Just let me put it out there. I am NOT a fast-food fan. In fact, it’s definitely been over four decades since I’ve had a fast-food burger. BUT, there’s been this resurgence of late among many of our revered culinary magazines (read Bon Apétit, Cook’s Illustrated, Fine Cooking) singing the praises of Smashed Burgers.

These diner icons share the same thin, verging-on-well-done profile as typical fast-food burgers, as well as their all‑American array of fixings: gooey American cheese; creamy, tangy burger sauce; crisp lettuce; thinly sliced tomato; and a soft bun. But with a smashed burger, extra-special attention is paid to making the brownest, crispiest, most savory crust.

Cook’s Illustrated

Now get this. Smashed burgers are fast and easy to make. Since the patty is thoroughly cooked and the crust delivers so much flavor, there’s no need to be choosy about the cut of beef or grind your own meat. In fact, commercial 80-percent lean ground beef makes better smashed burgers than home-ground chuck does because the former is more finely ground and thus stays more cohesive when it’s flattened. And to think I’m usually singing the praises of the latter.

You have to get the toppings just right, because smashed burgers—more than any other style of burger—rely on the condiments to deliver the moisture and tenderness that are sacrificed in pursuit of the ultimate crust. Along with that sauce, use a soft brioche bun to finalize the package.

The sticking point? To flip the burgers, you’ll need to scrape them loose from the pan—and that’s a good thing. Sticking means that the meat has made full contact with the pan and browned deeply and uniformly. Burgers that don’t stick shrink and thicken, reducing the amount of brownable surface area and thus savory flavor. Make sure to use a thin metal spatula for best results.

Among family and friends, I am known for my homemade ultimate grilled burgers weighing in at nearly a half-pound each, with medium-pink juicy interiors that dribble down your chin. I knew not to expect that outcome with these smashed burgers, and was very pleasantly surprised with how good—and simple to make—they ended up.

Are smashed burgers our new replacement? No, but it’s always a good thing to have an arsenal of culinary varieties that you can fall back on depending on your circumstances. So the THIN versus FAT burger dilemma will have to go another round or two in our household. Might even venture to say there could be two winners…