Best Seasoning for Smash Burgers: What Flavorings to Use & When
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The best seasoning for smash burgers features coarse salt, garlic, onion, and black pepper. Add a sizzling griddle and ground beef, and you’re ready to cook. Unlike other burger recipes, smash burger seasoning goes on the meat after smashing it onto a hot skillet to keep the burger tender.
The timing of adding the best seasoning for smash burgers focuses on creating the burger’s famous caramelized, crisp crust. To keep the taste consistent, I use our fan-favorite Cuso’s Dirtt® Seasoning, which combines classic ingredients without preservatives or fillers into a bold flavor profile. Better still, Dirt’s gluten-free and made in small batches in the USA. Two other options without MSG or nut oils are Cuso’s Roasted Garlic & Onion and Cowboy Butter for a chef’s-kiss steakhouse finish.
When to Season a Smash Burger
It’s not just about when to season a smash burger, but also how you integrate spices.
If you add ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, breadcrumbs, or eggs to a smash burger as you would a traditional hamburger, the results will likely disappoint. Those additions change the beef's texture, preventing it from making full contact with the hot cooking surface. Instead of developing the signature crispy crust, the burger may steam into mush, crack, become rubbery, tough as leather, or fall apart as it cooks.
If you add additives to the ground meat, pay close attention to the balance of moisture and dry ingredients.
So what’s the seasoning solution for making a perfect, restaurant-quality smash burger?
Begin by forming plain ground beef into loose balls, approximately 2” in diameter. Place them on a red-hot skillet and smash them firmly into patties, measuring ¼” thick. Now season the smashburger generously on the exposed side with your favorite blend. This step neatly seals in juices. Also, when you apply seasonings this way, they stick to the meat’s surface much better, giving you a full-flavored crust.
Don’t be tempted to turn that smash burger over too quickly. Wait until you see crisp, brown edges. Now flip the burger and season that side immediately. Think: salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoky paprika, or even a bold mix like Cuso’s Cajun Explosion Seasoning. Each option adds depth but maintains the desired texture.
Look at the texture of that Cuso's Cajun Explosion Seasoning!
Basically, keep the beef mixture untouched. Let your seasonings work on the burger's surface after you smash it. You’ll get great beefy flavor in every bite, and the smash burger’s satisfying crispy edge.
What Makes the Best Seasoning for Smash Burgers?
Smash burger seasoning and barbecue rub are different. Barbecue rubs are best for low-and-slow cooking, while smash burger seasonings are ideal for high-heat searing.
The key differences come down to sugar content and salt-and-pepper ratios. Barbecue rubs often have ingredients like brown sugar. Smash burgers rarely include sugary ingredients because they burn and turn bitter over high heat. Barbecue rubs use salt and pepper as two of many ingredients. Smash burger flavors depend on high amounts of salt and coarse black pepper.
Barbecue rubs are also complex, containing dozens of ingredients that build layers of flavor over time. Smash burgers don’t have that luxury. They cook in just a few minutes, so you need simpler seasonings that keep the beef center stage and let the spices become supporting actors for a caramelized crust on the hot cooking surface.
Smash burger seasoning and barbecue rub are two cases where size matters. Smash burgers favor coarse spices that hold up during intense searing. Fine powders in a barbecue rub can scorch.
Common Smash Burger Spices & What They Accomplish
The most common ingredients found in smash burgers are coarse ground salt, coarse ground pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Each has a purpose in creating the smash burger’s delicious flavor.
- Salt: brings out the beef's natural, savory flavor. It draws out surface moisture for deep browning. Kosher salt is easy to control and distribute on the burger’s surface.
- Pepper: a gentle kick of heat, cutting through the richness of the beef. Toasted on the griddle, its flavor softens to a slight nuttiness with a woodsy aroma.
- Garlic: a savory foundation (sweet, earthy, warm notes). Powdered garlic doesn’t burn like fresh, and you can disperse it evenly.
