New fast food trend aims to be smash hit
MAILLARD REACTION GIVES BURGERS ADDED FLAVOUR, SAYS EXPERT
THE latest trend in fast food is taking a major bite out of the market.
Several halal American-style diners have opened since Covid restrictions eased, offering “smash burgers”. It involves the patty being pressed down to improve the contact between the meat with the heat source in an attempt to boost the flavour.
Among the eateries offering the dish to have opened in recent months include You Want Beef? in Buckinghamshire, Peckish in Leicester, and Amo’s Street Food in Rotherham in Yorkshire.
Another hotspot is east London, where several specialist restaurants have opened including Get Stuffed, Simply Smashed – Quality Smash Burgers, Chiccos, and Burger LDN.
Ruhul Tarafder, who runs takeaway Jhal Chilli in Kent and a merchandising firm which supplies the restaurant industry, told Eastern Eye: “Any new innovation is good for the industry. You can jazz things up, most people like gourmet burgers with onions. I would want a thick style burger, personally.
“In Kent, you would expect to pay £12-£15 for these burgers. It is probably more expensive than London, where there is more variety and so much competition.”
The UK burger market is estimated to be worth around £3.3 billion, compared to £2.7bn in 2011.
Burger sales are forecast to return to prepandemic levels by 2023, according to a report by market analysts Mintel last year.
Researchers also found that 81 per cent of consumers ordered takeaways for home delivery in a 12-month period, while 22 per cent of Britons spent more on takeaways and home delivery in 2021.
Manju Malhi, a chef and food author, believes the reason behind the popularity of the “smash burger” is its simplicity.
She told Eastern Eye: “They are made by purely pressing a handful of minced meat on a hot griddle pan such as a cast-iron pan.
“Then as the meat heats up, a slotted spoon is used to squash and smash the burger until an irregularly shaped flat, crispy, slightly charred and rugged-edged patty emerges.
“Once it’s cooked, you place it in a toasted bun with your favourite burger condiments.”
Malhi added: “Smashed burgers are predominantly made with meat that contains at least 20 per cent fat content so you can cook it in its own meat juices.
“The science behind this is known as the Maillard reaction, where extreme heat causes the sugars and amino acids in meat proteins to darken and form a rich crust.
“There are vegetarian versions of the smashed burger, but you would have to add a little oil to the pan to create the ‘smashed’ effect.”
Among the first eateries to have introduced smash burgers in the UK is Archies, set up by brothers Amer, Imran, Asim and Irfan Rafiq. The chain has restaurants in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds.
It is famous for celebrities coming up with their own customised milkshake to put on the menu. In July, singer Chris Brown ate at the Birmingham branch following his performance at the Wireless Festival.
Kamran Uddin, a food writer, said: “Young people are becoming more picky when it comes to where they eat and the food they consume due to social media reviews.
“American-style smash burger joints are proving to be popular because they offer something different to the bog-standard chicken and chip shop.
“They also emphasise on the flavour and taste of the actual burger, which has been lacking in other fast food diners.”
Shama Ali, 31, has tried smash burgers at Chiccos in Brick Lane and Get Stuffed in Shadwell. She said: “At Chiccos, the smash burger looked quite small and standard.
“However, the meat was full of flavour, but could have done with some more relish and I don’t think it was value for money.
“Calling it smash burger gives it a fancier name, but I don’t think it’s much different from a standard burger.
“At Get Stuffed, the smash burger was similar flavour-wise, and it goes well with ‘Belfries’ which is a box of chips, sauces, chicken pieces and vegetables.”