Carnivore Smash Burgers
By Mike Chen · Founder + Lead Recipe Developer · Updated 2026-05-08
Crispy-edged, juicy smash burgers made with 80/20 ground beef and butter. The ultimate simple carnivore meal ready in under 15 minutes.
Carnivore smash burgers are 80/20 ground beef patties pressed thin against a hot skillet so the surface develops a deep, lacy crust in under 3 minutes. The smash technique works because thin contact with hot iron forces a Maillard browning reaction across the entire surface of the patty, which is where almost all of the flavor in a beef burger comes from. Two stacked 4-ounce patties give you 42g protein and 36g fat for 480 calories, before any cheese. The recipe below uses 1 lb of 80/20 chuck, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt — no buns, no sauces, no fillers. The whole process takes 13 minutes from cold pan to plate. Cheese is optional and adds about 90 calories and 6g of fat per slice. Internal pull temperature is 140°F (60°C) for medium and 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, though smash burgers are thin enough that timing matters more than temperature. The recipe costs roughly $6 in beef plus pantry butter and salt and serves two adults.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½ lb 80/20 ground beef (cooked) | 42g | 28g | 410 |
| 1 tbsp butter | 0g | 8g | 70 |
| 1 slice cheddar cheese (optional) | 7g | 9g | 110 |
| Salt | 0g | 0g | 0 |
| Per serving | 42g | 36g | 480 |
Macros per serving (after cooking and any fat draining). Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Instructions
- 1
Divide ground beef into 4 equal balls (about 4 oz each). Do not season yet.
- 2
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add 1 tbsp butter.
- 3
Place two beef balls on the skillet and immediately smash flat with a sturdy spatula. Season with salt.
- 4
Cook for 3 minutes without moving until edges are deeply browned and crispy.
- 5
Flip, add cheese if using, and cook for 1 more minute.
- 6
Remove and repeat with remaining balls and butter.
- 7
Stack two patties per serving. Let rest 1 minute before eating.
Nutrition per Serving
Watch the technique
Joshua Weissman demonstrates the smash technique on a flat-top griddle — pan temperature, smashing pressure, and the moment to flip. — Marion's Kitchen + Joshua Weissman
Frequently Asked Questions
When should you salt the patties?
Salt the patties as soon as you smash them onto the pan, not before. Salting raw beef balls before cooking pulls moisture out and makes the surface wet, which prevents the deep crust that defines a smash burger. The crust forms when dry beef hits screaming-hot iron. Salting at the moment of smashing gives you both seasoning and crust.
Why use 80/20 ground beef instead of leaner blends?
80/20 ground beef has 20% fat by weight, which renders out during cooking and creates the lacy, fried-crispy edges. Leaner blends like 90/10 or 93/7 cook drier, develop weak crusts, and shrink more. The fat is the flavor and the crust. For carnivore eating, 80/20 also gives you a balanced protein-to-fat ratio per serving.
Can you skip the cheese and still call it carnivore?
Yes — cheese is optional. Strict carnivore eaters often skip cheese to keep the meal pure beef and butter. The patties stand on their own with just salt. If you do use cheese, hard aged cheddar, gruyere, or pepper jack melt cleanly. Each slice adds about 90 calories and 6g of fat without changing the protein much.
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