- Onion: adds a sweet, mild background taste that balances the salt and pepper. Thinly shaving it and pressing it into the beef creates further caramelization. Onion powder offers even coverage.
Cuso Seasonings Clean Labels
Have you ever really looked at the ingredient list on the grocery seasoning you buy? The print has to be tiny to fit them all in. If you don’t want your seasonings to have high volumes of additives, watch for these on product labels:
Anti-caking Agents
Silicon dioxide absorbs moisture and prevents clumps. Calcium Silicate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Carbonate, and Sodium Aluminosilicate work similarly. While they help seasonings pour freely, they contribute nothing to flavor.
Antioxidants
BHA and BHT help maintain color, protect flavor, and slow rancidity, extending shelf life.
Flavor Enhancers
MSG, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, and HPV are used to boost savory flavors without adding more herbs or spices
Preservatives:
Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Propionate, Sodium Nitrate, and Sorbic Acid help prevent spoilage and extend product shelf life.
Sweeteners
Sucralose, Aspartame, Acesulfame potassium, Stevia, and Xylitol are sometimes included to balance heat or acidity in seasoning blends
These fillers have manufacturing purposes and create lower-priced products, but there’s a huge caveat. They take up space, reducing the amount of herbs and spices. More fillers and additives in a blend = less bold, natural flavors. That’s why many supermarket seasonings lack the fresh aroma and vibrant taste that home cooks expect and depend upon.
The Cuso Seasoning Difference
By comparison, if you look at Cuso Seasoning Blend labels, you’ll find no fillers, preservatives, or seed oils. Nothing synthetic or artificial. A short list of recognizable ingredients chosen for flavor. In other words, Cuso products have “clean labels” that reflect their commitment to freshness, flavor, and overall excellence.
Every shake delivers on the expected flavor of herbs and spices. Whether you’re seasoning a smash burger, baking chicken, or grilling vegetables, Cuso’s clean-label blends deliver natural flavor in every dish and keep artificial ingredients out of the picture.
That means every shake delivers the taste of real herbs and spices without unnecessary extras. Whether you're seasoning a smash burger, grilled vegetables, chicken, or steak, clean-label blends with thoughtfully selected seasonings let your food's natural flavors shine through instead of masking them with artificial ingredients.
Cuso's Seasoned Smashburger Recipe
When you want flavor, juiciness, and texture in a burger, a smashburger is the way to go. You can make it with different cheeses and topping to please even picky eaters.
Cuso’s Seasoned Smash Burger Recipe
The beauty of cooking seasoned smash burgers is that they are simple. Two important points. Don’t defer to leaner meat, and watch the timing on your flip. In 3 minutes, your burger awaits.
Ingredients
80/20 or 75/25 hamburger meat (¼ to ½ pound per person)
Rolls
Cheese, crispy bacon, fried onions - optional toppings
Instructions
- Form your ground beef into 2-4 oz balls. Don’t overwork.
- Place them in the refrigerator while you heat up a cooking surface.
- Heat a skillet, griddle, or frypan to at least 450°F
- Place one ball in the middle of the pan
- Cover it with parchment paper (this is so the meat doesn’t stick to the spatula)
- Use a metal spatula to smash it, holding for a count of 5 (you’re looking for about ¼” thickness). Never smash again after the burger starts cooking. You lose juices.
- Season the side facing you
- Grill for 2 minutes until the edges look lacy and crisp
- Scrape the undercrust and flip the patty
- Season and cook for 30 more seconds. If you flipped too early on the first pass, give the second side a little more time for browning.
- If your burger looks a little dry, add a pat of butter on the 2nd side for moisture
- This is also the point where you can add a slice of cheese if you wish. If your smash burger is a little crumbly, the cheese helps hold it together.
- Toast the rolls (potato seems to be favored)
- Carefully scrape and lift the smash burger to gather all the yummy bits from the pan
- Transfer the smash burger to a roll so it doesn’t get soggy and top as you wish (crispy bacon and fried onions are two choices)
Note: Unlike a regular burger, a smash burger does not need to rest. It’s hot and ready to eat.
