The Best Smash Burger with Caramelized Onions & Gruyere
These Smash Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Gruyere Cheese are a delicious flavor twist on the classic smash burger we all love! Delicious, lightly crisp patties, with melty gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and fig jam. True flavor PERFECTION.
Smash Burgers have become a staple way to use ground moose or venison in our home and these may just be the best ones yet! If you have never had a smash burger, they are typically two patties, smashed nice and thin, cooked with onions and topped with sharp cheddar. While those are absolutely delicious, it is always fun to switch up the flavors and try something new.
This Smash Burger recipe contains two juicy patties that are smashed thin and topped with melty gruyere cheese. I then added caramelized onions, fig jam, arugula and some balsamic glaze to finish it off. This combo is out of this world delicious!
You can make these smash burgers with ground beef, venison, elk or moose. I use ground moose most often for our burgers because it is our favorite! The patties can be fried up in a cast iron skillet or cooked on the grill.
How To Make a Perfect Smash Burger
- It all starts with the meat. You do not need to add much to the meat other than simple seasoning like salt and pepper. Ground beef, venison, elk, or moose will all work for a Smash Burger.
- Form the meat into evenly sized balls then press them down nice and thin on a hot cast iron pan. The act of smashing the meat super thin so it goes slightly crispy is where the name comes from.
- Cook for a couple minutes on each side. Because the patties are so thin, they will cook much faster than a traditional burger patty.
- Top with quality cheese and allow it to get nice and melty.
- Stack two patties on top of each other and place on your favorite bun. Add any toppings you like!
Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Smash Burger Ingredients
Ground Meat– As mentioned above, you can use ground beef, venison, moose or elk.
Egg– The is an egg added to the patties to work as a binder in holding them together. This also adds a bit of fat which is needed, especially when using wild game meat.
Olive Oil– If you are using ground beef that has some fat in it, you can omit this. I like to add olive oil when using venison or moose to help keep the patties tender and juicy.
Salt & Pepper– There is so much flavor coming from the caramelized onions and other toppings that all you need in the patties for spices is salt and pepper.
Balsamic Glaze– There is just a touch of this in the patties for enhanced flavor but it is also used as a burger topping.
Gruyere Cheese– You can sub the gruyere cheese with something a bit more mild like mozzarella but I love the strong flavor of gruyere on these smash burgers.
Caramelized Onions– These may just be one of the best burger toppings of all time in my opinion. I recommend using white or yellow onion for this.
Fig Jam– This is the perfect touch of sweetness to balance out the savory patty and salty gruyere cheese. You can find this at most grocery stores.
Arugula– I like to finish these smash burgers off with a handful of fresh arugula for brightness and color.
Ciabatta Buns– You can use store bought or home made ciabatta buns for these burgers. My favorite buns of all time are my Sourdough Ciabatta Buns! You can find the recipe here https://cmbarndominium.com/perfectly-soft-chewy-sourdough-ciabatta-hamburger-buns/
The Steps
1. Start by mixing together the first six ingredients in a large bowl. Gently combine until evenly mixed.
2. Next, add the sliced onions to a skillet with a couple tbsp of oil or butter and cook on medium low heat for about 10 minutes or until caramelized. I like to season with a pinch of slat and pepper.
3. While the onions are caramelizing, cook the patties. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add a couple tbsp of olive oil.
4. Form the meat mixture into roughly 10-12 balls. Take each ball and press it down onto the cast iron pan until nice and flat. Cook each patty for a couple minutes per side, then add a slice or gruyere for the last minute.
5. Once the cheese is melty, remove the patties from the pan and you’re ready to assemble the burgers.
6. Lightly warm, or toast the bun. Add mayo or butter if you would like, then stack two patties on the bun. Top with some of the caramelize onions, a spoonful of fig jam, some arugula and finish it off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
7. Serve with homemade French fries or sweet potato fries and enjoy!
Let us know in the comments below if you try this recipe and check out some of our other recipes using ground beef or venison!
https://cmbarndominium.com/20-minute-healthy-unstuffed-peppers-using-ground-meat/
https://cmbarndominium.com/easy-25-minute-teriyaki-venison-meatballs/
https://cmbarndominium.com/the-best-homemade-sourdough-lasagna/
Juicy Sash Burger topped with caramelized onions, gruyere cheese and fig jam. All served on a fresh sourdough ciabatta bun. 1. Start by mixing together the first six ingredients in a large bowl. Gently combine until evenly mixed. 2. Next, add the sliced onions to a skillet with a couple tbsp of oil or butter and cook on medium low heat for about 10 minutes or until caramelized. I like to season with a pinch of slat and pepper. 3. While the onions are caramelizing, cook the patties. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add a couple tbsp of olive oil. 4. Form the meat mixture into roughly 10-12 balls. Take each ball and press it down onto the cast iron pan until nice and flat. Cook each patty for a couple minutes per side, then add a slice or gruyere for the last minute. 5. Once the cheese is melty, remove the patties from the pan and you're ready to assemble the burgers. 6. Lightly warm, or toast the bun. Add mayo or butter if you would like, then stack two patties on the bun. Top with some of the caramelize onions, a spoonful of fig jam, some arugula and finish it off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. 7. Serve with homemade French fries or sweet potato fries and enjoy! * If you use a ground meat like beef with a higher fat content, you can omit the olive oil in the meat mixture. * Gruyere is delicious, but if you want something more mild you can use something like mozzarella. 
Smash Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Gruyere
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
