McDonald's Teriyaki McDouble (Copycat)

The original: Teriyaki McBurger · McDonald's →A take on the K Bulgogi Burger (K 불고기 버거) · Frank Burger →A take on the Teriyaki Burger · Freshness Burger →A take on the Tamateri Burger (たまてりバーガー) · Zetteria →

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About

This is a home version of the Teriyaki McDouble 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. There is a separate sweet lemon mayo to mix before anything hits the pan, and it keeps in the fridge for a few days if you make it ahead.

Ingredients

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Ground beef1 pound (450g) ground beef (80/20 blend)
Salt1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
Black pepper1/2 teaspoon (1g) black pepper

teriyaki glaze

Soy sauce1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
Mirin1/4 cup (60ml) mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
Sake2 Tablespoons (30ml) sake (or water if you don't have it)
Brown sugar2 Tablespoons (25g) brown sugar
Ginger1 teaspoon (5g) freshly grated ginger
Garlic1 clove garlic, finely grated
Water1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch mixed with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) cold water (slurry)

sweet lemon mayo

Mayonnaise1/4 cup (60ml) Kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayo is a must here!)
Lemon1 teaspoon (5ml) fresh lemon juice
Sugar1/2 teaspoon (2g) white sugar

assembly

Burger bun4 regular, soft hamburger buns
Iceberg lettuce1 cup (50g) shredded iceberg lettuce
ButterButter for toasting

Recipe

1
Start with the signature Teriyaki glaze. In a small saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, grated ginger, and garlic. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour in your cornstarch slurry and whisk constantly for about 1 minute until the sauce becomes thick and glossy. Turn off the heat and keep it warm.
2
Make the sweet lemon mayo. McDonald's Japan uses a specific slightly sweet, citrusy mayo that perfectly cuts through the rich teriyaki. Whisk the Kewpie mayo, lemon juice, and sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside in the fridge.
3
Portion your ground beef into 8 equal balls, about 2 ounces (55g) each. Place them between sheets of parchment paper and press them out into very thin patties — slightly larger than your bun, as they will shrink when cooked. McDonald's patties are notoriously thin, so don't hold back on the pressing.
4
Toast your buns! Butter the insides of the hamburger buns and toast them face-down in a hot skillet until golden brown. This creates a barrier so the heavy teriyaki sauce doesn't immediately turn the bread into mush.
5
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook the thin beef patties for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Season lightly with salt and pepper while they cook. Because they are so thin, they will cook extremely fast. You want a little bit of browning, but don't dry them out.
6
Here is the crucial McDonald's Japan technique: immediately take your hot, cooked patties and dip them directly into the warm saucepan of Teriyaki glaze. You want them completely coated and dripping in that sticky, sweet sauce.
7
Assembly time: Lay down the toasted bottom bun. Stack two of your glaze-dripping teriyaki beef patties right on top of each other. Take the top bun and spread a generous layer of your sweet lemon mayo on it. Stick a handful of shredded iceberg lettuce directly onto the mayo (this acts as a glue to hold the lettuce in place), and close the burger. Have napkins ready!