Take your cold ground beef and divide it into four equal portions—each weighing about 4 ounces. Form these into loose balls without packing them too tightly.

Preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until hot.

When the surface is ready, place two beef balls on the skillet. Using a heavy spatula, press down firmly to flatten each ball into a thin patty—aim for about 1/4 inch thickness.

Season the smashed patties generously with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

Let the patties cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, until a nice brown crust forms.

After 3 minutes, flip the patties and immediately add a slice of cheese on top of each patty. Cook for another minute, allowing the cheese to melt beautifully.

While the patties are finishing up, butter the brioche buns and toast them on the griddle until golden brown.

Place the cheesy patties onto the bottom halves of the buns, add burger sauce, and crown with the top half of the buns.