This is a double smash burger built around garlic compound butter — two thin, crispy-edged beef patties, melted American cheese, oven-baked bacon, and a tangy sauce, all on a soft bun. It comes together fast once your griddle is hot, which makes it a smart pick when you’re feeding a group and need to crank out burgers quickly without babysitting each one. The garlic butter is the real reason to make this over a plain bacon cheeseburger — it adds a lot of flavor with almost no extra effort.
Before you start
Two things actually matter here. First, your cooking surface needs to be genuinely hot before the beef touches it — not warm, not medium-high, but as hot as your cast iron or griddle will go. That heat is what creates the crispy, lacy edges that make a smash burger worth making. If the surface isn’t hot enough, the patty steams instead of sears and you lose the whole point. Second, get your bacon in the oven before you do anything else. Baking it at 400°F on a wire rack takes about 15–18 minutes and frees up your griddle entirely. When you’re cooking for a crowd, that separation of tasks is what keeps things from piling up on you — bacon handles itself in the oven while you work the griddle in batches.
About the ingredients
- Ground beef (80/20): The fat content is not negotiable for smash burgers. Leaner beef dries out fast at high heat and won’t give you the same crust. Stick with 80/20.
- Garlic butter: Softened unsalted butter mixed with minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Skip the pre-minced jarred garlic here — it’s wetter and can burn before the butter does its job. Fresh garlic only.
- American cheese: It melts better than cheddar or Swiss for this style of burger. If you want to swap, use a young provolone — it melts cleanly and doesn’t fight the garlic butter. Aged cheeses will clump.
- MSG (optional): Adds depth without tasting like anything specific. A small pinch goes a long way. Totally optional, but worth trying at least once.
- Applewood-smoked bacon: Any thick-cut bacon works. Thinner bacon tends to over-crisp in the oven before the fat renders properly.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting the beef balls sit on the hot surface before smashing: Press them down within the first 15–20 seconds. Once the exterior starts to set, you can’t flatten them properly and you’ll squeeze out juice instead of creating crust.
- Overcrowding the griddle when cooking for a group: Leave at least an inch between patties. Crowding drops the surface temperature and you end up with steamed, grey patties. Work in batches — it’s faster than it sounds.
- Applying the garlic butter too early: Add it to the bun or patty after the sear, not before. Butter burns at high griddle temps and garlic turns bitter fast. Brush it on the toasted bun right before assembly.
- Skipping the rest on the bacon: Pull bacon from the oven and let it rest on the rack for 2–3 minutes. It crisps up as it cools. Stacking it immediately traps steam and makes it chewy — skip the egg in the mix — it makes the patty mushy, and the same logic applies here: don’t trap moisture you just worked to remove.
- Building burgers too far ahead for a cookout: Assemble to order or keep components separate. Dressed buns go soggy within 10 minutes. Keep sauce, patties, and buns in separate covered trays and let people grab as they go.
Keeping and reheating
Cooked patties keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Bacon keeps separately for the same window. To reheat patties, use a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 90 seconds per side — the microwave works in a pinch but kills the crust. For freezing, wrap individual patties tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Don’t freeze assembled burgers — the bun texture doesn’t survive it. Garlic butter can be made up to a week ahead and stored covered in the fridge, which is genuinely useful if you’re prepping for a cookout the day before.
Sonic Garlic Butter Bacon Burger
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened high-quality European-style butter preferred for richer flavor
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, finely grated microplane for a smooth paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped flat-leaf preferred
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt for the garlic butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon MSG (monosodium glutamate) optional, for fast-food-style savoriness
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon applewood-smoked if available
- ¼ cup mayonnaise good-quality, such as Duke’s or Hellmann’s
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard classic hot dog mustard for that drive-in tang
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced for quick griddled onions
- 4 whole potato or brioche burger buns, split soft, slightly sweet buns work best
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola or avocado) for the griddle/skillet
- 1 ¼ pounds ground chuck (80/20), very cold for 8 smash patties (2.5 oz each)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt for seasoning patties
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper for seasoning patties
- ½ teaspoon onion powder optional, enhances savory depth
- 8 slices American cheese classic melt; substitute sharp cheddar if preferred
- 16 pieces dill pickle chips cold and crunchy for contrast
- 4 leaves iceberg lettuce, shredded crisp and refreshing
- 1 large ripe tomato, sliced into 4 rounds optional, for a fresh layer
- 2 tablespoons water for steam-melting cheese under a lid
Instructions
- Make the Garlic Butter (5 minutes): In a small bowl, combine 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, 4 cloves finely grated garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and optional 1/4 teaspoon MSG. Mix until creamy. Reserve about 2 tablespoons for toasting buns; keep the rest nearby for basting patties. The butter should smell boldly garlicky and look glossy and pale green from the herbs.
