A from-scratch burger that earns the two-plus hours: soft potato buns baked in a steam oven for an extra-tender crumb, patties smashed to lace-edged crispness, and thick fries double-fried for a shattering shell. Everything is made to be loaded and eaten hot.
Thinly slice the red onion and the jalapeños. Pour the white vinegar, the pickle water and the pickle sugar into a saucepan with the pickle fine salt, bring to a boil, then pour straight over the onion and jalapeño. Press down so everything is submerged and leave to cool.
Using: Chef's knife, Cutting board, Saucepan
In a mixing bowl, whisk the warm water with the instant yeast and the bun caster sugar. Stir in the cooled mashed potato, the melted butter and the fine salt until smooth, then work in the strong bread flour to a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead on a surface dusted with the all-round flour until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
10 min · until smooth and elastic
Using: Mixing bowl, Whisk
Return the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm until roughly doubled, about 1 hour.
1 hr · until roughly doubled
Using: Mixing bowl
Tip the dough out and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into a tight ball and place on a sheet pan lined with baking paper, spacing them apart. Cover loosely and leave to rise again until puffy, about 45 minutes.
45 min · until puffy and risen
Using: Sheet pan
Preheat the steam oven on its steam-bake setting at 220 °C. Bake the buns on a perforated tray or sheet pan until deep golden and risen, about 18 minutes. Brush the tops with a little extra melted butter as soon as they come out and leave to cool on a rack.
18 min · until deep golden and risen
Using: Sheet pan
Stir the store-bought mayonnaise with the smoked paprika, sriracha, Worcestershire sauce and lime juice. Taste and adjust, then chill until needed.
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Using: Mixing bowl
Cut the russet potatoes into roughly 1 cm thick batons. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear, then dry thoroughly with a clean towel — dry fries turn crisp.
Using: Chef's knife, Cutting board, Colander
Heat the neutral oil in a large, high-sided pot to 150 °C. Fry the potato batons in batches until soft and just starting to colour, about 5 minutes per batch. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper; this blanching stage means the second fry gives a crisp shell.
5 min · until soft and just starting to colour
Using: Deep-frying pot, Instant-read thermometer, Spider strainer
Divide the beef mince into 4 loose balls of about 100 g each without working it. Do not press them down yet — smash burgers are shaped in the pan.
Place the pizza steel directly on the induction hob over medium-high heat, or use a wide, well-heated cast-iron skillet as the cooking surface. Let it get ferociously hot.
until ferociously hot
Using: Skillet
Working two balls at a time, set them on the hot steel and smash down firmly with a press until thin and lacy at the edges. Season generously with fine sea salt and black pepper. Cook without moving until the underside is deeply browned and crisp, about 90 seconds, then flip.
1½ min · until deeply browned and crisp
Using: Skillet
Lay the sliced mature cheddar over the patties and let it melt over the gentle heat for about 30 seconds more, then lift the patties off and keep warm while you cook the remaining two the same way.
30 sec · until melted over the patties
Using: Skillet
Bring the oil back up to 190 °C and fry the blanched batons again in batches until deep golden and crisp, 3–4 minutes per batch. Drain, then toss immediately with the flaky salt.
3½ min · until deep golden and crisp
Using: Deep-frying pot, Instant-read thermometer, Spider strainer
Split each bun. Spread the seasoned mayo on both cut sides, add two patties per burger with their melted cheddar, and pile on the pickled onions and jalapeños. Serve hot with the fries and the remaining mayo on the side.
Using: Chef's knife