Juicy Peanut Butter and Jelly Smash Burger

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Here’s my fun twist on a classic burger – a peanut butter and jelly smash burger that combines childhood nostalgia with juicy, crusty beef patties. The sweet and salty combo might sound strange at first, but trust me, it works!

My kids thought I was crazy when I first made these for dinner, but now they ask for them at least once a month. And honestly, who can blame them? It’s like your favorite sandwich and burger joined forces to create something totally new and tasty.

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What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For a truly juicy smash burger, 80/20 ground beef is your best friend – that’s 80% lean meat and 20% fat content. While you might be tempted to go with a leaner blend, the extra fat is crucial for getting that amazing crust and flavor that smash burgers are famous for. If you can, ask your butcher to grind chuck beef fresh for you, since it has the ideal fat content and beefy flavor. When you’re at the store, look for meat that’s bright red and fresh – avoid any packages that look brown or have excess liquid pooling at the bottom. Just remember not to overwork the meat when you’re forming your patties, as this can make your burgers tough instead of tender.

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Options for Substitutions

This unique burger recipe has some room for swaps if you need them:

• Ground beef: While 80/20 ground beef gives the best flavor and juiciness, you could use 85/15 if preferred. Ground turkey or chicken won’t work well here – the fat content is crucial for the smash burger technique.
• BBQ spice blend: No BBQ blend? Mix your own with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Or use your favorite burger seasoning instead.
• Bacon: Regular or thick-cut bacon both work great. Turkey bacon isn’t recommended as it won’t render the same way for the jam.
• Shallots: You can swap shallots with finely diced red or sweet onions – use about 1/2 cup.
• Maple syrup: Real maple syrup works best, but honey can work in a pinch – just use about 1 cup since honey is sweeter.
• Bourbon: Any whiskey will do, or you can skip it and add 2 extra tablespoons of balsamic vinegar for depth.
• Peanut butter: Natural or regular creamy peanut butter both work. For allergies, sunflower butter makes a good substitute.
• American cheese: Cheddar or provolone can work too, though American melts best for that classic smash burger feel.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Grilling

The biggest mistake when making smash burgers is not getting your griddle or cast-iron pan hot enough – you need screaming hot temperatures to achieve that perfect crust, so let your cooking surface heat up for at least 5 minutes before adding the meat. A common error is overworking the ground beef when forming patties, which leads to dense, tough burgers – instead, loosely form meat balls and only season the outside right before cooking. The timing of your bacon jam is crucial too – make it before starting the burgers since it needs to cool slightly to achieve that perfect spreadable consistency, and don’t skip the bourbon as it adds an essential depth of flavor that balances the sweetness. When it comes to the actual smashing technique, do it immediately after placing the meat ball on the hot surface and only smash once – repeated pressing will squeeze out all those flavorful juices you want to keep.

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What to Serve With PB&J Smash Burgers?

These sweet and savory burgers are pretty filling on their own, so I like to keep the sides simple and complementary. Classic crispy french fries are always a good choice, but sweet potato fries work especially well with the peanut butter and maple flavors in this burger. A crunchy coleslaw with a tangy vinegar-based dressing helps cut through the richness and adds a nice contrast to the creamy peanut butter. If you want to lean into the sweet-salty combo, try serving these burgers with some kettle-cooked potato chips or even some candied bacon strips on the side (because you can never have too much bacon!).

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: If you’ve got leftover assembled burgers, wrap them individually in foil or plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge for up to 2 days. For uncooked patties, you can keep them separated by wax paper in an airtight container for up to 24 hours before cooking.

Make Ahead: The maple bacon jam can be made up to a week ahead – just keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge. You can also form the burger patties a day before and stack them with wax paper between each patty. This makes party prep so much easier!

Warm Up: To enjoy leftover burgers, wrap them in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. The microwave works too, but the bun might get a bit soggy. The bacon jam can be warmed up in short bursts in the microwave or in a small pan on low heat.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4000-4500
• Protein: 250-270 g
• Fat: 300-320 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef (80% lean)
• 1/2 cup preferred bbq spice blend
• 2 pounds bacon slices, cubed
• 2 medium shallots, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups maple syrup
• 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 ounces bourbon
• Creamy peanut butter
• Sliced american cheese
• Burger buns (preferably croissant-type)

Step 1: Prepare the Grill and Bacon Jam

Preheat your grill using Cowboy Charcoal to medium-high heat (around 350°F) for direct cooking.

Place a cast iron skillet on the grill to heat up for 2 minutes over the fire.

Add your cubed bacon to the skillet and cook until the bacon is rendered and golden brown, which should take about 10 minutes.

Remove the bacon bits, leaving 1.5 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet.

Step 2: Cook the Shallots and Start the Sauce

Add shallots to the skillet and brown them for about 2 minutes.

Carefully deglaze the skillet with bourbon, then add maple syrup, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar.

Let the mixture simmer until it thickens and turns a dark amber brown, which should be around 10 minutes.

Return the bacon bits to the skillet, stirring everything together to combine.

Step 3: Cool and Reheat the Bacon Jam

Once the bacon jam is ready, take the skillet off the grill and allow it to cool.

Before serving, remember that you will need to warm the Bacon Jam back up on the grill or over a stovetop.

Step 4: Prepare the Burger Patties

Reheat your grill using Cowboy Charcoal to high heat (around 400°F) for direct cooking.

Grab a handful of ground beef (around 1/4 lb per patty), gently rolling it into a ball.

Repeat this until you have 6-8 balls or until you’ve used all the meat.

Place a cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames and let it heat until it’s slightly smoking, around 450°F.

Step 5: Smash and Cook the Burger Patties

Add a burger ball to the skillet.

Place a piece of parchment paper over the ball, then firmly press with a spatula until the burger is “smashed” onto the skillet.

Season the patty with your favorite BBQ rub and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.

Carefully flip the burger patty over and season the other side with more BBQ rub.

Top with a slice of cheese and allow it to melt for 1-2 minutes.

Once melted, pull the patty off the skillet and let it rest.

Repeat this process for the remaining patties.

Step 6: Assemble the Burger

To build your burger, use 1-2 patties per bun, topping them with the warmed bacon jam and a spoonful of peanut butter.

Place the top bun over the layers to complete your burger.

Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious creation!