- Crisp the Bacon (12–15 minutes at 400°F/205°C): Heat oven to 400°F (205°C). Arrange 8 bacon slices on a rack set over a sheet pan for even crisping. Bake 12–15 minutes until mahogany and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Stovetop alternative: cook in a skillet over medium heat (~350°F/175°C surface) for 8–10 minutes, flipping as needed.
- Stir the Drive-In Sauce (2 minutes): Whisk 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1 tablespoon yellow mustard. For a garlicky twist, whisk in 1 teaspoon of the garlic butter. The sauce should be rosy and spoonable.
- Prep Onions and Buns (3 minutes): Thinly slice 1 small yellow onion. Split 4 buns and lightly smear cut sides with a thin layer of the reserved garlic butter—just enough to glisten.
- Preheat Griddle/Skillet (5 minutes): Set a cast-iron skillet or flat-top over medium-high heat; aim for a surface temp around 400°F (205°C). Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and heat until shimmering. You should see a faint wisp of smoke—ready for searing.
- Portion the Beef (5 minutes): Divide 1 1/4 pounds cold 80/20 ground chuck into 8 balls (~2.5 oz each). Handle minimally to keep the grind loose. Keep chilled until the moment you sear for superior lacy edges.
- Griddle Onions, Smash, and Sear (6–8 minutes total): Add the sliced onions to one side of the hot pan; cook 2–3 minutes until translucent with caramelized edges. Place 4 beef balls on the clear side (or directly over the onions if you love onion-crusted patties). Cover each ball with a parchment square; press firmly with a stiff spatula or burger press to 1/4-inch thickness. Season each patty with pinches of the 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and optional 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. Cook 1 1/2–2 minutes until the edges are frilly and deep brown. Flip, top each with a slice of American cheese and a pea-sized dot of garlic butter; add a splash (1 tablespoon) of water to the pan and cover 20–30 seconds to steam-melt the cheese. Transfer patties to a warm plate. Repeat with remaining 4 patties.
- Toast the Buns (30–60 seconds): Place buns cut-side down on the hot surface and toast 30–60 seconds until evenly golden and crisp at the edges. If needed, re-brush lightly with reserved garlic butter for shine.
- Assemble (2–3 minutes): Spread a spoonful of sauce on each bottom bun. Layer 4 pickle chips, a little shredded iceberg, and a tomato slice (optional). Add one cheese-topped patty, 2 slices of crisp bacon, then a second cheese-topped patty. Cap with the garlic-buttered top bun. Press gently to set.
- Serve: The perfect burger should smell richly of garlic and beef, with audible crisp edges, glossy cheese, and a bun that’s bronzed yet still fluffy.
Notes
Chef’s Tips:
- Smash Science: Smash only in the first 30 seconds; after that, you’ll press juices out instead of building crust.
- Keep it Cold: Cold beef + hot pan = lacy, crunchy edges.
- Garlic Control: Raw garlic can burn; add small dots of garlic butter after flipping so it perfumes without scorching.
- Substitutions: Turkey bacon or thick-cut pancetta; cheddar or pepper jack for the cheese; gluten-free buns; plant-based patties (reduce cook time slightly).
- Flavor Boost: A pinch of MSG in the butter mimics that addictive fast-food savoriness.
- Faster Onions: Add a teaspoon of water and cover briefly to steam-soften, then uncover to caramelize.
- For the crispiest edges, use a flat, heavy pan and avoid crowding; high heat plus space equals better Maillard browning.
- If using cheddar, grate it for faster melting.
- Keep a small bowl of garlic butter at room temp during cooking so it spreads and melts easily.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make these on an outdoor grill instead of a griddle?
You can, but you’ll need a flat cast iron griddle plate set over the grates — grill grates alone won’t let you smash the patties flat or build the crust properly. Get the griddle plate screaming hot over direct heat, then work exactly as you would indoors.
How do I keep the first batch warm while I cook the rest?
Set your oven to 200°F and place cooked patties on a wire rack over a baking sheet — don’t stack them or they’ll steam each other soft. They’ll hold well for up to 20 minutes without losing much texture.
What internal temperature should the patties reach?
Ground beef should hit 160°F (71°C) internal temperature. Because smash patties are thin, they usually reach this quickly — a fast-read thermometer is the only reliable way to confirm it, especially when you’re cooking multiple batches and timing gets compressed.