Mickey D's BurgerIngredients

11⁄2 lb (675 g) ice-cold regular ground beef chuck
2 tsp (10 mL) kosher salt
1 tsp (5 mL) black pepper, freshly ground
1⁄2 cup (125 mL) Special Sauce (see recipe below)
2 cups (500 mL) iceberg lettuce, shredded
8 American processed cheese slices
2 pickles, sliced into rounds
1 white onion, finely diced
8 sesame seed buns, sliced into three layers
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) melted butter
Nonstick cooking spray

Method

Taken from Napoleon’s Everyday Gourmet Burgers.

Here is my version of Mickey D’s Big Mac Hamburger. We all know the jingle—two all-beef patties, Special Sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed bun. The key to making my burger a true success is the bun. Mickey D’s buns are specially baked and sliced, so having their buns will make things easier for you and will look great. Go to your local Mickey D’s and ask if you can purchase a few Big Mac buns. They might be a little pricey, but the result is worth it!

THE BURGER: Place the ice-cold regular ground beef in a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until well combined.

Form into eight 3-oz (100 g) patties as uniform in size as possible. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the burgers to rest.

Preheat grill to medium-high, 450–550°F (230–280°C).

Spray burgers lightly on both sides with nonstick cooking spray.

Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side for burgers that are done medium-well but are still moist and juicy.

Top each burger with a slice of American processed cheese. Close lid and allow cheese to melt.

Brush burger buns with melted butter and grill, cut-side down, until crisp and golden brown. Remove buns from grill and spread the bottom and the middle buns with the Special Sauce.

ASSEMBLE YOUR BURGERS! Bun bottom, Special Sauce, shredded lettuce, sliced pickles, diced onion, cheeseburger, bun middle, Special Sauce, onions, pickle and cheeseburger, sesame seed bun top. Serve immediately.

TIP: Buns can be purchased at Mickey D’s.

THE SPECIAL SAUCE
You can create Special Sauce a couple of different ways. The first version is the recipe that follows.

  • 1 cup (250 mL) mayonnaise
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) green relish
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) ketchup
  • Dash hot sauce
  • Pinch salt

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, green onion, green relish, ketchup, hot sauce and salt. Stir well, transfer to a small dish, cover and refrigerate until needed. The second version of Special Sauce is store-bought Thousand Island dressing. Simple, eh!