Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 or 85/15 for extra juiciness)
- Salt (preferably sea salt or kosher salt)
- Black pepper (optional, if allowed on your carnivore plan)
- Butter, tallow, or ghee (for frying)
- Optional: cheese (like cheddar or American for a carnivore-friendly cheeseburger)
Instructions:
- Preheat the Skillet:
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of butter, tallow, or ghee to coat the pan.
- Form the Beef Balls:
- Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions (about 1/4 lb each).
- Roll each portion into a loose ball, but don’t pack it too tightly. The looser the ball, the better the smash!
- Smash the Burger:
- Place one of the beef balls onto the hot skillet.
- Immediately press down with a spatula (use a sturdy metal spatula or burger press) to flatten the beef into a thin patty. Hold the pressure for about 10-15 seconds.
- Season the patty generously with salt (and pepper if desired).
- Cook the Burger:
- Let the burger cook undisturbed for about 2-3 minutes until the edges are crispy and brown.
- Flip the patty and cook for another 1-2 minutes until desired doneness.
- Optional: Add Cheese
- If you’re making a cheeseburger, place a slice of cheese on top of the patty immediately after flipping, and let it melt.
- Repeat:
- Repeat the process for the remaining burger balls.
- Serve:
- Serve the smash burgers on their own or with toppings like fried eggs, bacon, or additional cheese if you’re sticking strictly to carnivore-approved ingredients.
Cooking Time:
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
Nutritional Information (per patty, about 4 servings):
- Calories: ~350-400 kcal (depending on fat content)
- Protein: ~25g
- Fat: ~30g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 0g