How to make a smash burger: it’s not as tricky as you think! Get my restaurant copycat recipe for smash burgers and you’ll never go back to a thick patty.
Separate the ground beef into 8 equally sized portions and form into balls with your hand. Working in batches, place the ground beef balls onto the preheated skillet.
Press down hard with a spatula to flatten each ball. Once very flat (no thicker than 1/2 inch), season each patty with kosher salt. Scraggly edges are good - they'll get crispy!
Once charred on the bottom, flip and top each patty with 2 slices of American cheese. Cover if possible until cheese is melted. Remove to a plate and repeat with all ground beef balls.
Top each bun with two patties and your desired condiments.