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McDonald's Cheeseburger (Copycat)
Community Rating6.3 · 1 vote
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About
This is a home version of the Cheeseburger from McDonald's, rebuilt from scratch rather than reheated out of a box. It is a beef burger in the plainest sense: the patty carries it, and everything else is there to stay out of the way. The shopping list that matters: plain soft burger buns, american cheese, dried minced onions and warm water. The step that decides how it turns out: toast your buns in a dry pan over medium heat until they are just barely golden. It scored 8.2 out of 10 here after cooking it exactly as written. The full method runs to 7 steps below, with the ingredient list above it. Read the whole thing once before you start: a couple of the steps overlap and it saves a burnt batch.
Ingredients
- Ground beef1 pound (450g) ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- Burger bun8 plain soft burger buns
- American cheese8 slices American cheese
- White onion2 Tablespoons (10g) dried minced onions
- Water1/2 cup (120ml) warm water (for rehydrating onions)
- Ketchup1/4 cup (60ml) ketchup
- Yellow mustard2 Tablespoons (30ml) yellow mustard
- Dill pickle8-16 dill pickle slices
- Black pepperSalt and pepper to taste
Videos
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Recipe
- 1First, we need to make the 'secret' ingredient: the onions. Place the dried minced onions in a small bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them sit for at least 15-20 minutes until they are soft and plump. Drain the excess water before using. This is what gives that specific fast-food aroma!
- 2Divide your beef into 8 equal portions (about 2 ounces or 55g each). Roll them into balls and then flatten them into very thin patties between pieces of parchment paper. They should be wider than the bun, as they will shrink quite a bit on the grill.
- 3Toast your buns in a dry pan over medium heat until they are just barely golden. You want them warm and soft, not crunchy like a crouton. Set them aside.
- 4Crank the heat to medium-high. Place the thin patties on the hot surface and season them immediately with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes until you see a nice brown sear, then flip. They only need about 1 minute on the second side.
- 5Immediately after flipping, place a slice of American cheese on each patty. If the cheese isn't melting fast enough, add a tiny drop of water to the pan and cover it with a lid for 5 seconds to create steam.
- 6Assemble in this exact order to match the original: On the top bun, place 5 small dots of mustard and a swirl of ketchup. Add a teaspoon of your rehydrated onions and one or two pickles. Place the cheesy patty on the bottom bun, then close it up.
- 7Pro tip: Place the finished burgers in a microwave-safe container or wrap them in foil for 1 minute. This 'sweats' the bun, making it perfectly soft and melding the flavors together just like they do at the drive-thru.