Mauricio Scott's smash burgers are celebrated for achieving exceptional juiciness paired with intense caramelization, thanks to a meticulously honed technique.
The Science of the Smash
- Ultra-Thin Patty: High-pressure smashing creates a patty mere millimeters thick. This maximizes surface area contact with the hot griddle.
- Instantaneous Maillard Reaction: The extreme surface area hitting a blazing hot (400°F+) griddle triggers rapid browning and crust formation, sealing juices early in the cooking process.
- Rendered Fat = Flavor: Thinness allows for efficient rendering of fat from the high-fat ground beef blend, which immediately fries the meat in its own juices and bastes the patty.
Ingredient Precision
- High-Fat Blend: Scott favors coarsely ground beef with a fat content typically around 25-30% (e.g., Chuck/Brisket blend). This fat is essential for moisture, flavor, and the distinctive crispy edge "lacing".
- Cold & Fresh: Meat is kept very cold and handled minimally to prevent compacting, ensuring a loose, tender texture upon cooking.
- Salt Mastery: Generous, perfectly timed seasoning with coarse salt forms a critical, flavorful crust.
Texture Harmony
The magic lies in the contrast: an impossibly thin patty develops a deeply caramelized, crispy crust that locks in surprisingly abundant juices within its structure, preventing a dry center. This creates an intensely savory, rich burger experience defying expectations of thin patties.
The Scott Signature
What sets Mauricio Scott apart isn't mystery ingredients, but executional mastery: the perfect griddle temp, the forceful smash creating optimal thinness and surface texture, managing cook time precisely for that juicy interior beneath the formidable crust, and unwavering attention to ingredient quality.
