Smash Cheeseburgers

Have a heavy stainless-steel frying pan, a stiff metal spatula and a small square of baking parchment ready. A second spatula helps you apply pressure when smashing.

Divide the cold mince into loose 80 g balls: two per person, or four for the two-serving recipe. Handle lightly and keep cold until cooking. Keep the seasoning separate; do not mix egg, breadcrumbs or seasoning into the mince.

Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, finely chopped gherkin and gherkin brine to make the burger sauce. Prepare the onion and sliced gherkins.

Lightly butter the cut sides of the buns and toast them in the pan over a medium heat. Remove, then wipe away the butter residue.

Heat the clean, dry pan over a medium-high heat for about 2–3 minutes. Cook only one or two patties at a time, leaving enough room to smash them wider than the buns.

Put a beef ball in the pan. Immediately place parchment over it and press firmly with the stiff spatula, using a second spatula for extra pressure if needed. Smash to roughly 4–5 mm thick with thin, uneven edges. Remove the parchment and season the exposed surface.

Leave undisturbed for about 1½–2 minutes, until the underside has a deep brown crust. Only smash at the beginning; pressing again later squeezes out the juices.

Hold the spatula almost flat against the pan and scrape firmly underneath the whole patty so the browned crust stays attached. Flip, add a slice of cheese and cook the second side for roughly another minute, continuing until cooked through. Scrape loose browned bits from the pan between batches.

Check doneness rather than relying on the clock. Mince burgers should be thoroughly cooked: a fine thermometer inserted sideways into the centre should reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds.

Spread sauce on the buns and add the onion and sliced gherkins. Stack two cheesy patties into each bun and serve immediately.