A Better Big Mac Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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You can build a better Big Mac by taking the great original concept and fixing up everything that's wrong with the execution. The final result is a sandwich that's truly worthy of the title of American Icon. Two all-beef patties diminutive in size but massive in flavor. Fresh, crisp lettuce shredded just before serving. American cheese melted to its gloriously gooey fullest. Sharp pickles. Onions carefully guided to tame their pungency and bring out their natural sweetness. All on a soft triple-decker sesame seed bun.

Note: Store-bought ground beef can be substituted for the short rib. Mac Sauce can be used as soon as its made, but it gets mellower if you let it sit in the fridge at least overnight in a covered container.

Recipe Facts

4.3

(3)

Active: 45 mins
Total: 45 mins
Serves: 1 serving

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Ingredients

  • 3 1/5 ounces boneless beef short rib, well-chilled

  • 1/4 cup finely minced onion

  • 1 teaspoon onion

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish

  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon Marmite, Vegemite, or Maggi seasoning

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 large egg white

  • 1 whole Wonderbread brand hamburger bun, plus 1 bottom bun

  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (about 600)

  • 1/4 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

  • 4 dill pickle slices

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 slice American cheese

Directions

  1. Pass beef through meat grinder fitted with 1/4-inch plate twice. Form into two even balls and flatten into 4-inch patties using wet hands against a cutting board. Scrape patties up with thin spatula and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

  2. Place minced onion on a double layer of paper towels on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 10 minutes on low power until mostly dehydrated but not browned. Set aside.

  3. While onion is dehydrating, combine grated onion, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, sugar, Marmite, and turmeric. Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to use.

  4. Preheat toaster oven or broiler to high. Use one finger to spread a very thin layer of egg white over the top of the top bun. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and place under broiler for 30 seconds until set. Set aside. Use a sharp, thin knife to cut off the very bottom of the bottom bun half, creating a single circular piece of bread with cut surfaces on both sides.

  5. Toast cut side of top bun and bottom bun, and one side of center bun piece under broiler until light golden brown. Place bottom bun and center bun on cutting board toasted-side up. Spread half of sauce on each. Divide dehydrated onions evenly between bottom and center buns and top with lettuce. Place 2 pickle slices on each.

  6. Season burger patties with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-bottomed 10-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add patties and cook without moving until first side is crusty and browned, about 1 minute. Scrape up patties with a stiff spatula and flip. Top one patty with 1 slice cheese. Continue cooking until cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer cheese-topped patty to bottom bun and cheeseless patty to middle bun. Place top bun on top of center, then stack center bun on top of bottom. Serve immediately.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
808 Calories
51g Fat
52g Carbs
37g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 808
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 51g 65%
Saturated Fat 15g 77%
Cholesterol 281mg 94%
Sodium 1676mg 73%
Total Carbohydrate 52g 19%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 4mg 22%
Calcium 616mg 47%
Iron 8mg 47%
Potassium 722mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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