Smash Burger Tacos with Chipotle Burger Sauce

Make the chipotle burger sauce: Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper in adobo, minced, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 2 tablespoons bread & butter pickles, minced, 1 tablespoon pickle brine (from the jar), and 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust heat with more chipotle if you want. Cover and refrigerate — it gets better as it sits and can be made up to 3 days ahead.

Season and portion the beef: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika. Sprinkle the spice mix over the top and bottom of your ground beef. Then, handling the meat as little as possible, divide and gently roll into 6 balls of about 2.5 oz each (a little smaller than a golf ball). Place on a plate and refrigerate until your griddle is fully preheated — cold meat = better crust.

Get the griddle ripping hot: Heat a flat-top griddle, large cast iron skillet, or heavy pan over HIGH heat — no oil needed. Let it preheat for at least 3–4 minutes. It should be smoking hot. This is the key to a proper smash burger crust; don’t rush it.

Place and smash: Working in batches if needed, place each beef ball on the hot surface. Immediately lay one 6 uncooked flour tortillas on top of each ball. Press down FIRMLY with a burger press, heavy spatula, or the bottom of a cast iron skillet — smash as thin as it will go. The tortilla bonds directly to the raw beef as you press. Let cook undisturbed for 1 minute, then press firmly again to push more fat to the edges.

Cook until deeply crusted: Let cook undisturbed for another 2–3 minutes. The beef should be deeply browned and crispy at the edges. Use a stiff metal spatula to scrape firmly underneath — some sticking is normal and good. If it’s not dark and crispy yet, give it another minute.

Flip and crisp the tortilla: Flip the whole thing onto the tortilla side — the beef drippings will now toast the tortilla directly on the hot surface. Cook for 2 minutes until the tortilla is golden and crispy. Immediately lay 6  slices pepper jack or muenster cheese on the beef to melt as the tortilla finishes.

Top and serve: Remove from the heat. Spread a generous spoonful of chipotle burger sauce over the cheese, then pile on 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce, for topping, 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped, for topping, and 1/2 cup dill pickle chips, for topping. Fold in half and eat immediately — these are best hot off the griddle.

• No flat-top? A large cast iron skillet works great — cook 2–3 tacos at a time. Use the bottom of a smaller pan to do the smashing.
• La Fresca Franco Whole Foods Uncooked Tortillas are the secret: They absorb the beef fat as they cook and crisp up in a way pre-baked tortillas just can’t match. Look for them in the refrigerated section.
• Don’t skip the cold rest: Chilling the beef balls before cooking keeps the fat from melting too fast, giving you a better crust.
• Cheese swaps: Pepper jack adds heat, muenster melts beautifully, American is the classic smash burger choice.
• Make-ahead: The burger sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Beef balls can be formed and stored covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking.