Frito Bandito Smash Burger with Homemade BBQ Sauce
By CJ Frazier
Prep
15 min
Cook
10 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients
For the Smash Burgers
1 lb 80/20 ground beef (divided into 2 oz balls)
4 burger buns, toasted
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
½ cup pickles, thinly sliced
4 slices American cheese
1 cup Chili Cheese Fritos
Salt & pepper, to taste
Butter, for toasting buns
For the Homemade BBQ Sauce
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup red wine
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 tbsp pickle juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
Salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
Combine all BBQ sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and simmer for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and set aside.
Thinly slice the onions and pickles. Form ground beef into 2 oz balls and keep them chilled.
Preheat the Blackstone Griddle to medium heat. Butter the buns and toast them cut-side down until golden brown, about 1–2 minutes. Set aside.
Add oil or butter to the griddle and sauté the onions with salt and pepper until soft and caramelized, about 3–4 minutes. Move them to a cooler side of the griddle to keep warm.
Increase the griddle heat to high and lightly oil the surface. Place the beef balls on the griddle and smash them to about ¼ inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes until crispy edges form. Flip and immediately top with cheese. Cook for another 1–2 minutes until melted.
Spread BBQ sauce on the bottom bun. Stack two cheese-covered patties on each bun. Add sautéed onions, pickles, and a generous amount of Chili Cheese Fritos. Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce if desired. Top with the bun and serve immediately.
