Sunny Side Smash Burger with Salsa Verde

Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

What’s better than a griddled burger with the crispiest exterior? One that comes sandwiched between a vibrant tomatillo salsa and topped with a runny fried egg. Most domestic grass-fed beef includes cattle that also eat some grain; the meat is not too lean or “grassy” and makes for a very satisfying burger.

Yield
Makes 4

Ingredients

  1. Salsa Verde:
    • 1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
    • 1 small onion, peeled, quartered
    • 3 jalapeños, sliced in half lengthwise
    • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
    • Kosher salt
    • 1 cup cilantro leaves with tender stems
    • 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  2. Assembly:
    • 20 oz. grass-fed ground beef (20% fat)
    • 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
    • 4 soft sesame seed buns, split
    • 4 large eggs

Preparation

  1. Salsa Verde:
    1. Heat broiler. Toss tomatillos, onion, and jalapeños with oil on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Broil until blackened in spots and very soft, 12–15 minutes. Let vegetables cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor. Add cilantro and black pepper; pulse until coarsely chopped (3 or 4 pulses). Taste salsa verde and season with more salt if needed.
  2. Assembly:
    1. Portion beef into 4 loosely packed balls (5 oz. each). Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Add 2 Tbsp. oil, then all 4 balls of meat. Firmly smash down on meat with a heavy metal spatula to create a craggy-edged 4"-diameter patty; season with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until deeply charred underneath, about 3 minutes. Flip and season other side with salt and pepper; cook to medium, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let rest.
    2. Carefully wipe out skillet with a paper towel, leaving only a light coating of oil. Set skillet over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, toast buns, cut side down, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to a clean surface.
    3. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Crack eggs into skillet and cook until whites are just set and edges are crisp, about 4 minutes. Season with salt.
    4. Spread insides of both tops and bottoms of buns with a heaping tablespoonful of salsa verde. Place a burger on each bottom bun, top with an egg, sunny side up, and close burger.
    5. Do Ahead
      1. Salsa verde can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and chill.

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