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Cheesy Smash Burgers with Hand-Cut Fries

A hot skillet, a single decisive smash, and a two-stage fry deliver a complete burger-and-fries plate with diner-level crunch.

A double cheesy smash burger with golden cooked onions sits beside hand-cut fries, dipping sauce, and dill pickles.

This plate follows the useful rhythm of a great burger counter: get the fries and onions underway first, then turn to the fast-cooking burgers. The fries benefit from a lower first fry and hotter finish, while the onions become sweet enough to balance the salty cheese and beef.

The burger work is brief but exact. Loose beef, a screaming-hot skillet, and one firm smash create the thin browned edges that make a double stack worth the extra napkins.

Why fry twice

The first fry cooks the inside of each potato baton at a moderate temperature, leaving a pale shell. The hotter second fry drives off surface moisture quickly, producing the crisp exterior that a hand-cut fry needs.

Cook the onions until soft

These onions are meant to be jammy rather than sharply browned. Their slow softening in butter concentrates sweetness and gives the double burger a savory topping that does not slide away when you bite it.

A metal spatula presses a loose beef ball into a thin smash-burger patty on a cast-iron skillet. — A metal spatula presses a loose beef ball into a thin patty on a hot skillet.

Smash early and only once

Press the beef as soon as it lands on the hot surface, when it can make the most contact with the skillet. Pressing again later squeezes out juices and interrupts the crust, so let the patty cook undisturbed until it releases.

One sauce, two jobs

The mayonnaise, ketchup, Dijon, and pickle brine sauce belongs on both the bun and beside the fries. Its tang cuts through the fried potatoes and keeps the burger from tasting heavy without asking for extra toppings.

Melted American cheese drapes over a lacy browned burger edge with golden cooked onions. — Melted American cheese drapes over a thin, deeply browned smash-burger edge.

Avoid a steamed burger

If the skillet cools after the first batch, pause to let it heat again before adding more beef. A hot, uncrowded surface is what browns the meat quickly; a lukewarm pan turns the juices into steam instead.

Cheesy Smash Burgers with Hand-Cut Fries

4 servings

55 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 6 cups neutral frying oil
• 1 1/2 lb 80/20 ground beef
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 8 slices American cheese
• 4 split potato buns
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp pickle brine
• Dill pickle chips for serving

Method

Cut and soak the fries
Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch batons, rinse them under cold water, then soak in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes to remove surface starch.
Look for: The potato batons are evenly cut and the soaking water turns slightly cloudy.
Heat the frying oil
Pour the frying oil into a Dutch oven or deep skillet and heat it to 350 F while the potatoes soak; line a sheet pan with paper towels.
Look for: A deep-fry thermometer holds at 350 F and the oil shimmers without smoking.
Par-fry the potatoes
Drain and dry the potatoes thoroughly, then fry in two batches at 350 F for 5 minutes per batch until pale and tender but not browned; drain on the lined pan.
Look for: The fries are limp and pale gold with no crisp crust yet.
Cook the onions
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the onions and 1/4 tsp salt, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring often, until deeply soft and golden.
Look for: The onions are sweet-smelling, deeply softened, and streaked golden brown.
Crisp the fries
Increase the oil to 375 F and fry the potatoes again in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes per batch, until crisp and deep golden; season immediately with 1/2 tsp salt.
Look for: The fries are crisp, deeply golden, and sound dry when they land on the pan.
Make the dipping sauce
Stir the mayonnaise, ketchup, Dijon mustard, and pickle brine together in a small bowl until smooth, then set it beside the warm fries.
Look for: The sauce is pale pink, smooth, and tangy from the pickle brine.
Portion the beef
Wipe out the cast-iron skillet, heat it over high until very hot, and loosely divide the ground beef into eight 3-oz balls without packing them tightly.
Look for: The skillet is hot enough that a drop of water flashes away and the beef remains loosely formed.
Smash and cheese the burgers
Season the beef balls with the remaining salt and black pepper, then cook four at a time. Smash each thin with a sturdy spatula, cook 2 minutes, flip, add cheese, and cook 1 minute more until the beef reaches 160 F.
Look for: The burger edges are lacy and browned, the cheese is melted, and the centers register 160 F.
Toast the buns
Lower the skillet to medium, melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter, and toast the cut sides of the potato buns for 1 to 2 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges.
Look for: The bun interiors are evenly golden and feel lightly crisp rather than dry.
Assemble and serve
Spread dipping sauce on the toasted buns, stack two cheesy patties and cooked onions on each burger, and serve immediately with fries and dill pickle chips.
Look for: Each burger is saucy, stacked, and ready to serve while the fries remain crisp.