Smash Burger Seasoning: Flavor Variations
In many ways, burgers are blank canvases. You can bring your tastes and creativity to a basic recipe and create something memorable (maybe even a repeater in your menu schedule). If you’re feeling really adventurous, make smaller smash burger sliders in different flavors for hungry guests.
Here are some ideas:
Cheese Crust Smash Burger:
Thick-sliced onion “buns” and the seasoned smash burger topped with a mix of fried onions, avocado mayo, mustard, dill, and Cuso’s low-calorie, guilt-free Lava Hot Honey Barbecue Sauce.
Greek Gyro Smash Burger:
Ground beef (or lamb) mixed with red onion, kalamata olives, feta, plus the Mediterranean trio: Cuso’s Grass, Lemon Pepper, and Roasted Garlic and Onion Seasonings. Fried in Cuso’s Wagyu Beef Tallow for richness. Topped off with a mix of Greek yogurt, grated cucumber and garlic, dill, lemon juice, Cuso’s Gravel Seasoning, and a bright slice of fresh tomatoes.
Jager Smash Burger:
Hamburger infused liberally with Jager, egg, and breadcrumbs, smashed and cooked over charcoal. Topped with fried chopped onions, cheese, mayo, bacon, and tomato.
Wait! There’s more!
You can also use Seasoned Smash Burgers to make tacos!
Dirty Smash Burger for Tacos
Ground beef seasoned with Cuso’s® Dirt, placed on a taco shell and smothered in a sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and lime mix with a kick from Cuso’s Jala-Pickle Ranch and Roasted Garlic and Onion Seasonings.
Chicken Smash Burger for Tacos
Ground chicken mixed with Cuso’s Roasted Garlic and Onion Seasoning and Lemon Pepper Seasoning. Homemade Cesar salad featuring grated garlic, lemon, anchovies, salt, pepper, Romain lettuce, extra-virgin olive oil, and freshly grated Parmesan. Burger goes on the taco with the salad on top.
FAQs
Can I season the meat before smashing it?
You can, but you’re going to get the best flavor out of sprinkling the smash burger with seasoning right after you press it into the pan, and again when you flip it.
What’s the difference between a patty melt, a burger, and a smash burger?
There are three areas where these differ: Bread type, thickness, and cooking method. Traditional burgers have soft, round buns and thick patties weighing in at ⅓ to ½ pound. They’re grilled, broiled, or pan-cooked.
Smash burgers also have standard hamburger buns. The patty is very thin and cooked on a ripping-hot surface like a skillet or flat top. They cook quickly and have a caramelized crust.
Patty melts use sliced, buttered bread (something sturdy like sourdough or rye). The patty has a medium thickness. It’s assembled like grilled cheese and toasted on the flat top.
Can I make seasoned smashburgers on the grill?
Absolutely, but you need a flat surface for cooking placed over the grates. Otherwise, your smashed patties fall through into the flame below.
Can I use other ground meats for making smash burgers
Yes. Pork is an easy substitute for a beef smash burger, creating a crispy crust. You have to take care with chicken and turkey as they can dry out very quickly. Look for a grind with some skin or dark meat. You can add a little tallow for frying to help seal in moisture. Lamb is naturally high in fat, so it cooks up much like both beef and pork.
Is there any benefit to adding MSG to a Smash Burger
MSG has strong umami flavor and amplifies beef's natural savouriness. Use ¾ tsp in place of one tbsp of Kosher salt. You get a salt flavor but less sodium, and MSG can accentuate the caramelization of your smash burger’s edges.
Build the Best Seasoned Smash Burger
Are you ready to level up your smash burger cook? Start with non-GMO, no-additive seasoning blends. Cuso’s line of USA-made spices delivers amazing flavor at high heat. Come on over to Instagram @chefcuso and see what else we're grilling up!
