Hot Honey Caramelised Onion Smash Burgers by Hopecrosby Eatss

Ingredients

• 300g 5% fat beef mince
• 2 brioche burger buns
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 large potatoes, cut into chips
• 4 tbsp chipotle mayonnaise
• Handful of shredded lettuce
• 4 slices of cheese
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (for onions)
• 1 tbsp oil (for chips)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium heat, add the sliced onion, and fry for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown.
2. Add the honey and chilli flakes to the onions, stir to coat, and cook for a further 15 minutes on low heat until fully caramelised and sticky. Set aside.
3. Chop the potatoes into chips, toss in oil, salt, and pepper, and spread in the air fryer basket. Cook at 180°C for 30 minutes until golden and crispy — no parboiling needed.
4. Season the beef mince with salt and pepper, divide into 4 equal portions, and roll into balls.
5. Heat a lightly oiled skillet or griddle pan over high heat. Add the mince balls and smash each one as thin as possible with a spatula. Fry for 7 minutes, flipping once halfway, until cooked through and deeply browned.
6. Place a cheese slice on each patty in the last minute of cooking and let it melt.
7. Toast the brioche buns cut-side down in the pan for 1–2 minutes until golden.
8. Assemble each burger: spread chipotle mayo on the base bun, add shredded lettuce, stack two smash patties, pile on the hot honey caramelised onions, and top with the bun lid.
9. Wrap each assembled burger in foil and place back in the air fryer at 180°C for 5 minutes to meld everything together, then serve with the chips.