Ina Garten is the queen of "store-bought is fine," but when it comes to her Ina Garten smashed burgers, she’s actually quite specific about what is not fine. If you’ve spent any time on the culinary side of the internet lately, you know that "smash burgers" are basically a religion. People want those paper-thin, lacy, crispy edges that look like they were forged in a 500-degree cast-iron furnace.
So, when the Barefoot Contessa dropped her version in her 2020 book Modern Comfort Food, some people were... confused. Honestly, if you’re looking for a burger that looks like it came from a Shake Shack window, this isn't exactly that. It's something a bit more sophisticated, a bit more "Hamptons garden party," and it uses a freezing technique that feels like a total curveball.
The Big "Smash" Confusion
Here is the thing: Most people define a smash burger by the act of taking a ball of cold meat, throwing it onto a ripping hot griddle, and literally crushing it into a pancake with a heavy weight. This creates the Maillard reaction on steroids.
Ina does things differently. Her Ina Garten smashed burgers start as 1-inch-thick patties. Yeah, an inch. That’s a thick boy in the world of smashing. Instead of smashing them thin enough to see through, she sears them in a cast-iron skillet and uses a metal spatula to press them down firmly, but they still retain a significant middle.
Some critics have argued that calling these "smashed" is a bit of a stretch. One writer at Tasting Table even noted that the recipe results in a "bulbous patty" that misses that "svelte, sexy greasiness" of a true street-style smash burger. But does that mean it's bad? Absolutely not. It’s just Ina-fied. It’s a hybrid. It's what happens when a classic diner technique meets a woman who wants her beef to stay medium-rare.
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The 15-Minute Freezer Secret
This is the part of the recipe that actually makes it genius. Before the meat ever touches the pan, Ina has you shape the patties and put them on a plate in the freezer for exactly 15 minutes.
Why? Because she wants a crusty, brown exterior without overcooking the inside. By chilling the outside of the meat to near-freezing, you can sear it on high heat in a cast-iron skillet for 2.5 to 3 minutes per side. The cold protects the center from turning into grey rubber. The result is a burger that has a distinct "crust" (her version of the smash) but stays pink and juicy in the middle.
Most home cooks struggle with this. You want the char, but by the time you get it, the burger is well-done and sad. Ina’s freezer hack basically solves that problem for the average kitchen.
What’s Actually Inside the Beef?
Ina doesn't just do salt and pepper. While she's a purist about many things, her burger meat gets a little help. She uses 80/20 ground beef—because fat is flavor, obviously—and then she adds dry mustard powder.
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Specifically, she uses about 1.5 teaspoons of dry mustard (like Colman’s) mixed with kosher salt and pepper. It doesn’t make the burger taste like a deli sandwich; it just adds this subtle, sharp tang that cuts through the richness of the fat.
The Flavor Profile
- The Meat: 1.25 lbs of 80% lean ground beef.
- The Seasoning: Dry mustard, salt, pepper.
- The Fat: She uses canola or grapeseed oil in the pan because they have a high smoke point. Don't use butter for the sear; it'll burn before the burger is done.
The Toppings: No "Plebeian" Condiments?
If you're making an Ina Garten smashed burger, you aren't just throwing on a slice of Kraft American. She goes for Gruyère. It's nutty, it melts beautifully, and it feels expensive.
But the real MVP here is the onions. She has you caramelize two entire red onions with a teaspoon of sugar and a splash of "good" red wine vinegar to deglaze the pan. This takes about 20 to 25 minutes, so don't think this is a "fast food" 10-minute meal.
Interestingly, there’s a bit of a running joke about Ina and ketchup. In some of her other recipes, like the Niman Ranch burger, she skips it entirely. For these smashed burgers, she actually allows ketchup—served on the side. It's a rare concession to the masses.
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How to Get it Right at Home
If you want to try this and actually have it turn out like the photo in Modern Comfort Food, you have to follow the steps precisely. Don't skip the deglazing. The red wine vinegar at the end of the onion-cooking process is what makes the whole thing pop.
- Caramelize first: Get those onions going way before the meat. If you wait, your burgers will be cold by the time the onions are sweet.
- The Cast Iron Rule: You need a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Non-stick won't give you that crust.
- The Lid Trick: After you flip the burger and add the onions and Gruyère, you have to put a lid on the skillet for 90 seconds. This creates a steam chamber that melts the cheese perfectly without drying out the patty.
- The Bun: Use potato rolls (like Martin’s). They’re soft, slightly sweet, and they don't fight back when you take a bite.
Is it Better Than a Traditional Smash Burger?
It depends on what you want. If you want a crispy, lacy edge and a burger you can eat in three bites, go to a diner. Ina’s version is more of a "meal." It’s heavy on the onions, rich with the Gruyère, and definitely requires a napkin.
It’s also much more foolproof for home cooks who are scared of high-heat searing. The freezer trick is a safety net. Even if your pan isn't screaming hot, that 15-minute chill gives the meat a head start on texture.
Ultimately, the Ina Garten smashed burgers recipe is about taking a trendy technique and making it accessible for someone who wants a "nice" dinner rather than a greasy bag of takeout. It’s comforting, it’s reliable, and yeah, it’s probably going to require a nap afterward.
Next Steps for Your Kitchen
To master this at home, start by sourcing high-quality 80/20 ground beef from a local butcher rather than the pre-packaged tubes at the supermarket. Grab a tin of Colman’s Dry Mustard and a block of real cave-aged Gruyère. Ensure your cast-iron skillet is well-seasoned, and remember to set a timer for that 15-minute freezer rest—it is the single most important factor in achieving the Barefoot Contessa's signature crust-to-juice ratio.