I'm wondering if the packing method of your ground meat may be impeding your ability to get the thickness you want.

When I grind the meat and then pack for a burger it barely holds together when smashed. Kind of has holes in it sometimes like the instagram video. Every once and awhile I get a super loose one that pretty much falls apart when flipped and is only held together by melted cheese. Those times are super irritating but also worth it for the rest of the time.

I'm assuming the tighter you pack or mix the more resistance you get when smashing.

This is our store grind but they grind everyday fresh. 80/20 on the blackstone and smashed.

>>Sorry about the misdirection, I though the video link was in here!

Interesting, thanks - It definitely looks course ground. What size plate would you use?

I do not think so, the patties cooked yesterday on the little range top skillet were much easier to smash due to the fact I did not have to deal with the lip of a kettle.

I'm assuming the tighter you pack or mix the more resistance you get when smashing.

I only have the 3/8" that came with it for big.  They send a  stuffing plate and I have wondered it it might be used, I think it might be way to big, or not work at all.  I have never used one, so I have no data on it.

>>Sorry about the misdirection, I though the video link was in here!

Interesting, thanks - It definitely looks course ground. What size plate would you use?

Some 80/20 ground chuck. Form into balls and put on wax paper. Cover with wax paper and smash down with the palm of your had. Plus it is easy to just put in on the grill by just flipping on. No mess.  Decided it was double buckboard bacon cheeseburger night with buttered Brioche Buns. Even with everything on it, it did not fall apart when eating it. Will say the buckboard bacon was fantastic along with the pickled jalapenos. 

Got some of the 75/25 premade patties from Costco.  When I was a kid, I remember a burger was meat, ketchup & mustard, at least that is what I was told by McDonalds.  And if you had it the way mine are below, it was a California burger.  Dont ask me why.  I am pretty sure that all over American, folks put lettuce, tomato & onion on a cheeseburger.  So how it got the designation California, not sure.  Maybe my memory is wrong, but that is what I remember.  So today in Virginia, I had 2 California burgers.  The tomato had such little flavor, I truly believe that it sucked flavor from the burger!  Come on July and the 1st harvest!

How were burgers in your home presented growing up?

For me, growing up, it was burger, and catsup on a bun.
Our spaghetti was noodles and catsup.
Family didn't have a lot of money.
 
Now it's burger, cheese, catsup, with onions and pickles (optional).
I save the mustard for brats and dogs with onions and relish of course.

The burgers I ate with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise were California burgers in Nebraska, Minnesota and North Dakota.

This was not a dream or possible depending on my age, hallucination...thanks for the confirmation!

Burgers as a kid were just simple as you described.

As I got older they were what ever we wanted on them. It was just the parents and  myself. Usually cheese, pickles,onion, tomato, mayo, miracle whip, ketchup mustard. Any combination of these items. I like burgers different ways, sometimes loaded with the garden and sometime just pickle onion and mustard. Growing up I think it came down to what we had on hand. Most were grilled outside in the summer and pan fried or sometimes broiled in the winter. It was always just plain regular hamburger rolls. Same thing with hot dogs. Although there were times that plain white bread was subbed in.

Burgers were usually made up from whatever the butcher ground up, and when we stopped getting halves of beef there was a local market that usually had whole sirloin tips for a good deal and they would grind them for us.

If I am at someone's house, I will only eat a cheeseburger with mustard.  If I am out somewhere, I get Wendy's, McD's, etc as they serve them.  I order a bunch of burgers with different toppings at different restaurants.  I had a California cheeseburger sub for lunch yesterday that had cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onions.

Awesome looking burgers.

Clonesmoker, nice pickled peppers on there. That burger looks like an experience.

I’ve never heard of a California burger...however, I’m sure I’ve stumbled across a burger with avocado on it...and 9 times out of 10, if something has avocado added to it then the restaurant will call it California something.

Growing up my mom always made build-your-own burgers.  She would grill the burgers and have a platter of sliced iceberg lettuce, tomato, and onion. Ketchup and mustard always available. I had a phase where I put steak sauce on my burger.

These days, my perfect burger is griddled and topped with melted American cheese, onion, tomato, pickles, and ketchup.

Both those burgers look awesome, I am not big on peppers so I would probably take them off but I think I would sure try it first. Great job both of you.

Rodeo Burger from Wayback Burger - two smashed patties cooked on griddle topped with cheese, BBQ sauce, and onion rings.

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

California burger at the Freddie's here in Tulsa is just like Bentley's.  Mayo instead of mustard.