Hall Burger Bar

Name: Hall Burger Bar
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.4 lb ground beef (80/20); 10 whole burger buns; 10 slices American cheese; 1 1/4 lb bacon; 3/4 head iceberg lettuce; 3 whole beefsteak tomatoes; 2 whole red onion; 1.6 cups dill pickle chips; 3/4 cup each ketchup and mustard; 1 3/4 tbsp kosher salt

Smash burgers with toppings bar for ten

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: easy

Beef balls are smashed on a hot griddle into thin crispy patties, then served with toasted buns and a full toppings bar—lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, and multiple cheeses. Crew assembles at the line.

Why crews like it: Burger bar night is democratic—pickles but no onions, double bacon, triple cheese, all acceptable. Smash technique delivers diner-quality crust in minutes on a flat-top or cast-iron.

620Cal

34gProtein

36gCarbs

38gFat

Ingredients

2.4 lb ground beef (80/20)
10 whole burger buns
10 slices American cheese
1 1/4 lb bacon
3/4 head iceberg lettuce
3 whole beefsteak tomatoes
2 whole red onion
1.6 cups dill pickle chips
3/4 cup each ketchup and mustard
1 3/4 tbsp kosher salt

Instructions

Prep toppings and bacon: Cook bacon on a wire rack at 400°F until crisp, about 18 minutes. Slice and arrange all burger bar toppings in labeled baking dishes while bacon cooks. Target oven/smoker temperature: 400°F.
Form beef balls: Divide beef into loose 3-ounce balls without compacting—tight balls resist smashing and cook unevenly. Season the griddle surface lightly with salt.
Smash and sear patties: Heat griddle ripping hot. Place balls on surface, smash flat with a sturdy spatula within 10 seconds, and sear 2 minutes until deep brown crust forms on the bottom.
Flip, cheese, and finish: Scrape and flip patties, add cheese, and cook 1 minute until cheese melts and internal temp reaches 160°F. Toast buns on the griddle during the last minute.
Open the burger bar: Transfer patties to a warm holding pan. Line up buns, patties, bacon, cheeses, and toppings. Call crew to build custom burgers while patties are still hot.

Tonight's spread

Smash burger bar with bacon, cheese, and full condiment station.
Oven fries or tater tots seasoned with ranch powder for classic diner vibes.

Hall tips

Use parchment over the patty when smashing if your spatula sticks to raw beef.
One slice of cheese on the patty plus one on the bun top doubles melt coverage.
Keep a sheet pan under the griddle edge to catch grease and simplify cleanup.

Meal prep

Form loose 3-ounce beef balls ahead and refrigerate on a sheet pan. Pre-slice all toppings into baking dishes. Cook bacon in the oven on racks while burgers smash on the griddle.

Leftovers

Chop patties into a cheeseburger mac bake with pasta and cheddar.
Crumble cold patties over salad for a hearty lunch bowl.

Griddle or cast-iron skillet
Sturdy spatula
baking dishes
Wire rack
Instant-read thermometer