Whopper (Copycat)

The original: Whopper · Burger King →The original: Whopper · Hungry Jack's →Albert Cancook’s take →Ballistic BBQ’s take →Cowboy Kent Rollins’s take →

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About

James McLamore created the Whopper in 1957 after noticing that a rival restaurant in Gainesville was doing well with oversized burgers. It cost 37 cents and was sold simply on being big, and in the 1970s the Have It Your Way campaign turned its long list of toppings into the selling point. In Australia the same burger is sold by Hungry Jack’s.

This home version keeps the build that makes a Whopper recognisable: a wide quarter-pound beef patty with a charred edge, then lettuce, tomato, pickles, raw onion, ketchup and mayonnaise on a toasted sesame bun. The patty is seasoned only with salt and pepper and cooked over a medium-high flame, or in a hot skillet, for three to four minutes a side. Grilling gives the closest flavour to Burger King’s flame broiler. A slice of cheese in the last minute makes it a Whopper with cheese.

Ingredients

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beef patty

Pre-made burger patty2 beef patties, 1/4 lb (115g) each
Salt1/2 tsp salt per patty
Black pepper1/4 tsp black pepper per patty

sauce

Mayonnaise1 tbsp mayonnaise
Ketchup1 tsp ketchup
Black pepperpinch of black pepper

assembly

Sesame seed bun2 sesame seed burger buns, toasted
American cheese2 slices American cheese
Tomato2–3 tomato slices
Iceberg lettuce1/2 cup (20g) shredded iceberg lettuce
Dill pickle3–4 dill pickle slices
White onion2–3 rings raw onion

Recipe

1
Prepare the beef patties. Gently form each 1/4 lb beef patty, taking care not to overwork the meat. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
2
Cook the patties. Grill on a medium-high flame or skillet for 3–4 minutes per side until fully cooked and slightly charred. Add a slice of cheese on top of each patty during the last minute of cooking to melt.
3
Toast the buns lightly until golden.
4
Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, and a pinch of black pepper until smooth.
5
Assemble the Whopper from bottom to top: bottom bun with sauce, lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, onion rings, flame-grilled beef patty with melted cheese, additional sauce if desired, then the top bun. Serve immediately while hot.