Pepperoncini Pepper Smash Burgers – Crispy and Juicy Burgers

Crispy-edged smash burgers flavored with a combination of Au jus gravy mix, ranch dressing seasoning mix, and tangy, mildly spicy pepperoncini pepper juice.

Smash burgers are created just like their namesake – by smashing a small amount of ground beef onto a hot skillet or griddle and cooking them through. The result is a thin burger patty with crispy brown edges and juicy centers.

While my family loves plain old smash burgers, I decided to take it up a notch. These pepperoncini smash burgers feature all your favorite parts of a typical smash burger, but with a tangy and slightly spicy flavor twist!

The flavor profile comes from the slow cooker Mississippi pot roast recipe. If you’ve ever tried Mississippi pot roast, then you already know what flavors I am talking about! It’s a combination of three ingredients that can be thrown together quickly for a delicious meal.

What Are Pepperoncini Peppers?

Pepperoncini peppers are a type of chili pepper. They are yellow-green in color (not to be confused with banana peppers) and feature a mild spicy flavor.

On the Scoville Heat Scale, they measure between 100 and 500 units. Compare that to jalapeno peppers, which have a 5,000 Scoville Heat Unit, and bell peppers, which have a reading of zero. Since I’m not a big fan of spicy foods, they are the perfect type of chili pepper for me!

Pepperoncini peppers are popular on many Italian dishes, like salads and pizza. (If you’ve ever been to Olive Garden and had their salads, then you’ve seen those little yellow-green peppers. They are pepperoncinis.)

You can find jars of these pickled peppers in most grocery stores. While you can eat them raw, most people prefer them pickled. You can also grow pepperoncini peppers yourself. I’ve had great success growing and canning Golden Greek Pepperoncini peppers. Thank goodness, too, because we eat them all the time!

How To Make Pepperoncini Pepper Smash Burgers

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Ingredients  

• Ground Beef – Ideally, you want a mix of about 80/20 for your ground beef. The fat will help the smash burgers bind together as well as keep them moist after cooking. We buy our beef from a local butcher in bulk, so I honestly have no idea what the percentage is with our beef, but it works well.
• Au Jus Gravy Mix – You can use one packet of the gravy mix or about two tablespoons of bulk.
• Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix – I’m not talking about the liquid ranch dressing you pour on your salad, but the dry powder mix that you use to create the liquid dressing. You can also use a homemade powder mix if you prefer.
• Pepperoncini Pepper Juice – For the actual burgers, you only need the juice from the jarred pepperoncini peppers. You can find both medium and hot flavors, depending on your heat preference. Or you can use your own homemade canned peppers. In addition to the juice, I also like to add the actual sliced peppers to the top of the burgers, but you do you!
• Tallow or Oil – To cook the burgers, you need some type of cooking oil. I prefer to use rendered beef tallow when cooking beef items, but your favorite cooking oil works fine. Just make sure it has a high smoke point. I don’t give exact amounts for the oil since you might need more or less as you go along.
• Burger Toppings & Buns – Lastly, you need other burger toppings as well as the buns. I prefer to enjoy my pepperoncini smash burgers with a big smear of mayonnaise, sliced pepperoncini peppers, and the occasional slice of cheese.

Instructions For Pepperoncini Pepper Smash Burgers

Prepare The Patties

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, packet of au jus gravy mix, dry ranch dressing mix, and pepperoncini pepper juice. Using a spoon or your hands, mix until well combined.

It might creep some people out, but I like to use my hands for this step. It works best to make sure the ingredients are well incorporated. Your hands can be washed after, or you can also wear gloves if you prefer.

Once the meat mixture is combined, divide it into 12 to 14 similarly shaped meatballs. The size of the meatballs will dictate how large your burger patties will be. Do not press the meat together too firmly since this can make it hard to “smash” the burgers. It’s ok if they are a little “shaggy.”

Cook The Patties – Pepperoncini Pepper Smash Burgers

Once the meatballs have been formed, it’s time to prep the cooking surface. Some recipes call for the use of no cooking oil at all. However, I found that as long as you are using an oil with a high smoke value and not too much of it, the burgers still get a wonderful crust.

Heat 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of beef tallow or cooking oil of choice in a large skillet or griddle over medium to medium-low heat. Once the oil is good and hot, add two or three patties at a time, placing each one separately in the hot skillet. D

o not overcrowd the pan! You will need space for the patties to spread out once smashed. Allow the beef meatballs to sit as is for about 30 seconds. Now it’s time to smash them!

Smashing – How They Get Their Name!

The best way I have found to do this is to use a piece of parchment paper and a burger press. Tear off a piece of parchment paper that is slightly bigger than your burger press. (Here is the burger press I use – Product Link: Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Press.)

Place the paper onto one of the patties and press firmly down until the meat is flattened. Use some muscle here to get the meat nice and thin.

Move the paper to the next beef patty and repeat the process. Since you are cooking the beef in oil, it might splatter and hiss some, so be cautious during this part of the process.

Allow the meat to cook until you can start to see browning on the top. Carefully flip the patties using a metal scraper or stiff spatula. If needed, really get in there and scrap the burger up, making sure to get all that browned goodness along with it.

Once flipped, you should see that the cooked side is crispy brown. Allow the second side to cook for a minute or two, or until done. It shouldn’t take too long since the meat is so thin.

Continue Cooking – Pepperoncini Pepper Smash Burgers

Place each cooked patty on a large plate and keep warm until all of the patties are done. If desired, add your cheese now in between two patties so it gets nice and melted.

Repeat the process with the other meatballs, working in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet or the griddle. If needed, add more cooking oil and allow it to heat up before adding additional meatballs.

Serve two or three burger patties per bun. Top each off with a big helping of mayonnaise and a few sliced pepperoncini peppers, if desired. While I love a good cheeseburger, I find cheese to be optional with these pepperoncini smash burgers. Enjoy!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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