This Rib Eye Smash Burger is Elite 🔥

Fresh-ground short ribs, homemade pickles, and the pursuit of the perfect crust

I've been experimenting with grinding fresh short ribs into my burger blend, and the results speak for themselves. The combination of short ribs and chuck creates this incredible richness and texture that transforms when you smash it down in a hot cast iron skillet. Those crispy, caramelized edges are what smash burgers are all about.

From cucumber to crust: the full breakdown of what goes into a proper short rib smash burger. Fresh pickles, ground short ribs, and that perfect smash technique in cast iron. This is what happens when you build a burger from the ground up.

What started as curiosity about better beef led me down a rabbit hole of making everything from scratch. Quick-pickled bread and butter pickles that are ready in an hour but better the next day.

A honey mustard sauce built with layers of flavor from Dijon, Worcestershire, and fresh garlic. Even this technique with shallots where half get mixed into the meat for depth, while the rest caramelize in butter after flipping the patties.

Ingredients

For the Patties

• 3⁄4 pound ground chuck

• 1⁄2 pound beef short ribs

• 2 shallots

• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the Bread and Butter Pickles

• 3-4 pickling cucumbers

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar

• 1⁄2 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1⁄4 teaspoon celery seeds

• 1⁄4 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

For the Honey Mustard Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• to taste, salt and ground black pepper

For Assembly

• 4 hamburger buns, toasted

• 8 slices American cheese

• fresh arugula

Directions

1. Make the Pickles:
   Toss sliced cucumbers with 1 tablespoon salt in a bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes, then rinse and drain well. Combine the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and black peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers in a jar or bowl. Let cool to room temp, then chill for at least 1 hour, although overnight is best.

2. Make the Honey Mustard Sauce:
   Whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, Worcestershire, and minced garlic in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while whisking to emulsify the mixture. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Set aside until ready for use.

3. Grind and Prep the Patties:
   Trim the short ribs, removing excess fat and silverskin. Cut into 1-inch chunks and freeze for 15–20 minutes so they firm up slightly — this helps them grind more cleanly.
   
   Add the chilled short rib pieces to a food processor and pulse in short bursts until coarsely ground. Scrape down the sides as needed, but be careful not to over-process into a paste. Add the ground chuck and half of the minced shallots to the food processor with the short rib. Pulse just a few more times to combine evenly.
   
   Transfer the meat mixture to a bowl, season with salt and ground black pepper, and gently mix with your hands until just incorporated. Form into 8 loose meatballs and chill for 10–15 minutes before cooking.

4. Cook the Burgers:
   Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Place 2–3 meatballs in the skillet and smash them flat with a firm spatula. Cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until crisped on the edges.
   
   Flip, then immediately add butter and some of the remaining shallots beside each patty. Let the shallots sauté in the butter as the second side cooks. Top with cheese, cook for another 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat. Repeat with remaining patties.

5. Assemble:
   Toast the buns. Spread honey mustard on the bottom bun. Add arugula, one patty, some buttered shallots, a few pickles, the second patty, and then more honey mustard sauce. Cap it with the top bun and serve immediately.