For a next-level lunch experience, skip the In-N-Out drive-thru and head over to your backyard grill to make my flying Dutchman smashburger recipe. In case you haven’t heard of the viral flying Dutchman burger yet, it’s In-N-Out’s not-so-secret menu item. Instead of buns, their delicious beef patties are smashed between thick onion slices.
The cooking process for the flying Dutchman smash burgers is the same as for traditional burgers. The result is a juicy burger with melted American cheese, sauced to perfection — without all the carbs! Expect a world of flavor with this twist on the classic burger joint cheeseburger.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love the Flying Dutchman Smashburger Recipe
- Best Smash Burger Recipe Ingredients
- This sauce is FYR!
- Why Yellow Onions?
- How to Make the Perfect Smash Burger
- What to Serve with the Flying Dutchman Smashburgers
- Leftovers and Reheating
- More Smash burgers and Tacos
- Flying Dutchman SmashBurger FAQs
- Flying Dutchman Smashburger Recipe
Why You’ll Love the Flying Dutchman Smashburger Recipe
Onion buns instead of hamburger buns? Say what? With a killer homemade burger sauce? Yes, yes! Your taste buds are in for a surprise. If you love fast food but not the carbs, this recipe is so freakin’ delicious! It’s a great option when you’re craving a good burger.
If you love Smashburgers and don’t mind the carbs, you may want to check out these recipes: Chorizo Smashburgers, Jalapeño Popper Smash Burgers, Chili Cheese Smash Burgers or Beer Cheese Smash Burgers.
Best Smash Burger Recipe Ingredients
- Beef – The 85/15 burger meat is seasoned with my signature trio: kosher salt, black pepper, and then garlic powder. We’ll then drizzle on some yellow mustard for added flavor and zest.
- Burger Sauce – The special sauce comes together quickly with some mayo, ketchup, relish, vinegar, and some of my FYR Red Hot Sauce.
- Cheese – A slice of American cheese on every sliced onion helps keep the “buns” from falling apart.
- Onion Buns – Yellow onions, thickly sliced, make up the “bun” portion of the flying Dutchman smashburger. Cooking them in some beef tallow then adds to the depth of flavor you’re looking for.
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This sauce is FYR!
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Why Yellow Onions?
I like using yellow onions or sweet onions, like Maui or Vidalia onions, for the most delicious burger. These types of onions have a mild flavor and are known for their sweetness. Some Vidalia onion farmers will even say you can eat one of their onions like an apple! I’ll take their word for it. Maui and Vidalia onions are technically white onions. But, they have a much higher sugar content and lower sulfur levels than typical white onions. For another flavor twist, you can try making these homemade smash burgers with red onions.
How to Make the Perfect Smash Burger
Special Sauce
Alright, let’s break this ground beef burger recipe down into some easy steps.
First up, in a small bowl, mix up the special sauce for the Flying Dutchman Smashburger. Next, throw it in the fridge to chill while you’re grilling.
Now, for the onion bun prep. With a sharp knife, slice them into thick rounds, about one-inch-thick slices.
Fire up the grill to a fiery 450 degrees F, for some direct cooking action.
Smash Burger Time – Flying dutchman Style
Now, let’s get to the burger patties. Take a handful of ground meat and then turn it into a quarter-pound ball of meat. Do that about 6-8 times until you run out of meat.
Toss a large cast-iron skillet on the flames until it gets a bit smoky, around 450 degrees F. Add a burger ball to the hot surface, cover it with parchment paper, and then smash it with a firm metal spatula until it’s a thin burger patty.
Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and garlic. Let it sizzle for less than two minutes.
Before flipping, hit it with some drizzles of yellow mustard. Flip a burger, season the new side, add cheese, and let the slice melt for 1-2 minutes. Once you’ve got that freakin’ delicious melty cheese, take it off and let it rest. Repeat for the other patties.
Onion Buns
Carefully place your sliced onion rings onto the grill with a small amount of oil (or, better yet, some beef tallow) for 2 minutes per side. When they’re looking brown and beautiful, top ’em with a slice of cheese and let the cheese melt.
Now, assemble your Flying Dutchman Smashburger masterpiece. Onion slice for the bottom bun, special sauce, smash burgers, more sauce, and another onion slice to make up the top bun. Boom, you’re done.
Serve these messy bad boys up, dig in, and enjoy!
What to Serve with the Flying Dutchman Smashburgers
Serve with dill pickles and, if you are feeling extra adventurous, more of your favorite burger toppings are always welcome.
Beyond that, a massive amount of tater tots or some cooked French fries would complete the good smash burger meal. Also, some paper towels, because this could get a bit messy. Ha!
Leftovers and Reheating
Once you’ve had your fill, store any leftover smash burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you’ve already assembled your burger with toppings, consider disassembling it to store the components separately.
Ideally, consume the leftovers within 2-3 days for the best taste and texture. Grill up some fresh onions to then make more buns for round two.
More Smash burgers and Tacos
Flying Dutchman SmashBurger FAQs
While a cast iron skillet adds a nice touch to the smoky flavor, you can use a regular skillet or a hot griddle if that’s what you have on hand. The key is getting it hot enough to achieve that crispy, caramelized sear on the burger. Adjust the heat accordingly and keep an eye on the burgers as they cook.
Absolutely! While the recipe guides you through making your own burger balls, you can totally go for pre-made patties if you’re short on time. Just make sure they’re not too thick; the smashing technique works best with thinner patties.
Feel free to get creative with your condiments! If you’re not a fan of yellow mustard, you can try using Dijon mustard, spicy brown mustard, or even a tangy barbecue sauce for a different flavor profile. Experiment and find what tickles your taste buds.
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Flying Dutchman Smashburger
Ingredients
Beef:
- 2 lbs Ground Beef 85/15
- 1.5 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1.5 tbsp Black Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp Garlic Powder
- Yellow Mustard as needed
Burger Sauce:
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Ketchup
- 2.5 tbsp Relish
- 2 tbsp White Vinegar
- 1 tbsp FYR RED Hot Sauce
Burgers:
- 3-4 Yellow Onions
- Sliced American Cheese
- Cooked Fries/Tater Tots serving
- Beef Tallow as needed
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the special sauce then place in the fridge until ready to use.
- Slice your onions into 1” thick onion slices as a whole to use as your “buns”.
- Heat your grill to high heat (around 450 degrees F) for direct cooking.
- Grab a handful of ground beef (around 1/4 lbs… ish) and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this for 6-8 balls or until you’re out of meat.
- Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames to heat till it's slightly smoking (about 450 on the skillet).
- Add a burger ball to the skillet. Place a piece of parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet.
- Season the patty with salt, pepper, and garlic. Let cook for another 1-1.5 minutes. Before flipping, drizzle some yellow mustard on the unflipped patty.
- Carefully flip the burger patty over and then season the new side. Top with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes.
- Once melted, pull off and rest. Repeat for the rest of your patties.
- Add your sliced onions to cook for 2 minutes per side. Once browned, top with a slice of cheese and let melt.
- Build your burger with onion slice, burger sauce, smash burgers, more sauce and another onion slice. Serve and enjoy!
