Smash burger with cheddar and homemade sauce

Chop the pickles very finely. Mix them in a small bowl with the mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard to make a creamy sauce with tiny pieces of pickle. Refrigerate while you prepare the burgers. The full amount of sauce is enough to spread over both halves of all four buns.

Divide the beef into 8 portions of 75 g and gently shape into loose balls. Do not pack them tightly, and do not mix salt into the meat; you will season it in the skillet. Place on a plate and keep refrigerated, taking out two balls just before cooking each burger.

Split the buns. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed cast-iron or steel skillet over medium heat. Toast the buns in batches, cut sides down, without any fat, for 2–3 minutes until golden. Set aside with the cut sides facing up and remove any crumbs from the skillet. It must be large enough to fit two patties about 12 cm across side by side when you cook the beef.

Increase the heat and let the empty skillet heat for about 3 more minutes. Do not add oil; the beef will render its own fat. Have ready a sturdy, wide metal spatula, a scraper for flipping the patties and a small piece of parchment paper. Keep the salt and pepper ready to season each batch of meat.

Place one beef ball in the skillet and immediately press down firmly with the spatula, using the parchment paper between the spatula and meat, to form a thin patty about 12 cm across. Remove the paper and flatten a second ball beside it in the same way. The meat should sizzle loudly. Sprinkle with some of the salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes without moving the patties, until the undersides are deeply browned and the edges are crisp. Do not press them again as they cook.

Slide the scraper flat under each patty, keeping the browned crust intact, and flip. Top each patty with a slice of cheddar. Cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the cheese softens and the beef is fully cooked through, with no raw center. Cook a little longer if needed.

Divide a quarter of the sauce between both bun halves, spreading it over the cut sides. Stack the two hot patties on the bottom half, each with the cheese facing up. Add the top half of the bun and serve immediately, while the edges of the patties are crisp and the cheddar is soft and melty.

Carefully pour any excess rendered fat into a heatproof container and scrape out the browned bits. Heat the skillet thoroughly again. Cook the remaining three batches of two patties in the same way, using the rest of the salt, pepper and cheddar. Assemble each burger with the remaining buns and sauce, serving each one immediately.