Barbecue Brisket Smashburger Recipe

For some people, burgers are just an ordinary weeknight meal like any other. For others, they represent peak meaty perfection, with endless options for customization. Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins fits into the latter category, and she had fun with her barbecue brisket smashburger recipe. "I like a fully loaded burger — and I don't think you can get more loaded than a burger patty that contains both pulled beef brisket and ground beef + cheese + bacon + sauteed onions + BBQ Dijonnaise + jalapeños. Food swoon." 

If you're generally of the opinion that burgers should be simple and straightforward, it's worth trying this seriously delicious burger recipe. Watkins herself doesn't usually opt for bacon on her burgers but she makes an exception here. "That smoky, savory, BBQ-esque combo of the brisket and bacon totally converted me and paired well with the onions and jalapeños," she describes. If you want to get these burgers ready for a barbecue with friends, Watkins notes that the patties can be made the day before. And she says, "The BBQ Dijonnaise is very prep-ahead-worthy, this sauce holds up for a week plus." Then, just grill, assemble, and dig in when you're ready.

For the burgers, you'll need ground beef, cooked and shredded beef brisket, blackened seasoning, unsalted butter (softened), sliced yellow onion, and garlic cloves (peeled and minced). Next, for the flavor-packed BBQ Dijonnaise, get Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and BBQ sauce. Finally, to assemble the burgers, get unsalted butter (softened), halved burger buns, sliced cheddar cheese, cooked bacon slices, and a sliced jalapeño.

Starting with the section of the supermarket that contains precooked packaged meats and sides, Watkins offers a few tips for sourcing cooked beef brisket. "Try to look for options without a lot of saucy accompaniments. If you cannot find sauce-free, strain as best as you can when crafting these burgers (the sauce might make these burgers a little loose)." Meanwhile, if you like cooking brisket at home, you can definitely use up the leftovers in this recipe without fuss. "Leftovers work too! Brisket is a big-format beef cut that usually results in leftovers — put those to work here. BBQ/smoked brisket leftovers, braised brisket, slow cooker brisket — all will work with this recipe (again, just strain off some of the sauce)," Watkins advises.

Place the ground beef, shredded brisket, and blackened seasoning in a large bowl. Mix to combine.

Divide the mixture into 4 even portions and roll into balls.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once melted, add the onion and garlic.

Saute for 10 minutes or until brown.

Remove the onions and garlic from the skillet, set aside, and increase the heat to medium-high.

Place the burger balls into the skillet and sear for 1 minute.

Using a heavy duty spatula, press the balls into thin patties (I used my tongs to evenly and firmly press on the spatula. It also kept me from getting burnt by any splatter).

Cook the patties for 3 minutes, or until deeply seared, flip, and continue cooking for 3 minutes more or until cooked through.

While the burgers are cooking, make the sauce by placing the mustard, mayonnaise, and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.

Spread butter over the split burger buns and toast until lightly golden brown.

Once the burgers have cooked, reduce the heat to low, top each patty with cheese, and continue to cook until the cheese has melted, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Spread the sauce over the toasted burger buns.

Top the bottom buns with burger patties.

Top the burger patties with slices of bacon, cooked onions, and jalapeño slices. Cap with the top buns and serve.

The key flavor in this recipe comes from blackened seasoning, which may be a familiar favorite or an unknown depending on your cooking repertoire. If you don't have a go-to option, Watkins has some suggestions. "There are a few brands to check out when shopping around for blackened seasoning; Paul Prudhomme, Zatarain's, and, generally, anything that has the name 'Louisiana' in the title." Watkins explains, "Blackened seasoning is a riff on Cajun/Creole seasoning intended for grilling or hard searing where the spice blend needs to stand up to high heat and char."

The blend in question typically consists of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, black pepper, and salt, which you can easily mix up yourself if you have a well-stocked spice selection. "Start out with approximately equal parts of each (double on the salt) and adjust depending on your preference — especially with the cayenne (more for spicier blends, less for milder)," Watkins recommends. You can definitely prep it ahead of time. "Just make sure to keep it in a sealable container for optimum freshness," she notes.

These savory barbecue brisket smashburgers are loaded with flavor, so you don't have to get too creative with the sides — stick with what you love! However, there are several options that are natural pairings for the handhelds, making it easy to turn the burgers into a feast. "Being that this recipe has some backyard BBQ, grill pit, smokehouse vibes, I paired some sides to match," Watkins explains. "Potato salad and B&B pickles were my go-tos." 

If you're up to the task of setting out a larger spread, she notes, "I also wouldn't mind some corn on the cob, coleslaw, macaroni salad, mac & cheese, or baked beans (go big BBQ or go home)." And, of course, classics like fries or potato chips make an easy pairing that will go seamlessly with the smoky grilled flavors of the smashburgers. You might even want to make extra BBQ Dijonnaise for dipping.