Happy Fourth of July! For those celebrating, I hope you are enjoying this holiday and celebrating with something delicious! This summer, I’ve been on a burger kick. I bought a charcoal grill not too long ago and with the hot weather, grilling has been my default way to get dinner on the table. Burgers are always a favorite but this time, I wanted to recreate the ever popular McDonald’s Big Mac. You know the one – two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, all on a sesame seed bun. But rather than making an exact clone, I opted for a simplified version…
For the recent Dirty Dancing movie party I hosted with family and friends this past weekend, I wanted to include some foods reminiscent of the 1960’s – the decade in which the movie takes place. Did you know the McDonald’s Big Mac was introduced to the masses in 1967? With that in mind, I knew it would be the perfect dish to include in my party menu. Besides, who can resist a cheeseburger? Speaking of cheeseburgers, did you know…
- Nine in ten (92 percent) burger-eaters like cheese on their patties.
– 82% of Americans agree that cheese makes a burger taste better.
– More than three in four Americans can’t imagine eating a burger without cheese! - Forty-four percent of Americans list Cheddar as their favorite natural cheese for burgers.
- More than half of burger-lovers would forgo French fries to top their burger with cheese.
Rather than making this a double-decker burger just like the typical McDonald’s Big Mac, I made single burgers with the same elements. The special sauce was recreated to use as a spread on the burgers, in which each 1/2 lb burger was topped with American cheese, pickle slices, grated onion and shredded lettuce. They came out juicy and just as filling, if not more, than the original.
Ingredients for the special sauce:
1 cup miracle whip
1/3 cup sweet relish
1/4 cup French dressing
1 T sugar
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp fresh minced onion
Burgers:
2 lbs ground chuck (90% lean)
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
6 hamburger buns, split, toasted if desired
1 1/4 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce
pickle slices
6-12 slices of American cheese
Prepare the special sauce first to allow the flavors to meld. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing well until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until ready to assemble burgers.
Divide the meat into 6 equal portions (or 8 equal portions if making sliders). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4 in thick patty and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.
Cook the burgers over the grill to your preference and top each one with cheese during the last minute of cooking.
Place the burgers on the bun bottoms. Top each with a couple slices of pickles and shredded lettuce. Spread the special sauce on the top bun and cover each burger with the bun tops. Serve immediately.
The Sargento “America’s Ultimate Cheeseburger” Contest
- Brooklyn, NY: 67 Burger “Pastrami Spiced Swiss Burger”
- Miami, FL: The Filling Station “The Filling Station Cheeseburger”
- Chicago, IL: Butcher & the Burger “Drill Sargento Burger”
- Milwaukee, WI: Sobelman’s “Bacon Double Cheeseburger”
- San Diego, CA: Crazee Burger “Crazee Cheeseburger”
Support your local restaurant by visiting the “America’s Ultimate Cheeseburger” tab on the Sargento Facebook page to cast your vote! Fans can also join in on the cheeseburger love by submitting their own cheeseburger recipe!
I just can't resist Big Macs! I'm going to have to try these.
These look and sound so good! I can't wait to try them!
French dressing, Miracle Whip and sweet relish makes Thousand Island dressing. So if you have that on hand, save yourself some time.
These would also be the same as Big Boys. Even though I worked for them I still love these sandwiches.
Am I missing something? It says prepare FOUR buns but divide meat into SIX portions? Does anyone else think that's weird?
Thanks Deb! I've updated it to reflect 6 buns for the 6 portions {I had a case of late night blogging I suppose – oops!} I appreciate you catching it! 🙂
This burger looks awesome! I think my husband would LOVE a homemade big mac.