Why this formula works
The beef is smashed in four thin patties, cooked to 71°C / 160°F and torn only after a real crust forms. Worcestershire, smoked paprika and garlic season the tomato rather than turning beef into wet mince. Pickles and most burger sauce stay cold; 240 g combined cheese plus a 320 g base carry the generous meat while post-bake acid and sauce preserve unmistakable burger contrast.
Honest timing
| Active preparation | 25 min |
| Hydration / proof / preheat | 1 h |
| Cooking / baking | 18 min |
| Elapsed total | 1 h 43 min |
Ingredients
- mature strong pizza dough ball320 g (11.3 oz)
- 20% fat ground beef, kept cold300 g (10.6 oz)
- thick unsalted pizza tomato sauce140 g (4.9 oz)
- low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated120 g (4.2 oz)
- mature cheddar, coarsely grated120 g (4.2 oz)
- dill pickle slices, drained and blotted100 g (3.5 oz)
- red onion, thinly sliced100 g (3.5 oz)
- thick burger sauce containing egg and mustard120 g (4.2 oz)
- Worcestershire sauce containing anchovy15 g (0.53 oz)
- sesame seeds, divided15 g (0.53 oz)
- smoked paprika2 g (0.07 oz)
- garlic powder2 g (0.07 oz)
- fine sea salt, divided4 g (0.14 oz)
- coarsely ground black pepper, divided2 g (0.07 oz)
Equipment
- cast-iron skillet or griddle
- stiff metal spatula
- instant-read thermometer
- pizza steel or heavy inverted sheet
- pizza peel
- digital scale
- rack
Exact method
- 1. Preheat using the loaded-pizza table below. Divide cold beef into four loose 75 g balls. Heat a dry skillet until faintly smoking.
- 2. Place beef balls in the skillet, cover each with parchment and smash to 5–6 mm. Season with 2 g salt and half the pepper; cook 90 seconds, scrape and flip, then cook to 71°C / 160°F. Cool and tear into 3 cm crusty pieces.
- 3. Mix tomato with Worcestershire, smoked paprika and garlic. Soak onion in ice water for 10 minutes and dry; drain and blot pickles.
- 4. Open the 320 g dough to 32 cm with a 2 cm rim. Move to a lightly dusted peel and confirm it slides.
- 5. Spread seasoned tomato, add mozzarella and half the cheddar. Distribute beef pieces and onion, then cover loosely with remaining cheddar and 8 g sesame.
- 6. Bake with the matching loaded setup below. On steel, allow 7–10 minutes and rotate once; pull when the underside is deeply brown and cheese bubbles around crisp beef edges.
- 7. Rest 90 seconds on a rack. Add dry pickle slices and drizzle all 120 g burger sauce in narrow lines.
- 8. Finish with remaining 7 g sesame, 2 g salt and remaining pepper. Cut into eight narrow slices and serve immediately.
How to know it is ready
- Beef has a dark crisp crust and reached 71°C / 160°F before topping.
- Cheddar bubbles around distinct meat pieces rather than greasy mince.
- Pickles stay cool, sharp and dry.
- The loaded 32 cm center lifts and burger sauce remains in clear lines.
Troubleshooting
- Grey beef: skillet was cool, beef was crowded or it was stirred instead of smashed.
- Grease pool: use four thin patties, drain only excess free fat and distribute pieces widely.
- Wet topping: blot pickles and keep burger sauce post-bake.
- Flat burger flavor: use Worcestershire in tomato and reserve pickles, sauce and sesame for contrast.
How to adapt the base recipe
- For a double-onion version, brown 100 g yellow onion separately and replace half the raw red onion.
- For no anchovy, use 15 g verified fish-free Worcestershire alternative and remove the fish allergen only after checking its label.
- For 35 cm, use 350 g dough, 180 g tomato, 360 g beef, 150 g each cheese, 130 g pickles and 150 g sauce.
Storage and food safety
Serve promptly. Refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 2 days. Remove pickles and loose sauce, reheat beef and pizza center to 74°C / 165°F, then add fresh pickles and sauce.
Allergens
Egg, Fish, Gluten (wheat), Milk, Mustard, Sesame Depending on the selected product, may also contain: Soy, Sulphites.
Always verify every label and cross-contact risk; brand formulations can change.