Made to serve: 3-4
Scale:
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Wagyu beef (or 80/20 ground chuck)
- 4 Flour tortillas (6-inch soft taco size)
- 4 slices American cheese (or mild cheddar)
- 1 tbsp Abilene Select Blend (Salted Perfection)
- 1/2 cup White onion, finely diced
- 1 cup Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1/2 cup Roma tomato, diced
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)
- For the Secret Sauce:
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tsp Yellow mustard
- 1 tsp Pickle brine
- 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
Instructions
- First, assemble the 'Secret Sauce' emulsion. Whisk the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle brine, and smoked paprika in a small bowl until uniform. Refrigerate this to let the flavors marry while we work the heat.
- Divide the cold ground beef into 4 equal portions. Loosely form them into balls. Do not overwork the meat; we want to keep the fat structure intact until it hits the griddle.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet or flat-top griddle over medium-high heat. We need serious thermal mass here. Lightly brush with neutral oil.
- Place the beef balls onto the hot surface. Immediately—and I mean immediately—smash them flat with a heavy spatula. You want them slightly wider than your tortillas.
- Season the raw side generously with Abilene Select Blend. The salt will help draw protein to the surface for a better crust.
- Scatter the diced onions directly onto the raw side of the smashing patties. Press them into the meat slightly so they steam and caramelize as the beef cooks.
- Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until the bottom is deeply browned and crispy.
- Flip the patties (onion side down now). Immediately top each patty with a slice of cheese.
- Place a flour tortilla directly on top of the melting cheese. This technique steams the tortilla and adheres it to the patty.
- After 1 minute, slide a spatula under the beef and flip the whole assembly over. The tortilla is now on the bottom, griddling in the beef fat.
- Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a heavy drizzle of the prepared sauce.
- Fold the taco while it is still on the heat to set the shape, then remove and serve immediately. DUNZO!
Tony, I made smash tacos following a YouTubers instructions and they were amazingly good. But the PROCESS was crazy involved and I just don’t see doing that again. I just made these using this recipe from you, and they are just as good and so much easier! This is going to become a regular dish in our house.
Bob, I love hearing that this recipe fits right into your kitchen groove without the fuss. Keeping it simple and delicious is what it’s all about—glad these tacos are earning a regular spot at your table!