A cast iron burger press does one thing, but it does it well: it presses your meat across its full width against the hot plate. That way the whole surface touches the cast iron at the same time and you get a crust that's even from edge to edge, instead of a burger that puffs up in the middle and only colours on the outside.
The weight does the work. You don't need to lean on it: you place the press on top, count off half a minute and lift it off again. Besides smash burgers you use it for bacon that would otherwise curl, for chicken breast you want to cook fast, and for a toastie or grilled sandwich on the plancha.
- Cast iron, stays hot and doesn't flex
- Shipping weight around 1 kg
- For smash burgers, bacon, chicken breast and sandwiches
- Works on kamado, gas BBQ and stove
- Handle stays hot: use a glove
How to work with a cast iron burger press
Heat the press up on the plate along with everything else, so it doesn't pull heat straight out of your meat. Place a ball of mince on the hot plate, press it flat within the first thirty seconds and hold the pressure briefly. Then let go: pressing for longer only squeezes out moisture. Flip the burger once and let it finish cooking gently.
Care
Treat the press like your other cast iron. Clean it with hot water and a brush or scraper, without washing-up liquid. Dry it straight away afterwards and rub it with a thin layer of oil or wax, so you build up a non-stick layer coat by coat and keep rust away.
Looking for a lighter option to shape round burgers instead of pressing them flat? Take a look at the hamburger press from Grill Fanatics. You'll find a suitable surface at the bbq cast iron, and the rest of the tools are at bbq tools.
