'Dreamburger'

Before you start

• Whisk the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, mustard, paprika, garlic, and hot sauce in a small bowl to create the Pink Mayo.

  Set aside in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld while you prepare the burgers.

• Divide the cold ground chuck into eight equal portions and gently roll them into loose spheres.

  Do not pack the meat tightly; overworking the beef results in a dense, tough burger rather than one that renders beautifully on the iron.

Ingredients

• mayonnaise1/2 cup
• ketchup2 tbsp
• sweet pickle relish1 tbsp
• yellow mustard1/2 tsp
• smoked paprika1/2 tsp
• granulated garlic1/4 tsp
• hot sauce1/4 tsp
• ground chuck1 1/2 lb
• sweet onion1 large
• kosher salt1 tsp
• black pepper1 tsp
• pasteurized American cheese slices8 large
• potato rolls4 med
• unsalted butter2 tbsp
• iceberg lettuce1 cup
• beefsteak tomato1 med
• dill pickle chips1/4 cup

Method

1. 01

   Brush the cut sides of the buns with softened butter and toast them face-down in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown.

   This usually takes about two minutes and provides crucial structural integrity against the meat juices.

2. 02

   Remove the buns, slather the bottom halves with a generous spoonful of the Pink Mayo, and wipe the skillet clean.

3. 03

   Increase the heat to medium-high and let the cast iron heat up for three to five minutes until it is smoking hot.

   Turn on the exhaust fan immediately; you are replicating a 450-degree commercial griddle, and the beef fat will smoke fiercely.

4. 04

   Working in batches of two, place the beef pucks into the dry skillet and immediately top each with a handful of paper-thin onions.

5. 05

   Using a heavy, stiff metal spatula, firmly smash the onion and beef pile straight down until the patty is roughly a quarter-inch thick and wider than the bun.

   Use a second utensil to apply downward pressure on the head of the spatula if needed to get the required leverage.

6. 06

   Hold the pressure for ten seconds to establish contact, then release the spatula and season the patties generously with salt and pepper.

   Do not touch them again; let them sizzle untouched for ninety seconds to two minutes until the edges turn brown, lacy, and crisp.

7. 07

   Grip the stiff spatula firmly, angle the blade at forty-five degrees, and aggressively scrape through the crust to chisel the meat away from the cast iron.

   This scrape is the most critical movement; you must push into the iron to ensure one hundred percent of the prized Maillard crust stays attached to the burger.

8. 08

   Flip the patty to reveal a deep, mahogany-brown crust, leaving the onions on the bottom to caramelize in the rendered beef fat.

9. 09

   Immediately place a slice of American cheese on each patty and let cook for just forty-five to sixty seconds more.

   The ambient heat and steam from the bottom layer of onions will melt the cheese into a flawless, glossy blanket.

10. 10

    Using your spatula, lift one patty and stack it directly on top of the other.

11. 11

    Transfer the cheesy, onion-laced stack onto the dressed bottom bun and finish assembling the burger.

    Top with dill pickles, shredded lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun before serving immediately with paper napkins.

Notes

• Proper ventilation is absolutely mandatory for this recipe.

  Rendering beef fat on smoking-hot cast iron generates serious smoke; open a cross-ventilating window or execute the cook on an outdoor grill if your kitchen lacks a powerful exterior-venting hood.

• Do not substitute leaner beef or artisan cheeses.

  A leaner grind will not provide the necessary fat to lubricate the cast iron, and pasteurized American cheese is required for its emulsifying salts, which allow it to melt perfectly at high heat without separating.