteristics intact. On the other hand, it has to do with the quality and the cut of meat, as well as the bun, cheese and the other ingredients (the less – the better) that come with the burger.
Ari Vezené, a staunch supporter of the “less is more” philosophy, launched his own smashed burger a few years ago at “Birdman” and since then it remains the most popular dish of his atmospheric Japanese pub located in the heart of the city. Few and good ingredients, meat from selected grass fed cows and little dry aged fat – note that Birdman Smash is likely to become independent and get its own “home” in the near future.
Relatively recently, “Smash’n Bun” in Kolonaki has also thrown itself into the smashing arena: the burgers here are made from 40-day dry-aged minced meat and put on handmade potato buns, kneaded and baked daily on the spot. Talented Chef Michael Nourloglou’s recipes include, among others, Moldo burger with creamy mushrooms and roasted garlic mayo, as well as interesting side dishes such as fried sweet potatoes, freshly cut salads and desserts.
We should also note that a special section of smash burgers is now on the menu of the well-known chain “Burger Joint”, found in Psychiko, Glyfada and Nea Smyrni, while Piraeus has also taken a whiff of the new trend, thanks to “Smash Burger” that opened its doors recently at a central point of the port of Piraeus.
