There’s really only one reason to smash a burger and it’s the
reason that all three of the burgers I mention above (as well
as countless others) taste so good: the Maillard reaction. It’s
what creates the crust on your steak or burger, the golden
brown color on your toast, and the complex, pleasing
aromas and flavors that accompany that browning. It’s the
smell of a steak house and fresh bread from the oven. And
it’s the smell of a good burger joint. It doesn’t just make
meat taste good, it actually makes it taste more meaty.
Most of these browning reactions don’t take place until
foods are heated to at least 300°F or so, and they are greatly
accelerated at temperatures higher than that, so if
maximizing browning is your goal when cooking a burger
(and it should be!), then it’s plain to see why smashing a
burger can improve its flavor: It increases the surface area
directly in contact with the hot metal, resulting in more
nandana
(Nandana)
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