4 Diamond Ranch American Wagyu Smashburgers with Esquites Relish
A great smashburger is all about contrast. You want deeply browned beef around the edges, a juicy center, melted cheese, and a bun sturdy enough to hold everything together. For this burger, I wanted to take that familiar griddle experience in a different direction by borrowing the creamy, bright flavors of Mexican esquites and putting them right on top of American Wagyu.
The beef comes from 4 Diamond Ranch, using their grass-fed and grass-finished American Wagyu. It has plenty of richness for the griddle, but the real payoff comes when that beef meets the esquites relish. Sweet corn and buttery richness are balanced by fresh jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime, salty cotija, and just enough mayonnaise to bring everything together. Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub adds deep chile flavor, warm spice, citrus notes, and a savory backbone that connects the beef to the corn instead of leaving them tasting like two separate ideas.
The finished burger has a serious griddle crust underneath a layer of melted Chihuahua cheese, while the relish brings creaminess, acidity, sweetness, and enough texture to keep every bite interesting.
Pinche Gringo Adobo Smashburgers with Creamy Esquites Relish
Glenn Connaughton
4
15 minutes
15 minutes
740
American
Main Dish
Smashburgers earn their reputation from one thing above everything else: that dark, deeply browned crust created when cold beef hits a hot griddle. With American Wagyu, that crust brings plenty of rich beef flavor, so whatever goes on top needs enough acidity and texture to stand alongside it rather than disappear underneath it.
That is where the esquites relish earns its place. Corn gives it natural sweetness and a little bite, while jalapeño and red onion keep the flavor fresh. Lime cuts through the richness, cotija brings a salty edge, and mayonnaise gives the relish enough body to stay on the burger. Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub gives both sides of the burger the same flavor thread, bringing chipotle, ancho, guajillo, warm cumin, citrus, and savory depth to the beef while reinforcing the Mexican-inspired character of the corn relish.
Melted Chihuahua cheese settles into the crust of the Wagyu without overpowering it, and the toasted bun picks up some of the rendered beef fat from the griddle. The result is rich without being heavy, creamy without losing texture, and bright enough that you keep coming back for another bite.
Ingredients
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- 1 cup frozen corn
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion, about 1/4 small red onion
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
2 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub
1 jalapeño, finely diced
Juice of 1/2 lime
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- 1 pound 4 Diamond Ranch grass-fed and grass-finished American Wagyu ground beef, divided into 4 equal balls
1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese, or shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons beef tallow or canola oil, for seasoning the griddle
- 1 tablespoon Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub, or as needed for seasoning
4 hamburger buns
Directions
- Make the Esquites Base: Heat the flat top griddle and add the frozen corn, diced jalapeño, red onion, and butter. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring and turning the vegetables as needed, until the corn is cooked through, the onion is translucent, and the butter has coated the vegetables.
- Season the Corn: Once the butter is fully incorporated, season the vegetables with Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub. About halfway through the cooking time, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime over the mixture and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned in spots.
- Finish the Esquites Relish: Transfer the cooked vegetables to a bowl and allow them to cool slightly. Add them to a small food processor with the cilantro, cotija cheese, and mayonnaise. Pulse until everything is evenly incorporated and has the consistency of a chunky relish. Do not over-process it. You want visible texture from the corn and vegetables rather than a smooth paste. Transfer the relish to a bowl and set aside.
- Prepare the Beef: Divide the cold American Wagyu ground beef into 4 equal portions and gently roll each portion into a ball. Do not compact the meat more than necessary. Keep the beef cold until you are ready to place it on the griddle.
- Season the Griddle: Spread the beef tallow or canola oil across the hot flat top griddle to create a lightly seasoned cooking surface.
- Start the Burgers: Place the 4 cold beef balls onto the hot griddle and allow them to cook untouched for about 30 seconds, just long enough for a light crust to begin developing on the bottom.
- Flip and Smash: Flip each beef ball so the lightly crusted side is facing upward. Immediately smash the meat firmly against the griddle using a burger smasher or oversized barbecue spatula. Season the exposed surface with Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub.
- Build the Crust: Allow the burgers to cook without moving them for approximately 3 minutes. The goal is a dark, well-developed crust across the surface touching the griddle.
- Scrape and Flip: Slide an oversized spatula firmly underneath each burger, scraping against the griddle so the crust stays attached to the meat. Flip each burger and move it onto a fresh section of the griddle.
- Melt the Cheese: Top each burger with about 1/4 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese or Monterey Jack cheese. Cover the burgers with a griddle cloche or an inverted disposable aluminum pan and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the second side has developed a good crust.
- Toast the Buns: While the cheese melts, place the burger buns cut-side down directly onto the spots where the burgers originally cooked. Toast them in the residual rendered Wagyu fat until lightly browned, then remove them to a tray and arrange them open-faced.
- Build the Burgers: Place one cheese-covered Wagyu patty on each bottom bun. Spread a generous layer of esquites relish over the inside of each top bun, close the burgers, and serve immediately.
